Advanced Practicum

Change young lives while working toward your higher education goals.

What we do.

Youth Homes provides mental and behavioral health services to youth and young adults from diverse backgrounds within Contra Costa County to promote healing and re-connection. All share similar challenges with mental health diagnoses and life stressors/trauma, substance use disorders, foster care involvement, and family dynamics that require intervention from a dynamic treatment team. Learn more here.

As an Advanced Practicum student, you will gain paid experience in individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, intensive case management, therapeutic behavioral services, youth and family advocacy, and more.

  • As community-based clinicians, students will provide individual, group, and family therapy and case management to MediCal consumers ages 12-26.

  • All practicum students will provide Intensive Case Coordination. ICCs support youth and young adults ages 3-21. They are responsible for identifying and coordinating/connecting the youth's entire treatment team, facilitating regular treatment team meetings, and connecting youth and caregivers with other Medi-Cal services and resources.

  • Some students may choose to provide Therapeutic Behavioral Services. Therapeutic Behavioral Specialists offer short-term, intensive behavioral interventions to the youth and their caregivers. Treatment plans emphasize the family's strengths and abilities while building skills to help reduce negative behaviors for youth ages 3-21. TBS providers may meet with the youth at school, at home, or in the community based on the needs of the client.

Why Youth Homes?

  • Youth Homes strives to build a diverse team of providers to reflect the diversity of the population we serve throughout the community.

  • Youth Homes is proud to maintain a team of providers dedicated to healing, optimism, and the human capacity to grow and change.

  • Practicum students will gain confidence in their clinical skills and approach through ongoing and supportive supervision, training, and case consultation.

  • Practicum students will develop strong documentation skills through Medi-Cal Billing and Electronic Health Records documentation.

  • Practicum students will gain experience within an expanding non-profit mental health organization that may have future paid positions available upon successfully completing our practicum and graduating from your program.

Youth Homes’ next Advanced Practicum opportunity is Summer 2024 - June 2025.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Youth Homes has an active field placement agreement with your graduate program

  • Completion of at least 1 year of coursework toward a master’s degree in clinical/counseling psychology or social work

  • Experience working with children and/or families

  • Ability to provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed services

  • Ability to work independently with strong time-management skills and autonomy

  • Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team

  • Participate in practicum 20-24 hours per week over three weekdays in Contra Costa County (program hour requirements vary by university)

Click here to apply for a 2024-2025 Practicum placement. Please submit a resume and cover letter detailing your interest beginning February 2024.

For more information, please contact:

Kendra Walsh, LCSW

Clinical Director, Advanced Practicum & STRTP Supervisor

kendraw@youthhomes.org | (925)876-3327

1200 Concord Ave #450 Concord, CA 94520