Behavioral Health and Public Service InternAt — County of San Bernardino

This internship provides undergraduates and graduate students with hands-on experience at the intersection of psychology, behavioral health, public safety, and public policy within San Bernardino County. Students will gain exposure to real-world systems that address mental health, substance use, and crisis response through collaboration with county departments and law enforcement.

Duties:

1. Attend behavioral health coordination meetings
2. Observe public safety briefings and mental health response strategy
3. Attend behavioral health conference
4. Assist staff with non-clinical support tasks
5. Documentation and note taking during staff meetings, community outreach events, meeting summaries
6. Review county behavioral health policies

Training:

1. Employer orientation in crisis protocol, documentation systems, and confidentiality
2. Job shadowing
3. Weekly overview of work with supervisor such as ongoing feedback, notes, and engagement

Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand how county behavioral health systems operate
2. Analyze the role of law enforcement in mental health response
3. Explore public health prevention strategies
4. Develop professional communication and policy analysis skills