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Internships are an important way for students to gain hands-on experience in the human service field, and Open Sky offers a variety of different internship experiences at both the bachelor’s and master’s level. Opportunities are available in a variety of community mental health and developmental services settings, including outpatient, DMH and DDS community-based services, residential services, and administrative supports.

Open Sky interns also have access to training opportunities, both through the Open Sky staff development program and the Bridge Training Institute, learning from local experts in topics like Motivational Interviewing, CBT, CBT and more!

Ready for an internship at Open Sky Community Services?
Complete a request form and the internship team will reach out to you with next steps. 

Undergraduate Level Internship Request

Master's Level Internship Request

 

Contact

Undergraduate Level Internships

Agnes Nantambi

Internship & Mentorship Coordinator

agnes.nantambi@openskycs.org

 

Master's Level Internships

Jessica Reid

Internship Clinical Director 

jessica.reid@openskycs.org

Internship Opportunities

Community Mental Health Internships

Our community mental health services programs provide interns with a well-rounded clinical experience, including opportunities for assessment, treatment planning, crisis management, and carrying out case management and clinical interventions in community-based settings for adults, young adults, and families. Interns work with an integrated team including outreach staff, clinicians, housing specialists, and a variety of peer support roles. Placements are available in Adult Community Clinical Services (ACCS) services, Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers programs in Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT), and additional DMH funded programs.

 

Outpatient Internships

Outpatient services sponsors final year placements for clinical students preparing to provide individual, group and family therapy in an outpatient setting. In addition to the Bridge Counseling Center, where interns carry their own therapy caseload with support and guidance from a group of experienced supervisors, interns have the opportunity to work in the Rapid Response Hub, a unique service at Open Sky that serves as a conduit to a variety of clinical services. Interns will gain experience in treatment planning and collateral collaboration in addition to specific clinical interventions.

 

ID/DD Services Internships

Our ID/DD services division has opportunities for interns in a variety of disciplines, including mental health counseling and applied behavior analysis. Interns will gain hands-on experience using strategies like Positive Behavioral Supports, Julie Brown Skills System, and trauma informed care in the development of behavior and treatment plans to help individuals gain skills to live fulfilling lives. Individuals are served in group home, apartment support and shared living settings, allowing for experience in a variety of different places throughout the internship experience.

 

Administrative Internships

Open Sky welcomes interns from a variety of programs beyond our clinical placements! Students from a wide range of academic programs, including business, public health, rehabilitation counseling, and human services management can gain practical experience with an internship in our support departments.

Hear From Our Interns!

 

Peter Deckers

How did your internship at Open Sky bring your classroom learning to life? 

The graduate programs we attend provide a great deal of information/theory, but that information/theory differs massively once put into practice. The individuals we work with here at Open Sky are not quite the same individuals that the graduate programs use as a baseline. So, upon joining my team, and being given my case load, the experience and learning took off at an exciting rate. The exposure community mental health work gives a new clinician is incredible. Should a clinician find success working in this environment, the knowledge, confidence, and risk management skills developed will build a solid foundation for continued work within the profession.

 

What was your favorite part about your internship? 

For me the best part of the internship was the team that I was placed on, and the people I worked with. My fellow clinicians both on our team and the other Worcester teams are all incredible people. I never felt alone when facing a new high-risk situation, and the vast amount of knowledge that people bring to the table was incredible. It is common practice to go and pick your peers' mind when in a pickle. Not to mention the non-clinical team was also filled with incredibly hard-working and knowledgeable people. The dedication to our clients treatment and success was inspirational.

 

What aspects of your internship informed your decision to continue employment with Open Sky?

This team of professionals was what drove me to remain. I commute 45 minutes one way to work with this group of people. I came in as an intern and remained a peer/friend of everyone in the office. The culture at the team level is truly impressive. Everyone is dedicated to lifting each other up, offering a helping hand, or just being present to share a lunch with. Our office recently found a fantastic local taco shop, and a taco Tuesday tradition quickly ensued. Working at Open Sky, the one thing you will not need to ever worry about is the peers you surround yourself with.

 

Samantha Miller

How did your internship at Open Sky bring your classroom learning to life? 

It allowed me to have the opportunity to put into practice the material I was learning in the classroom and see it come to life in real time. 

 

What was your favorite part about your internship? 

The favorite part of my internship was seeing the clients grow and progress in their treatment. During my internship I was working in a residential group care for adolescents. It's hard to describe the authenticity of seeing a client go full circle in their treatment in group care. As a staff in group care there are lots of steps you observe for clients while in treatment, especially seeing clients grow, achieve goals, and transition onto next steps.  The best part of observing the growth for clients is knowing that you were a part of this process and support them.

 

What aspects of your internship informed your decision to continue employment with Open Sky?

The sense of community among staff was a factor for me to continue to work at Open Sky. The staff at open sky all have a passion for the field. Working alongside staff that share the same values in the work that you do builds a sense of community and teamwork. The experience I gained in my internship allowed me to enhance my skills as a clinician and continuing with a role at Open Sky has allowed me to further increase these skills and keep learning about the field.