Internship Opportunities

The training program in school-linked mental health at Central Minnesota Mental Health Center (CMMHC) is focused on developing flexible, relational, strengths-based practitioners skilled in engagement, assessment, treatment planning, and responsive, trauma-informed counseling of children ages 5-18 and their families. Trainees can expect to be welcomed into an inclusive, close-knit team of social workers, counselors, and marriage and family therapists based in schools throughout central Minnesota, and will be given abundant opportunities to apply academic knowledge, gain hands-on experience with diagnosis and a wide variety of treatment approaches, develop comfort with a range of techniques including holistic, mind-body, creative, and play-based strategies, and engage in self-reflection as well as self-care. The unique nature of school-based therapy will provide trainees with additional opportunities to practice eclectic and person-centered care, become involved with community action, develop resources and training for teachers, school staff, community members, and families, create psychoeducational materials to meet specific needs, and acquire a working knowledge of a variety of systems including education, human services, healthcare, and more. SLMH therapists also work closely with several in-house services through CMMHC including targeted case management and psychiatry.

Master’s Level internship available at this time

Our ACT team provides clinical, rehabilitative, and support services for adult persons who have SPMI (Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Schizoaffective, and Major depression) and oftentimes also have a co-morbidity with chronic substance usage and/or chronic medical conditions. Most of these services are delivered in the community.

Interns will work alongside a psychiatrist and nursing staff and will improve their clinical skills along with acquiring key knowledge of rehabilitative of the person’s functioning. Students will need to be open and willing to work in the community with clients. This is a unique experience to be part of an interdisciplinary team approach with shared caseloads and shared responsibilities.

We prefer interns to be at a Master’s level but will look at Bachelor’s level also. Interns must have a strong desire to learn about the Recovery Model, openness to increased exposure to persons with a severe and persistent mental illness, awareness of limitations, and a desire to examine social stigma as well as the personal perception of persons who have been significantly disenfranchised and are attempting to integrate themselves in their communities.

ACT – Monticello –Internships available at this time

ACT – St. Cloud – does not currently have any internship positions available until 2025.

ACT – Elk River – Internships available.

The internship program at Central MN Mental Health Center (CMMHC) is primarily focused on the completion of goals and objectives related to the 12 core functions and competencies of a chemical dependency counselor, as they prepare for licensure as an Alcohol & Drug Counselor. CMMHC offers internship positions to students enrolled in bachelor’s programs in chemical health or related human services field. The responsibilities for this internship include but are not limited to:

Provide chemical dependency assessments
Provide direct counseling service to clients, families, and concerned persons; educate clients on Diagnosis, treatment plan, and community services and resources
Assist in the development of the client’s treatment plan; maintain documentation
Make appropriate referrals to other professional sources outside the scope of the program
Outpatient CD – Buffalo – Internship available.

Outpatient CD – Monticello – does not currently have any internship positions available.

Outpatient CD – St. Cloud – does not currently have any internship positions available.

Detox – St. Cloud – does not currently have any internship positions available.

Focus XII – St. Cloud – Internship available for students pursuing their LADC licensure.

The training program in outpatient mental health at Central Minnesota Mental Health Center (CMMHC) is primarily focused on developing generalist counseling and assessment skills appropriate to work in a broad-based community mental health center. To this end, CMMHC offers part-time (20 hours), 9-12 month, training positions to students enrolled in masters and doctoral programs in psychology, social work, and marriage and family therapy. These positions are designed to coincide with a student’s academic schedule and will typically commence in early September and will conclude in either May or August of the following year. For students in master’s programs, this part-time position is referred to as an “internship” and usually serves as the final training experience before graduation; whereas for doctoral candidates this position is referred to as a “practicum” and serves as a precursor to the pre-doctoral internship. All students completing an internship or practicum at CMMHC can be appropriately referred to as “trainees.”

CMMHC’s training program is designed to foster the development and independence of versatile generalists in the area of outpatient mental health. Over the year, trainees can expect to develop their core foundational competencies, strengthen their integration of academic knowledge and applied experience, more confidently apply legal and ethical standards, gain greater levels of self-awareness and intentionality, and develop their own unique identity as emerging professionals. Throughout this, CMMHC is committed to training counselors to provide services that are family-driven, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive.

OPMH – Buffalo – does not currently have any internship positions available.

OPMH – Elk River – does not currently have any internship positions available.

OPMH – St. Cloud (This position would include some community-based children’s therapeutic services in addition to what is listed above) – Two Available in May 2024

:::::::00  As an intern at our St. Cloud Day Treatment Program you will have fun, learn, and grow in your views of persons with mental illness and providers who serve persons with mental illness.

Undergraduate: We consider students who are genuinely interested in learning to serve persons with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness and co-occurring disorders in a holistic setting. Interns must be available 8:30am-12:45pm two (2) to five (5) mornings per week and Fridays from noon to 3:30pm. Undergraduates are not eligible to complete client documentation unless they are a mental health practitioner and can provide verification. Interns participate in a fun and growth filled experience in which they get to join in group therapy and other skill building groups utilizing holistic and evidence based practices. Students can build in afternoon time to observe Diagnostic Assessments (DA), Functional Assessments, Individual Treatment Plans (ITP) and progress notes. Please review the Adult Mental Health – Adult Day Treatment section of the Minnesota Department of Human Services website prior to attending the interview. Ashley Becker, MS, LPCC, CRC is the on-site MN BBHT approved clinical supervisor. Please have your school supervisor be sure your program has a school contract on file with CMMHC Human Resources.

Master’s Level: Interns must be genuinely interested in learning about and serving persons with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness and co-occurring disorders from a holistic perspective. Interns must be available 8:30 am to 2:00 pm two (2) to five (5) days per week, Wednesdays 2:00-4:00 pm, and e/o Friday noon to 3:00 pm. Other times are negotiable to accommodate Diagnostic Assessments (DA), Functional Assessments (FA), Individual Treatment Plans (ITP), and 1.1 sessions with clients. Interns are required to teach a 30-45 minute psycho-educational class regularly. Interns will learn, conduct, and write up all assessments, treatment plans, and progress notes. This is a fun site where interns learn and grow in their views of persons with mental illness and the people who serve them. Please review the Adult Mental Health – Adult Day Treatment section of the Minnesota Department of Human Services website before attending the interview. Ashley Becker, MS, LPCC, CRC is the on-site MN BBHT-approved clinical supervisor. **Social Work interns must work with their school to provide any additional supervision specific to the MSW. Please have your school supervisor be sure your program has a school contract on file with CMMHC Human Resources.

Day Treatment – St. Cloud – Master’s Level internship available at this time

Day Treatment – Buffalo – Master’s Level internship available at this time

Northway IRTS is licensed by the State of Minnesota as an IRTS facility. This program provides intensive mental health and dual diagnosis treatment for adults who require a more structured setting due to instability and significant difficulty with daily life as a result of mental illness; and are at risk of significant functional impairments or deficits if they do not receive these services. We are a co-ed facility for up to 10 recipients at a time. This is a unique experience to be part of an interdisciplinary team approach with shared caseloads and shared responsibilities.

We prefer interns to be at a Master’s level due to complexity of client cases, but will also consider Bachelor’s level. Interns must be willing to learn and utilize the evidence-based practices that the program follows, including Illness Management and Recovery, Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment, and Family Education. Over the course of the year, interns can expect to develop their core fundamental skills to successfully work with clients on a therapeutic level, strengthen their integration of academic knowledge and applied experience, more confidently apply legal and ethical standards, and develop their own unique identity as an emerging professional.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Development of assessments and individual treatment plans with clients
• Coordinate services with community providers/services
• Provide medically necessary rehabilitation services and adult rehabilitative mental health services
• Facilitate daily group programming utilizing all evidence-based practices
• Assist with program development
• Provide therapeutic one on one interventions as needed and facilitate psychoeducation

Northway IRTS – St. Cloud – does not currently have any internship positions available.

The ARMHS program provides home and community based services to individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness and co-occurring disorders. ARMHS offers a 20-30 hour per week internship opportunity. We prefer interns to be pursuing a Bachelor’s or Masters of Social work, but will also consider other human services degree programs. The duration of this unpaid internship opportunity is up to one (1) year.

This internship provides students training and experience designed to foster the skills necessary to work as a Mental Health Practitioner. Interns will work with current ARMHS providers in the completion of assessments, development of treatment plans, delivery of skill-based interventions, and general coordinator of care.

ARMHS – No internship available at this time