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AUSD SCHOOL CLINICAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
The AUSD School Clinical Internship Program provides graduate trainees with comprehensive, supervised experience in school-based mental health services across a K–12 educational system. Interns gain experience providing Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 supports to students and families through services that may include individual and group therapeutic interventions, psychoeducation, parent support and training, classroom presentations, prevention and early intervention, care coordination, multidisciplinary collaboration, and crisis support.
Students referred for services may present with concerns related to depression, anxiety, bullying, grief and loss, social skills, family transitions, family conflict, motivation, attendance, behavior, and suspension or expulsion. Clinical interns are district-based and may be assigned cases across multiple school sites to support a well-rounded training experience with students of varying ages, developmental stages, and needs.
The program is designed to support university practicum and clinical training requirements for graduate-level trainees, including MFT, PCC, and doctoral-level clinical placements. Eligible interns may also have the opportunity to participate in field experiences that align with California Certified Wellness Coach competencies and may support their pursuit of CWC I or CWC II certification through HCAI.
Through supervised practice, ongoing training, and collaboration with school-based professionals, interns develop practical skills in delivering responsive, developmentally appropriate mental health and behavioral health services within the school setting.
ACTIVITIES
Provide short-term school-based individual and group therapeutic interventions to children and adolescents.
Exposure and opportunity to provide school-based crisis intervention.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary personnel at the school sites for the purpose of coordination of care.
Provided with orientation, suicide and threat assessment training, crisis response training, and child abuse mandated reporting training in the beginning of the year.
Opportunities to provide psychoeducation to students, parents/families, and staff on various mental health topics.
NEW: CERTIFIED WELLNESS COACH FIELD EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITY
NEW: CERTIFIED WELLNESS COACH FIELD EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITY
In addition to graduate clinical training, eligible AUSD Clinical Interns may have the opportunity to gain qualifying field experience toward California's Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) I or CWC II certification through the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI).
The Certified Wellness Coach profession was created to expand California's behavioral health workforce and increase access to prevention and early-intervention behavioral health services for children and youth.
Through their AUSD placement, interns participate in school-based behavioral health activities that may align with Certified Wellness Coach competencies and field experience requirements, including:
Wellness promotion and psychoeducation
Individual student support
Group support and skill building
Screening and identification of student needs
Care coordination and collaboration with school teams
Connection and referral to behavioral health services
Prevention and early-intervention activities
Supervised school-based behavioral health experience
Education Pathway
This pathway may be available to recent graduates who meet HCAI's qualifying degree requirements. Eligible AUSD internship experience may potentially contribute toward the field experience required for certification.
For Certified Wellness Coach II, HCAI requires a qualifying bachelor's degree and 800 total hours of eligible field experience. Individuals meeting HCAI's minimum eligibility requirements may apply beginning at 300 qualifying hours and, when approved by HCAI, receive a Registered Certified Wellness Coach II (R-CWC II) designation while completing the remaining required hours.
Workforce Pathway
Individuals with a bachelor's degree in any field who have accumulated qualifying experience providing direct pre-clinical behavioral health services to children and youth may also be eligible through HCAI's Workforce Pathway.
FIELD EXPERIENCE AT AUSD
FIELD EXPERIENCE AT AUSD
The AUSD School Clinical Program provides interns with supervised experience serving children and adolescents within a K–12 school system.
Qualifying activities may include direct student support, group interventions, wellness education, prevention and early intervention, care coordination, school-based behavioral health programming, and other activities consistent with HCAI Certified Wellness Coach competencies.
Because certification eligibility is determined by HCAI, participation in the AUSD Clinical Internship Program does not guarantee Certified Wellness Coach certification. Interns interested in this pathway will be encouraged to review HCAI eligibility requirements and work with the Clinical Internship Coordinator to determine whether their placement activities may support their certification goals.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY
For eligible interns, the AUSD Clinical Internship Program provides an opportunity to work toward multiple professional goals simultaneously:
Graduate Clinical Training + School-Based Behavioral Health Experience + Potential Certified Wellness Coach Field Experience
This additional pathway allows emerging behavioral health professionals to develop experience in both clinical and prevention/early-intervention models while preparing to serve children and youth in California schools.
For additional information about Certified Wellness Coach eligibility and certification requirements, visit the California Department of Health Care Access and Information Certified Wellness Coach Program.
AUSD School Clinical Program
AUSD School Clinical Program
Clinical Training Track
MFT Trainees • PCC Trainees • Clinical Psychology Practicum Students
Certified Wellness Coach Field Experience Track
CWC I • CWC II • R-CWC I • R-CWC II candidates
INTERNSHIP YEAR
INTERNSHIP YEAR
Our internship year starts
August 2027 through May 2028
This timeframe is a requirement for our agency. At this time we do not offer a Summer placement.
Mandatory Orientation week will be
August, 2027 (Dates TBD)
INTERNSHIP week
INTERNSHIP week
We are open 7:30am-4:00pm Monday through Friday which allows for flexibility in your internship week.
PhD Clinical Psychology Interns
The AUSD Clinical Intern program requires Friday Morning for PhD Clinical Psychology Interns (Fuller) as a mandatory day for group supervision. Here are the expected hours for interns:
16-20 hours per week
MFTT & PCCT Interns
The AUSD Clinical Intern program requires Friday Morning for MFTT & PCCT Interns as a mandatory day for group supervision. Here are the expected hours for interns:
20-24 hours per week
Orientation
Click here for more!Orientation
Our placement offers a week long joint internship orientation that familiarizes you with our district, our populations, and information you will need to know in order to work efficiently within our schools. Our orientation week is a requirement of our internship program and is usually conducted in August.
Supervision
Click here for more!Supervision
Our placement offers 1 hour of individual supervision a week with your clinical supervisor and 2 hours of group supervision to support with case consultation, case presentations, and in-service. Our clinical supervisors are licensed 2 years post and are passionate about supervising interns! Our team of Mental Health Counselors and Licensed Mental Health Counselors at our school sites serve as preceptors that help guide your work at their specific school sites.
Trainings
Click here for more!Trainings
AUSD offers trainings to our interns in order to best equip you with tools, skills, and knowledge to support your work! Professional competency is valued and important to our program, here are some topics we have covered:
Restorative Circles
Equity and Inclusion
Suicide & Self Harm Intervention and Prevention
Threat Assessment Intervention and Protocols
Child Abuse Reporting
School-Based Clinical Documentation
School Based Crisis Intervention
SEL Curriculums in Schools
PBIS Tier II Interventions
Creative Interventions in Counseling
Group Counseling Dynamics & Conflict Resolution
Transference & Countertransference in your Practice
Grief & Loss Intervention and Support
Termination Planning
2026-2027 GTS Clinical Interns
2026-2027 GTS Clinical Interns
Daniel Avalos, Pacific Oaks College, MFT Trainee
Emma Bernes Pacific Oaks College, MFT Trainee
Teik Guan, Fuller, MFT Trainne
Jessica Aguilar Carson, Pacific Oaks College, MFT Trainee
Abigail Platon, MSM, MFT Trainee
Mirna Isaac, Fuller, PHD Clinical Psychology Intern
Isak Allen, Alliant International University, MFT Trainee
Pierre Kaldas, Fuller, PHD Clinical Psychology Intern
Faith Preston, Fuller, PHD Clinical Psychology Intern
Crystal Ramos, CSULA, MFT Trainee
2024-2025 GTS Clinical Interns
2024-2025 GTS Clinical Interns
Kristina Louie, MSMU MFT Trainee
Yesenia Rios, Alliant University MFT Trainee
Kayla Zhao, Alliant University MFT Trainee
Burnice Figueroa Flores, MSMU MFT Trainee
Christa Wang, FULLER MFT Trainee
Casper Chang, FULLER MFT Trainee
Andrew Wong, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
2023-2024 GTS Clinical Interns
2023-2024 GTS Clinical Interns
Rita Karapetian, MSMU MFT Trainee
Dolores Delgado, Fuller MFT Trainee
Jennifer Estevez, APU PPC Trainee
Amanda Dayoff, Fuller MFT Trainee
Nina Marikian, USC MFT Trainee
Hannah Dezzani, Fuller MFT Trainee
Timothy Choi, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
Patrick Robertson, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
Anna Beery, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
Julia Wilson, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
Allison Nobles, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
2022-2023 GTS Clinical Interns
2022-2023 GTS Clinical Interns
Alex Liu, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
Amanda Manker, FULLER MFT Trainee
Christy Lau, FULLER MFT Trainee
Dinisha Gray-Mingo, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
Douglas Hernandez, PACIFIC OAKS MFT Trainee
Eliud Brizuela, MSMU MFT & PCC Trainee
Jen Moss, FULLER MFT Trainee
Lizbeth Miranda-Torres, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
Mia Covello, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
Nancy Rodriguez, MSMU MFT Trainee
Oladipo Adedeji, FULLER PhD Clinical Psychology Intern
UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS
UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS
Our Clinical program is partnered with the following universities. If you attend these universities and are interested in a Clinical Internship/Practicum with AUSD please see the application procedures below.
APU | Ma IN cLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: mftt & lpcc oPTION
APU | Ma IN cLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: mftt & lpcc oPTION
CSULA | MS IN SCHOOL BASED FAMILY COUNSELING: MFTT & LPCC OPTION
FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY | MS IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY: MFTT
FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY | PhD IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: PRACTICUM I STUDENTS
USC | MA IN MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPY: MFTT
PACIFIC OAKS COLLEGE | MA IN MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPY: MFTT
MT. SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY | MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPY: MFTT
ALLIANT INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY | MA IN CLINICAL COUNSELING: LPCC OPTION
ALLIANT INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY | MA IN MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY: MFTT
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS GLOBAL | MA IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY AND PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL COUNSELING: MFTT & LPCC OPTION
want to join the team?
want to join the team?
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Please notify your university first to gain approval to contact us. Once approved by your university, you may continue with applying for our program.
We recommend that you have your updated resume and a cover letter/letter of interest prepared prior to applying. While not required, submitting at least one letter of recommendation is strongly encouraged.
For any questions or concerns, email gateway@ausd.us, with the subject line: Attention: School Clinical Internship Program
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If you are a graduate level PPSC candidate, you will follow the same procedures. However, please specify that you are PPSC candidate in your application.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
(Fuller Theological Seminary Only)
December-January
December-January
Students should email their Cover Letter and CV/Resume to Sabrina Son, LCSW, PPSC at gateway@ausd.us
The site will accept and review an unlimited number of applications, however, AUSD reserves the right to select and schedule interviews with candidates.
AUSD will notify Fuller of our decision and extend individual offers of placement to the candidates that meet our criteria.
AUSD is not member of the SCAPTP.
Marriage and Family Therapy Trainees
(Fuller Theological Seminary Only)
January-February
January-February
First notify your university that you would like to interview with us for placement. Once you are approved by the university, the student should email their Cover Letter and CV/Resume to Sabrina Son, LCSW, PPSC at gateway@ausd.us
Once interviewed, we will submit our offers for placement to your university. You will need to submit your ranking list to your university as well. The university will release the matching results to both the applicant and the agency.
Marriage and Family Therapy Trainees & Professional Clinical Counseling Trainees
January-March
January-March
Students should email their Cover Letter and CV/resume to Sabrina Son, LCSW, PPSC at gateway@ausd.us
The site will accept and review an unlimited number of applications, however, AUSD reserves the right to select and schedule interviews with candidates.
AUSD will notify and extend individual offers of placement to the candidates that meet our criteria.
Clinical Internship Coordinator
Clinical Internship Coordinator
Susan Lam, Psy.D, LMFT, PPSC, CWA, CWC II
626-943-3400
Onboarding
Onboarding
If you are offered placement with our agency and you accept, onboarding will occur during the summer months. The program coordinator will reach out to with specific information and steps but here is an overview of what you will need to provide:
Proof of a CLEAR TB test within the last 24 months. (At cost of the intern).
Interns must complete and pass a DOJ & FBI Livescan Clearance after accepted offer of placement. (At cost of the intern).
AUSD will provide you with the documentation to complete the Livescan. Other Livescans you have completed in the past or with other agencies will not be accepted.
Interns may be required to drive to the district office and other sites for trainings, supervision and crisis support. Reliable means for transportation is required for our placement.
Failure to provide the required onboarding documentation may result in AUSD rescinding their offer for placement.
Updated: 11/2022 CP
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