Behavioral Health Clinical Paid Internship / Externship

Behavioral Health Clinical Paid Intern/Extern (Master's Level)

Agency: State of Delaware – Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF)

Location:
Silver Lake Treatment Center
493 East Main Street
Middletown, DE 19709

Hourly Rate: $27.12/hour

Employment Type: Casual/Seasonal Internship/Externship

Work Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Some evening and weekend hours may be required.
Maximum of 29.75 hours per week.

Launch Your Clinical Career with the State of Delaware!

Are you a master's-level behavioral health student or recent graduate looking for a meaningful externship that provides hands-on clinical experience? Join the State of Delaware at Silver Lake Treatment Center and work alongside licensed behavioral health professionals serving children, youth, and families.

This externship offers the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world clinical setting while developing the skills needed for professional licensure and independent practice.

What You'll Learn

As a Clinical Intern/Extern, you will gain valuable experience in:

• Clinical assessment and behavioral health treatment planning
• Individual, family, and group therapy
• Clinical documentation and progress note writing
• Case management and service coordination
• Multidisciplinary team collaboration
• Professional ethics, confidentiality, and clinical supervision
• Evidence-based behavioral health practices for children, adolescents, and families

What You'll Do

Under the supervision of licensed clinicians, you will:

• Assist with clinical assessments and treatment interventions.
• Support the development and implementation of individualized treatment plans.
• Participate in individual, family, and group therapy sessions.
• Monitor client progress and assist with recommendations for continued care.
• Prepare accurate clinical documentation, including progress notes, reports, and case summaries.
• Collaborate with youth, families, community partners, and multidisciplinary treatment teams.
• Observe administrative and supervisory functions within a behavioral health setting.
• Maintain ethical and professional standards while protecting client confidentiality.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must:

• Be within two months of graduating or possess a Master's degree or higher in Behavioral or Social Science or a closely related field.
• Be pursuing clinical licensure with the intent to obtain Delaware independent licensure (LCSW, LPC-MH, LMFT, Psychologist, or equivalent) within one year.
• Be seeking an externship to apply academic knowledge in a clinical behavioral health setting.
• Have one year of clinical experience working with children or adolescents.
• Have one year of experience completing clinical documentation, including narrative report writing.
• Possess a valid driver's license.

Why Join Us?

This externship provides exceptional hands-on clinical experience while working with licensed professionals in a collaborative behavioral health environment. You'll build practical skills in assessment, treatment planning, counseling, documentation, and interdisciplinary care that will prepare you for licensure and a successful career in behavioral health.

Conditions of Hire

• Pre-employment drug screening is required following a conditional offer of employment.
• A satisfactory criminal background check is required as a condition of hire. Applicants may be responsible for the cost of the background check.

The Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services, also known as DPBHS, provides an array of prevention, early intervention and behavioral health treatment services statewide.

Our vision, for all children and families to be strong, resilient, and live in supportive communities and our mission, to develop and support a family-driven, youth guided, trauma informed prevention and behavioral health system of care, drives us to continuously improve our services and reach our vision.

We serve Delaware families through prevention and early intervention programs that promote safe and healthy children, nurture families and communities, support social and academic success, and improve early identification of needs. We also serve eligible families of children and youth (through age 17) with behavioral treatment needs.