Mental Health Student Intern

Program Overview:

Master's Level Mental Health Student Interns at BestCare will be provided with supervision and oversight so they can develop the knowledge and skills for a profession in behavioral health. The Internship Program is designed to serve as a bridge between the knowledge they gain in completing required coursework and applying that knowledge to clinical client services. It is expected that Student Intern will maintain ethical standards and follow all of BestCare's policies as well as State and Federal regulations throughout the program to guide their development into professional clinicians. The following represents the primary opportunities and responsibilities that a Student Intern may expect during the internship.

Opportunities and Responsibilities:

1. The Student Intern can expect to work in a diverse clinical setting with adult clients that are experiencing a variety of hardships, social determinants of health, and co-morbidities.
2. At the beginning of the internship, the Student Intern will receive and complete required/assigned training as well as a site-specific orientation.
3. A qualified, designated clinical supervisor will serve as a Clinical Supervisor and resource, and will be responsible to timely provide all necessary documentation and coordination with the affiliated university. The Clinical Supervisor will meet all requirements under OAR 309-019-0125.
4. Develop goals for the internship (Student Scope of Practice and Education Agreement), identifying areas of particular interest to the intern, as well as goals related to the competencies of the profession. Review and update throughout the internship at least every 3 months to evaluate progress towards goals, identification of deficiencies.
5. The Student Intern will participate in a variety of shadowing opportunities with the entire outpatient team, including other program offerings to learn the entire array of services provided based on the program site, which may include, case management, psychiatric management, providing therapy, medication supported recovery, MOMs program, and substance use/Mental Health counseling and therapy.
6. After completing the shadowing opportunities and being approved by the Clinical Supervisor, the Student Intern will begin practicing therapy and case management conjointly with their supervisor, and when ready, will provide therapy/case management on their own for a small caseload, under continuing supervision.
7. The Student Interns will be provided the designated, weekly supervision, as well as individually and in group setting with the clinical team. Weekly, 1-hour, individual supervision will include but is not limited to the review of cases relating to the:
   • Diagnosing and making appropriate treatment recommendations
   • Developing service plans and setting goals for treatment
   • Termination of therapy services, review of documentation to ensure appropriate, thorough and accurate documentation, and coding of services.
8. Opportunities for observation through provision of direct client services, under supervision.
9. Opportunities to learn about other aspects of their profession including, but not limited to, burnout and compassion fatigue, theoretical orientations/interventions, proper documentation in EHR (Electronic Health Records), transference and countertransference, boundaries, legal considerations and testifying in court, etc.

Qualifications and Requirements: Applicants must be currently enrolled in their second year in an accredited university, Master's degree program in social work, psychology, counseling, or marriage and family counseling. In addition, students must have:

1. Must have QMHA and be registered for QMHP
2. A signed, collaborative educational agreement between the BestCare Treatment Services and the graduate program for the student;
3. Minimum commitment for duration of internship as agreed upon in the Collaborative Educational Agreement.
4. Minimum number of hours per week as determined by the Collaborative Educational Agreement, with a stable and reliable schedule to be coordinated and designated with the onsite clinical supervisor.
5. Demonstrated ability to learn the skillset to conduct basic competence in the following essential job functions: facilitation of Mental Health assessment, completion of treatment plans, facilitation of Mental Health psychotherapy treatment for individuals and within a group therapy setting;
6. Demonstrated cultural responsiveness, effective communication and competence in care coordination, development of working alliances with individuals, inter- and intra-agency collaboration, and the rendering of services and supports within their scope and in accordance with the service plan, including transition planning; and
7. Demonstrated basic clinical competency in the following areas: diagnostics, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, motivational interviewing, trauma informed care, foundational knowledge in substance use disorders, and suicide risk assessment and safety planning. If topic areas have not been trained up in, willingness to participate in designated training to scale up skills is recommended. This should be discussed with on site supervisor at start of practicum for learning plan clarity;
8. Ability to develop strong collaborative relationships with the clinical team, willingness to participate in a variety of shadowing opportunities with the outpatient teams;
9. Ability to get along and work collaboratively and effectively with the clinical team;
10. Ability to work within the scope of practice and competencies identified by the collaborative educational agreement and the policies and procedures for the credentialing of clinical staff as established by the provider and the graduate program;
11. Ability to show openness in the learning space, with compassionate and respectful communication with receiving and giving feedback in all contexts of the role;
12. Adherence to program procedures for client documentation within designated electronic medical record. This also includes adhering to completion of documentation as based on guidelines for the program. Completing assessments, treatment plans, and individual therapy notes within 72 hours is the expectation.
13. Individuals in recovery from substance-use disorders must have a minimum of 2 years in recovery.