Social Work InternAt — Reimagine

The Social Work/Psychology Intern will gain supervised field experience in a California CBAS setting serving primarily adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as participants with Down syndrome, dementia, cerebral palsy, mobility limitations, communication needs, behavioral support needs, and mental health concerns.

The intern will participate in assessment, reassessment, treatment planning, case management, therapeutic and behavioral interventions, group facilitation, and multidisciplinary team collaboration. The internship is designed to support the student’s development of foundational social work, psychology, case management, documentation, communication, and professional practice skills.

Tasks:

1. Assessment and Reassessment
The student will complete and assist with participant assessments and reassessments under appropriate supervision.
Tasks may include:
• Completing psychosocial, functional, behavioral, and support-needs assessments.
• Gathering participant history, strengths, preferences, risks, needs, and support-system information.
• Identifying changes in participant mood, behavior, communication, attendance, functioning, caregiver support, or overall service needs.
• Reviewing participant records and relevant collateral information to support assessment and reassessment.
• Documenting assessment findings in accordance with CBAS program expectations.
• Using reassessment findings to identify whether services, supports, or treatment goals need to be revised.
2. Treatment Planning and MDT Participation
The student will participate in individualized treatment planning and multidisciplinary team processes.
Tasks may include:
• Developing, reviewing, and updating participant treatment plans.
• Linking assessment findings to individualized goals, interventions, and measurable outcomes.
• Participating in MDT meetings, case conferences, and treatment planning discussions.
• Presenting relevant participant updates during MDT meetings.
• Monitoring participant progress toward treatment plan goals.
• Identifying barriers to progress and recommending appropriate adjustments to interventions or service plans.
• Completing treatment plan documentation under supervision.
3. Case Management and Participant Advocacy
The student will carry a small caseload and complete case management activities appropriate to the placement setting and level of training.
Tasks may include:
• Managing assigned participant cases with guidance from program staff.
• Monitoring participant needs, progress, attendance, engagement, and service barriers.
• Providing follow-up related to participant concerns, family/caregiver issues, transportation, community resources, or service coordination needs.
• Communicating with participants, caregivers, families, service providers, and community partners as appropriate.
• Supporting participant self-advocacy, autonomy, dignity, and choice.
• Assisting participants in accessing appropriate resources and supports.
• Completing case notes, progress notes, and related case management documentation.
4. Disability Awareness, Therapeutic Interventions, and Behavioral Support
The student will gain direct experience working with adults with a range of disabilities and support needs while observing and applying basic therapeutic and behavioral interventions.
Tasks may include:
• Interacting directly with participants in program areas to better understand disability-related strengths, needs, and barriers.
• Learning how intellectual/developmental disabilities, Down syndrome, dementia, cerebral palsy, mobility limitations, communication needs, behavioral needs, and mental health symptoms may affect functioning and participation.
• Observing and practicing supportive communication, validation, redirection, de-escalation, emotional regulation support, grounding techniques, and trauma-informed responses.
• Assisting with behavioral observations and identifying triggers, coping strategies, environmental factors, and effective interventions.
• Supporting participants during moments of distress, conflict, frustration, or disengagement under staff guidance.
• Applying person-centered, strengths-based, culturally responsive, and disability-affirming approaches.
5. Group Facilitation and Therapeutic Programming
The student may plan, facilitate, or co-facilitate a weekly group designed to support participant treatment goals, socialization, emotional wellness, self-advocacy, coping skills, or functional independence.
Tasks may include:
• Developing group topics and activities based on participant needs, interests, abilities, and treatment goals.
• Co-facilitating or facilitating weekly therapeutic, psychoeducational, socialization, recreational, or skill-building groups.
• Adapting group activities for varying cognitive, communication, sensory, behavioral, and mobility needs.
• Encouraging participant engagement, inclusion, peer interaction, and appropriate social participation.
• Managing basic group dynamics with staff support.
• Evaluating participant response to group activities.
• Completing group-related documentation, progress notes, or participation summaries as appropriate.

Training:

The intern will receive training through initial program orientation, weekly individual supervision, monthly multidisciplinary team meetings, direct observation, guided practice, documentation review, case consultation, and focused instruction in at least one evidence-based therapeutic modality such as CBT, Motivational Interviewing, or Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Orientation will include the CBAS model of care, participant population, confidentiality, mandated reporting, professional boundaries, documentation expectations, assessment/reassessment processes, treatment planning, and safety procedures.
Weekly supervision will be used to review assigned cases, assess progress toward learning outcomes, provide feedback on documentation, discuss ethical and professional issues, and support development of case management, treatment planning, group facilitation, and therapeutic intervention skills. The intern will participate in monthly MDT meetings to observe and contribute to interdisciplinary treatment planning, reassessment, participant progress review, and care coordination. The intern will also receive ongoing opportunities to shadow staff, practice skills under supervision, participate in case consultation, and receive feedback as they move from observation to more independent practice.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Case Management: Intern will develop introductory case management skills through observation and supervised participation in assessment, documentation, care planning, and service coordination.
2. Disability Awareness: Intern will increase knowledge of developmental, intellectual, physical, cognitive, and behavioral disabilities and their impact on daily functioning, communication, socialization, and independence.
3. Therapeutic and Behavioral Support: Intern will learn and practice basic therapeutic communication, redirection, emotional regulation, de-escalation, and behavioral support strategies under supervision.
4. Group Facilitation: Intern will assist in planning, adapting, facilitating, and evaluating therapeutic, recreational, socialization, and life-skills groups for adults with disabilities.
5. Professional and Ethical Practice: Intern will demonstrate professional behavior, ethical decision-making, confidentiality, boundaries, cultural humility, and effective collaboration with an interdisciplinary team.