Master’s Level Internships

The Yale Child Study Center (YCSC) offers comprehensive master’s level internships in social work, marriage and family therapy, and clinical mental health counseling. Applications are accepted from January 1 to March 1 for the following academic year. Internship and application information is detailed below. This is a competitive application process; please read carefully. Only completed applications that meet deadline requirements will be accepted.

Students enrolled in master’s level graduate programs in social work, marriage and family therapy, and clinical mental health counseling accredited by the following are eligible to apply.

• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

Successful candidates are expected to have some flexibility in their schedules to accommodate client scheduling, including one to two evenings per week. No weekend (Saturday and Sunday) clinical hours are available for these internships.

All interns are required to attend the following.

• Practice seminar (Fridays 9-10am, in person)
• Clinical supervision
• Staff meetings
• Rounds (weekly departmental session)

Master’s level internships generally take place September through May. While some exceptions can be made, determined on a case-by-case basis, there are no internships available for less than two academic semesters. Incoming interns are expected to attend onboarding and orientation in the July leading up to their internship year.

All candidates must be enrolled in:

• An accredited MSW, MFT or MA/MS program (CSWE, COMFTE, CACREP)
• The second year or advanced standing of MSW, MFT or MA/MS program
• A clinical academic track with good academic standing (transcript and/or reference from placement coordinator will be required at time of interview)
  

Interviews take place beginning at the end of January through mid-March each year. Final decisions about candidates are made by late March.

Several tracks are available as part of the YCSC’s comprehensive master’s level internships. These placements may not be available every year. No matter the track, each internship offers supervised clinical experience working with children, youth, and families.

• IICAPS (Intensive In-Home Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service): IICAPS provides treatment for children with severe emotional disorders. IICAPS is a home-based, family-focused treatment program. Children appropriate for IICAPS are those who are discharged from psychiatric or residential treatment facilities, children in acute psychiatric crisis for whom hospitalization is being considered, or children for whom traditional outpatient treatment is insufficient to maintain them in the community. Access to reliable transportation is necessary for IICAPS as most client session occur in the client’s home.
• Outpatient Services: YCSC outpatient services provide outpatient level of care for youth birth to 19 years of age, young adults, and parents with a child under the age of 18. Clinical services include individual and family therapy, group therapy, clinically informed case management, and close collaboration with schools and other community providers. Several outpatient placements are offered, each with a different focus. These include:
• Outpatient Youth: Focused on clinical work with children under 19 and their families
• Outpatient Adult: Focused on clinical work with parents
• Outpatient Mixed: Focused on clinical work with both youth and parents

All internships require a minimum commitment of 20 hours per week. The approximate breakdown of time commitment is as follows.

• Direct client care: 6-8 hours (second year internships)
• Collateral client care: 2-3 hours
• Clinical supervision: 1 hour individual supervision; IICAPS has an additional hour of team supervision
• Rounds (case conference): 1 hour per week
• Staff meeting: 1 hour per week
• Practice seminar: 1 hour per week
• Grand rounds (departmental conference): 1 hour per week
• Documentation and team consultation: 3 hours per week

• All internships listed above are unpaid.
• Background checks including Department of Children and Families and Connecticut State Police or other state background checks (as applicable) will be conducted for accepted candidates.
• A valid driver’s license and reliable transportation is required for all home-based internships. Department of Motor Vehicle driving record check will be conducted for accepted candidates.
• Mileage is reimbursed for home-based client appointments.
• The YCSC does not cover parking costs for interns, trainees, faculty, or staff. Parking is available through Yale University at a cost of approximately $75 per month, through the New Haven Parking Authority, or independent lots.