Behavioral Health Clinical Intern - Undergraduate level (unpaid)

Job Description

Job Description

Rehabilitation Counseling Undergraduate Intern - Garcia House 

• Location:  Fort Collins, CO 

SummitStone Health Partners is seeking undergraduate-level Clinical Interns for the Spring 2027 semester. This internship provides pre-professional experience in a co-occurring behavioral health setting, offering rich experience with both mental health and substance use disorder treatment. Internships are unpaid and designed to meet field placement requirements for accredited undergraduate programs.

The Bachelor-Level Behavioral Health Intern provides observational and supervised learning experiences within Garcia House, SummitStone Health Partners' residential substance use treatment program. The internship is designed to introduce students to residential behavioral healthcare and prepare them for entry-level careers in behavioral health, including Residential Counselor and Case Manager positions.

Garcia House provides multiple levels of residential substance use treatment, including ASAM 3.7-WM (Withdrawal Management), ASAM 3.7-Medically Monitored Residential Services, and ASAM 3.5 Clinically Managed High-Intensity Residential Services.

Interns gain exposure to the interdisciplinary treatment model through structured observation and participation alongside licensed and non-licensed professionals. Disciplines include Residential Counseling, Case Management, Clinical Therapy, Nursing, Medical Providers, Occupational Therapy, Peer Support Services, and Program Leadership.

This internship emphasizes learning, professional development, ethical practice, and understanding the continuum of behavioral health services within SummitStone Health Partners and the Acute Services Division.

Interns do not function as independent staff members and may not carry an independent caseload or perform duties requiring independent clinical judgment.

You can find more information on the Garcia House HERE.

• Complete a Value-Added Project and present to the interdisciplinary team.

• Participate in orientation to SummitStone Health Partners, Garcia House, the Acute Services Division, and applicable policies, procedures, confidentiality requirements, and safety practices.

• Observe client admissions, orientations, treatment progression, and discharge processes.

• Shadow Residential Counselors during daily programming, therapeutic milieu management, and client engagement activities.

• Shadow Case Managers during care coordination, resource navigation, discharge planning, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

• Observe clinical assessments, individual therapy, group therapy, psychoeducational programming, and treatment planning meetings as appropriate.

• Observe nursing, medical, occupational therapy, peer support, and other interdisciplinary services to develop an understanding of each discipline's role in client care.

• Attend interdisciplinary treatment team meetings, case consultations, and staff meetings as appropriate.

• Assist staff with non-clinical administrative duties, preparation of educational materials, group supplies, and program organization.

• Observe documentation workflows, electronic health record practices, and regulatory documentation standards.

• Participate in therapeutic milieu activities and, when appropriate, co-facilitate educational or recreational groups under direct supervision.

• Participate in regular supervision meetings, educational discussions, and reflective learning activities designed to integrate academic knowledge with clinical practice.

• Perform additional duties as assigned by your supervisor

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's degree program in Psychology, Social Work, Human Services, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Public Health, or another behavioral health-related field at a college or university that has an active articulation agreement in place with SummitStone Health Partners.

• Eligible to receive internship credit through an accredited college or university. 

• Interest in behavioral health, substance use treatment, or community mental health.

Essay Requirement

We are seeking clinical mental health interns who are passionate about working in a community mental health setting. Our goal is to provide meaningful training in an environment that serves diverse and underserved populations, with an emphasis on equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive care. Each applicant is required to upload an essay (250-500 words) addressing one  of the prompts below. (Please note: your application will not be considered without an uploaded essay)

Essay Prompt 1

What does rehabilitation or recovery mean to you? 

Essay Prompt 2

What do you see as your role in supporting an individual in their recovery?

Essays will be evaluated for clinical insight, personal motivation, commitment to diversity, and readiness to work in a high-need environment. 

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