Health & Human Services Internship Program

Job Description

About the Job: Health & Human Services Internship Program

Location: Elkhorn, WI

Job Type: Limited Term

Job Number: 2023-00093

Department: Health & Human Services

Opening Date: 07/09/2023

Closing Date: Continuous

Description:

The Walworth County Health and Human Services Department offers a diverse range of paid and unpaid internships designed to provide students with valuable real-world experience across various social service and health-related fields. These internships cater to a broad spectrum of academic degrees, from Bachelor’s to Master’s levels, and are structured to meet specific program requirements, including clinical hours and practicum experiences. Job shadowing opportunities are often integrated into the internships, allowing students to gain comprehensive exposure to different areas within their chosen division.

Position Summary:

Internships are available across several key divisions within Health & Human Services, each offering unique learning opportunities tailored to specific academic and career interests.

Detailed Internship Programs:

• PUBLIC HEALTH
• Public Health Specialist Internships: Designed for a broad range of degrees, these internships focus on health education and communications. Interns typically develop/improve health education curriculum, work at community events, participate in preparedness activities, and experience community health assessment and improvement planning. Job shadowing in all public health areas is available.
• Environmental Health Internship: A bachelor-level opportunity for science-interested students. Focuses on exposing students to the full range of environmental health, including water quality, childhood lead poisoning prevention, laboratory work, environmental sample collection, and vector monitoring. Job shadowing in other environmental health areas may be included.
• Public Health Nursing Internships: Designed for nurses pursuing BSN/MSN or enrolled in a BSN completion program. Internships are based on program need and designed to meet community health clinical rotation requirements.
• Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Dietetic Internship—Community Rotation: Supervised by a Registered Dietitian (RD), this internship provides clinical experience in a community WIC setting. Interns gain experience in nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, biometric assessment, and community education efforts, meeting bachelor’s or higher program clinical requirements.

• AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER (ADRC)
• Aging and Disability Resource Center Dietetic Internship – Community Rotation: Supervised by an RD, this internship offers experience in delivering nutrition/health education and services for older adults. Interns learn to screen for nutrition risk, provide nutrition counseling, document interactions, and observe community-based senior nutrition program operations.
• Aging and Disability Resource Center Social Work Internship: Seeking bachelor’s level social work students. Opportunities include working with older adults and adults with disabilities to provide information and assistance, options counseling, and connection to resources and benefits. Students will be exposed to elder abuse investigation, senior nutrition programs, health promotion/prevention, and Veteran Services.

• CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
• Child Welfare Bachelor-level Internships: Designed for Social Work degrees, focusing on learning and participating in child welfare services (Chapter 48 standards). Interns may work at community events, participate in treatment courts, and experience Access, Initial Assessment, Ongoing Services, and Foster Care Services. Job shadowing is available across all child welfare areas.
• Child Welfare Master-level Internships: Designed for Master of Social Work degrees, focusing on learning and participating in child welfare services (Chapter 48 standards). Interns practice in Initial Assessment, move to Ongoing Services, experience Treatment Courts and Foster Care. During the second half, they manage a Child Welfare case and implement services. Research of policies and best practice data may be assigned. Job shadowing is available.
• Youth Justice Bachelor-level Internships: Designed for social work, criminal justice, sociology, and psychology degrees. Focuses on learning and participating in youth justice services to adolescents and families (Wisconsin Chapter 938 standards). Job shadowing in Youth Justice is part of this internship.

• VETERANS
• Veterans Service Office Internships: In collaboration with ADRC, Children & Families, and Behavioral Health Divisions, offers internships for Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Social Work candidates. Interns learn about Federal and State Veterans Benefits navigation, counseling individuals on eligibility, and interacting with Veterans and beneficiaries to determine needs and available programs.

• BEHAVIORAL HEALTH UNIT (BHU)
• Behavioral Health Internships: Designed for a broad range of social service degrees. Focuses on providing resources and support for individuals with mental health needs. Interns typically assist mental health professionals with teaching coping skills, symptom management, and risk assessments.
• Behavioral Health Case Management Internships: For Master’s degree students in Social Services (e.g., Social Work, Counseling). Licensed clinicians (LCSW and LPC) provide clinical supervision to meet practicum/clinical hour requirements. Interns provide community mental health services such as assessments, recovery planning, skill development, individual/group counseling, resource access, and psychoeducation (Comprehensive Community Services and Community Support Program).
• Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic Internships: For Master’s degree students in Social Services (e.g., Social Work, Counseling). Licensed clinicians (LCSW and LPC) provide clinical supervision. Interns provide outpatient mental health services such as assessments, recovery planning, skill development, individual/group counseling, and psychoeducation.
• Behavioral Health Crisis Intervention Internships: For Bachelor’s degree students (minimum 500 hours) or Master’s degree students in Social Services. Licensed clinicians (LCSW and LPC) provide clinical supervision. Interns provide community mental health services such as crisis assessments, linkage and follow-up to community resources, and psychoeducation, working within WI Statute 51 and DHS 34.

Benefits:

Walworth County Employee Benefit Summary for Casual, Limited Term, Student Workers:

• Employment Status: All employees of Walworth County are at-will employees.
• Basis of Payment: Hourly.
• Vacation: Not eligible.
• Sick Leave: Not eligible.
• Holidays: Not eligible.

• Insurance:
• Health Insurance: Not eligible.
• Dental Insurance: Not eligible.
• Life Insurance: Not eligible.
• LTD Insurance: Not eligible.
• Vision Insurance: Not eligible.

• Wisconsin Retirement: Employees expected to work less than 1200 hours per year will not receive this benefit. If an employee works 1200 hours, is employed for at least one year, and is not under 20 attending high school full-time, they will be expected to pay the employee portion. Walworth County will pay employer-required contributions pursuant to state law.

Note: This Summary provides only a brief outline of your benefits. All benefit terms and conditions are subject to the specific provisions of plan documents, policies, and/or legal rules and regulations. These benefits are subject to change from time to time by action of the County Board and/or Human Resources Committee.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Application Questions:

1. Please indicate your preferred division/program area (you may select more than one):
• Public Health
• Aging & Disability Resource Center
• Children & Families
• Veterans
• Behavioral Health
2. College/University Name
3. Major/Minor
4. Anticipated Graduation Date
5. Preferred Semester/Time Frame:
• Winter
• Spring
• Summer
• Fall
6. Briefly describe your preferred area of focus for the internship (i.e., what experience are you hoping to gain).
7. Please indicate total internship hours needed.
8. If you have been in contact with an HHS staff member regarding an internship, please indicate which staff member.

Employer: Walworth County
Address: P.O. Box 1001, 100 W. Walworth Street, Elkhorn, Wisconsin, 53121
Phone: 262-741-7950
Website: http://www.co.walworth.wi.us