Community Solutions Internship Opportunities

2024-2025 CS Interns & Supervisors

Who We Are

Community Solutions is a mission-driven, non-profit organization based in Santa Clara County, serving clients who experience mental health symptoms and substance use challenges. Our CS Learning Training Institute offers personal and professional development experiences for those in the behavioral health field, including internships and traineeships for mental health therapists and social workers.

Over the last 4 years, we’ve hosted over 100 interns pursuing various degrees, including Social Work, Clinical Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology, Public Health, and Justice Studies! With a wide range of services offered from prevention to residential and everything in between, and a diverse client population, interns at Community Solutions receive a comprehensive introduction to the behavioral health field and the various career pathways available to them.

Scroll down to our FAQ to learn more!

 

2024 – 2025 Internship Opportunities

Applications are currently closed as all available placements for the 2024-2025 academic year have been filled. Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year will open in January 2025.

Get In Touch

Andriana Ancira, CS Learning Internship Coordinator: andriana.ancira@communitysolution.org.

Matthew Rensi, LPCC, PhD

Clinical Learning & Development Manager

Tyler Washington, BA

Learning & Development Supervisor

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Adults & Older Adults

The adult/older adult division at Community Solutions offers internships for MSW, MFT, and PCC students. The various programs available provide treatment for adults struggling with mental health issues, and sometimes substance use challenges. There is also various programs that work with special populations - like individuals struggling with homelessness or involved in the criminal justice system.

Children & Youth

We offer internships for MSW, MFT, and PCC students in our children and youth division. There are various programs include, but not limited to: outpatient mental health services, school-linked prevention and intervention services, and full service partnership programs.

Solutions to Violence

Our Solutions to Violence programs provide empowerment-based services to strengthen and support survivors of domestic violence, intimate partner abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking crimes. We also provide education and prevention services on these issues for schools, groups, and the community. There are opportunities for MSW, PCC, and MFT students.

Internship FAQ

  • Where will I be working?

    We have three main sites: San Jose, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy, with a fourth, smaller site in Hollister. The Gilroy office is our headquarters, where a majority of CS leadership and infrastructure is housed. Interns are assigned a home office based on program location and proximity. However, staff and interns mostly do community-based work, seeing clients in their preferred environment, with remote options available around specific tasks like admin tasks and training.

  • What will I be doing?

    Community Solutions offers a wide range of experience to our staff and interns. Intern duties vary based on assigned program, degree, and experience level. Clinical interns provide therapy services, including mental health assessment, treatment planning, care coordination, and more. Bachelor’s level and MSW 1st year students perform primarily case management services, including connection to resources, skill-building, outreach, and advocacy.

    Additionally, our CS Learning Training Institute offers numerous training opportunities to interns, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Seeking Safety, Understanding Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression (SOGIE), Intro to Trauma Informed Care, and more! Through our learning partnership with Santa Clara County (SCC Learn), Community Solutions’ staff and interns also have access to county trainings, including Solutions Focused Brief Therapy and Trauma-Focused CBT.

  • Is there compensation available?

    Yes! Our current intern pay rates are:

    Master’s Level: $23/hour

    Bachelor’s Level: $20/hour

    Mileage Reimbursement: All interns are reimbursed at the federal rate for agency related travel apart from commute to their home office.

    Sick Time: All interns receive 40 hours of sick time per calendar year.

    Equipment: Community Solutions provides each intern with an agency laptop, cell phone, and HIPAA-compliant backpack while they are completing their internship.

  • What does supervision look like?

    All interns receive 1 hour of weekly 1:1 reflective supervision from a BBS-certified supervisor. All interns providing clinical services also receive 2 hours of group supervision per week.

  • Is your organization affiliated with my school program?

    We are currently partnered with over 20 universities nationwide to provide placement opportunities for students. If you are offered an internship placement with the agency and we are not yet partnered with your university, our team will work to execute an agreement prior to the start of your internship.

  • Am I eligible for an internship with Community Solutions?

    To be eligible for the position, all potential interns must:

    1. Must be able to meet and receive a criminal records clearance as required by specific programs, licensing regulations and Community Solutions practices.
    2. Possess a valid California driver’s license, current car insurance and a good driving record as documented by a DMV report and consistent with the Agency’s liability insurance requirements.
    3. Possess an automobile to perform routine job duties.
    4. Be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a reasonable accommodation is approved or as otherwise required by law.
  • What are the benefits to interning with Community Solutions?

    • Wide range of programs & services
    • Diverse client population
    • Comprehensive LIVE trainings w/ CEUs
    • Guaranteed individual & group supervision
    • PAID internship
    • PAID sick time
    • Mileage Reimbursement
    • Emphasis on work/life balance
    • State-recognized leader in internships per Advocates for Human Potential (AHP)
    • Employment opportunities post-graduation

The Internship Insider: A CS Learning Blog

January 2024

Mastering Therapy Internship Interviews: A Guide for Aspiring Professionals

As you embark on the path to pursuing your Master’s in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy or Social Work, interviews for internships can prove crucial in shaping your career trajectory. With their in-depth insights into prospective employment opportunities and valuable connections in the field, these internships may provide critical hands-on experience that will serve as steppingstones to your professional journey. The following tips will guide you through mental health internship interviews and setting yourself apart from other candidates.

Read More

The Internship Program Over the Years

 

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Everyone was open to questions and helpful to my learning. Erica was very responsive and helped me work through questions and situations thoroughly. She kept me on task and ensured all of my practicum needs were being met.

KM, BSW, Solutions to Violence Division

Roy and Becca have been extremely helpful with anything that I have needed support with. They are always available to answer any questions I have and I never felt alone in this program. It has been a tough decision to move back home for personal reasons, because I would have loved to stay with my team and continue to work for this organization.

BH, PCC, FSP-TAY Program

I've learned things about myself and others around me that I will used and look back on for the rest of my life. I love how tired everyone is to their emotions here at this facility, CS has truly integrated work and everyday life beautifully and makes the working world less intimidating.

AF, Summer Internship Program

I really enjoyed my time here! It feels like it flew by, I am going to miss the staff and the other interns that I met while being here. Everyone was very welcoming and always helped when I had questions.

DBC, BSW, THRIVE Program

My internship with Community Solutions has been nothing but positive! There is a welcoming, positive, and encouraging company culture that has allowed me to feel welcomed and has allowed me to grow professionally. All the supervisors/ managers I had the opportunity to work with well-educated me and provided me with the necessary tools and recourses to do complete with my roles and responsibilities accordingly. I would recommend this position to individuals within my network that have similar career goals to my own. Thank you Community Solutions for everything!

LW, MFT, ICM/JD Program

I would recommend Community Solutions to all students interested in finding an internship that is supportive, team based, an excellent place to learn, and challenging in a positive professional development way.

AZC, MSW, Solutions to Violence Division

We were given so many resources and trainings which was instrumental in the learning process of this internship. I felt so supported by Hilary, Matt, and Tyler throughout this entire experience…It felt like we were really doing something good and making an impact on people's lives. I also loved that our team was so close and we were given the opportunity to express ourselves and create bonds with our coworkers. This was an incredible experience and I feel so grateful to have gotten the chance to be a part of this team.

HG, Summer Internship Program

I really enjoyed the 3-day orientation prior to beginning the internship. I appreciated that I had the opportunity to meet and get to know the supervisors and other interns in my division. The orientation decreased my nervousness and allowed me to ask questions to those I'd be working closely with.

LL, MSW, Solutions to Violence Division

I love all of the staff at CS! I just want to say that I'm so thankful and appreciative of Hilary and Tyler and all their hard work they put into making this internship successful. Y'all deserve the world!

AO, Summer Internship Program

I really appreciated how responsive all of my program management and supervisors were to my questions and needs in the Traditional Adults Program. Their positive and open demeanors made it easy to ask questions and feel supported during difficult times.

JP, MFT, Traditional Adults & OA Program

Erica has aligned the internship and school expectations and requirements flow well. She supports work and life balance, and while she has encouraged us to prioritize school, it is hard not to show up for the community volunteers who are passionate about seeing a better community.

DL, MFT, FACT Program

This was such an amazing experience and it allowed me to come out of my shell and figure out what I want to do in the future and the educational steps I need to take for it. I was having a very hard time figuring that out this summer and this internship allowed me to find the solution to this problem as well as take a lot of weight off of my shoulders moving on to this next semester.

CW, Summer Internship Program

At Community Solutions I met some wonderful women who helped me with my fears and helped me understand that I did not deserve to be abused by anyone.

Luz, age 50, Solutions to Violence

[Community Solutions] helped me with my problems and were there when I was having hard times. They have helped my family with a place to live and helped us pay some bills and buy some food when we needed it.

Serena, age 15, Child & Youth Behavioral Health

I cannot describe very well but all I know is that each day is getting better. Your program helps.

Jin, age 62, Adult Behavioral Health

Thanks to the program, I left the ugly house I was living in that had two small windows for the 8 of us, dirt floors, broken windows, no door, and the toilet always clogging. Now my children and I have a nice apartment where we have more space, privacy, and carpet where we can be barefoot.

Teresa, age 38, Solutions to Violence Supportive Housing Program
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