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UNC Health Appalachian’s Behavioral Health internship program offers students the unique opportunity to get hands on experience. The internship will allow students to rotate through different behavioral health services and will provide students with insight into the patient’s experience. We encourage students to be open about their internship expectations and to tailor the content, length and hour requirements of the internship to meet their needs.

Our internships are offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters. Please review the information below regarding ARHS’s Behavioral Health Internship opportunities.

Internship Application Deadlines

  • Fall Semester: May 1st (Response back to intern applicant by June 1st)
  • Spring Semester: September 1st (Response back to intern applicant by October 1st)
  • Summer Semester: February 1st (Response back to intern applicant by February 1st)

Types of Internships Available

Recreational Therapy Internship

The Recreational Therapy department will accept 1 student per semester to participate in an internship with Appalachian Regional Behavioral Healthcare. The internship opportunity will allow for hands-on experience on the unit, as well as in the Emergency Departments. Participants can be expected to come in contact with patients with many different diagnoses and although most experience will be with adults on the behavioral health unit, there are possibilities of interactions with adolescent and geriatric populations in the emergency rooms. Internship length will be based on NCBRTL/NCTRC minimum expectations and can be extended to meet school expectations if needed. Participant hours will normally be Monday-Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm. Please complete full application and have submitted before deadlines to be considered for internship.

Clinical Behavioral Health Internship (social work students, clinical counseling students, psychologist students)

UNC Health Appalachian behavioral health is divided into 3 main segments:

  • Inpatient (psychiatric unit at Cannon Memorial Hospital/Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health Hospital in Linville)
  • Outpatient clinic (at Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville)
  • Crisis team (split between Watauga Medical Center, Cannon Memorial, and ARMA/primary care physician offices).

UNC Health Appalachian utilizes a matrix style of employment engagement, in which employees are expected to participate in multiple treatment settings. Additionally, our students are also expected to participate in the different areas of the behavioral health department, specifically within the crisis team and inpatient psychiatric unit (at this time we are unable to guarantee experience within the outpatient clinic due to logistical issues). The inpatient unit at Cannon Memorial will offer experience in observing and leading group therapy/psycho-education groups, observing then completing psycho-social assessments with individual patients, and possible opportunity to engage in individual therapy sessions with patients.

The crisis team role will offer experience in multiple settings (ER, medical floors, outpatient doctor’s office’s, etc.) in which the student will have the opportunity to observe and then complete crisis assessments (including both behavioral health and substance abuse needs) and dispositions.

When available, student may have the opportunity to also shadow clinicians in the outpatient clinics during individual sessions, and possibly lead individual sessions under supervision.


How to Apply for an Internship with Behavioral Health

If interested in an Internship with the UNC Health Appalachian’s Behavioral Health Division, please send a resume and cover letter to:

Erin Tyler
Program Manager Volunteer Services & Career Pathways
emtyler@apprhs.org

Learn more about student opportunities at UNC Health Appalachian.



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