Salinas Valley State Prison (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)

Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) is a high security facility housing male incarcerated residents.  We have multiple mental health missions and opportunities for social workers.  We work with our students to develop a training experience which best fits your career goals. 

Our treatment programs include four outpatient facilities, two Enhanced Outpatient Program (EOP) facilities most similar to day treatment programs, a short stay crisis unit, and a long-term inpatient facility.  We also are one of the institutions in the state designated to house developmentally disabled inmates and transgender residents. 

Unique training opportunities for social workers in a prison setting involve:

- Learning to provide time-limited individual and group therapeutic interventions per the trainee's skill level and interest

- Understanding the unique and challenging culture that develops among staff and residents in correctional institutions, alongside the rewards and challenges of public service in general

- Navigating interdisciplinary work with psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, peace officers, education staff, and others, including with the Salinas Valley Resource Team a first-in-the-state team of officers dedicated to work intensively with residents with greater needs

- Providing mental health clinical input to non-clinical staff as required by state law and department policy (e.g., in connection with Rules Violation Reports, during Classification Committees, etc.)  

- Gaining generalist training in evidence-based mental health treatment alongside a team

- Training in the use of a community-standard electronic health record system