CLINICAL INTERNSHIP: Community Counseling Trainee

Description

AGENCY OVERVIEW

Since our founding in 1895 in Marin County as an orphanage – and through subsequent years as Sunny Hills Services – Side by Side has been at the forefront of best practices in child welfare, working with the most vulnerable youth in our community. Today, Side by Side operates in four counties – Marin, Alameda, Sonoma, and Napa – across the Bay Area, reaching nearly 2,000 children, young adults, and family members per year with much-needed services related to behavioral and mental health, early intervention in schools, LGBTQIA+ support, transitional housing for foster youth, and special education. 

Side By Side places high value on individuals with a passion for helping underserved youth and families in a collaborative and inclusive work culture. We strive to work together to create a trauma-informed workplace where we walk the walk of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Community Counseling clinical services are individualized and include school, home, and community-based support for youth ages 5-26. Informed by a holistic understanding of the young person’s history and strengths, Community Counseling supports the development of coping skills and strategies to help the family function more effectively and the young person attain stability and a sense of personal agency.

Community Counseling includes a spectrum of community-based services to respond to the specific needs of the individual young person and their family, as follows:

• For mild to moderate diagnoses, such as depression and anxiety, services include individual and group therapy through telehealth, in office locations, as well as on-site in schools and other youth-serving organizations (post-pandemic).
• For moderate to severe diagnoses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder/mood disorders, or early onset psychosis, services include individual and group counseling and rehabilitation, as well as crisis stabilization and medication management.

Raices Unidas is primarily done in Spanish through group and parent workshops with for youth in K-12 and their parents. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide culturally responsive, strengths-based, trauma informed services to youth (ages 5-26 in the Outpatient Therapy Program (OBHS) which provides in office, school based and virtual individual therapy to youth (ages 5-26) experiencing mild to moderate mental health symptoms using a variety of clinical approaches and interventions to reduce symptoms.
• Participate in program outreach and program development as appropriate.
• Attend weekly OBH supervision (1 hr) and group supervision (2 hrs) is optional and available. 
• Responsible for writing progress notes and documentation as needed for programs and services, as well as curriculum development.
• Chart and record services rendered in accordance with agency standards.
• Maintain intern standards set by student has identified by university.
• Participate in developing goals, treatment plans, and surveys as appropriate. 
• Participate in intakes through the assessment and diagnosis with support and supervision.
• Develop and teach child/youth effective tools/skills for coping with challenging behaviors through therapeutic relationships. 
• Interact with school personnel for referrals.
• Developing a transition plan that achieves independence for youth.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of internship being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and expectations required of the position.

AGENCY-WIDE CORE COMPETENCIES

Ethical Conduct: Understands and adheres to the Agency’s Code of Conduct, demonstrates a high level of integrity in all internal and external activities and complies with all Agency policies, practices and procedures. Must maintain strict confidentiality related to client, staff and other Agency information.

Communication: Able to inform verbally and in writing, with clarity and good effect and to understand clearly and quickly when instructions or orders are received. Includes judgment about what information is important and what is not, and what should be communicated, how, to whom and when. 

Judgment: Able to make decisions in a timely fashion that are sound, accurate and supported by the reasoning and inclusion of appropriate people. Includes the ability to recognize, address and propose solutions to problems that arise. 

Safety: The intern is safety conscious about the work environment and equipment. The work area is free of d