To maintain a strong school-based mental health workforce that meets the growing needs of students, districts across the country are partnering with local universities to place interns in schools, thereby creating a pipeline of school-based mental health staff. Thoroughly supporting and effectively engaging with these interns is essential to prepare and, ultimately, sustain the workforce.
On this episode of “In Session,” we speak with Dr. Rosie Rincon Hernandez & Gianna Merriam, Mental Health Service Professional (MHSP2019) grant recipients from Tulare County, CA about their effort to build the capacity of and effectively engage school based mental health interns. This conversation is guided by Annie Knowles and Brianna Cunniff.
Visit Tulare County’s website and read their Grantee Highlight for more information about supporting school-based mental health interns. You can also view their helpful diagram of the Overlapping Roles of Support Staff that is discussed in the episode.
Time Stamp | Question / Topic Discussed |
| 0:47 | Introductions and their "Why" |
| 2:35 | Creating a Robust Internship Experience |
| 7:21 | Ensuring the Program is Quality and Sustainable |
| 14:15 | Sustainability for Interns |
| 15:27 | Impacts |
| 20:31 | Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities |
| 26:11 | Greatest Successess & Lessons Learned |
| 32:43 | Closing & Takeaways |
For all questions or feedback, you can email ncssle@air.org. Thanks for listening!
Please note, the contents of this podcast do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education