Jewish Family Services Internship Programs: Shaping Future Social Workers and Strengthening Communities
Jewish Family Services (JFS) agencies across the United States offer a variety of internship programs designed to provide hands-on experience and training for students pursuing careers in social work, mental health, and related fields. These internships not only benefit the students, but also contribute significantly to the JFS agencies' ability to serve diverse communities and address critical social issues.
A Legacy of Social Work at Jewish Family Service LA
Jewish Family Service LA (JFSLA) has a rich history rooted in social work, dating back nearly 100 years. The agency hired its first social worker, Freda Mohr, who later became the Executive Director and left a lasting legacy of commitment to social work. As part of that legacy, JFSLA has long served as a training ground for future social workers. This year, the agency is hosting 18 student interns - one BASW intern, 15 MSW students, and two MFT students - with three additional MSW students joining in the coming months. JFSLA's internship program is made possible by 14 dedicated staff members who provide supervision and mentorship, under the leadership of Robyn Altmann, Director of Hope Clinical Services.
The Crucial Role of Social Workers at JFSLA
JFSLA social workers play a vital role in transforming the Los Angeles community, making it a kinder, more compassionate place. They provide resources, support, and advocacy for individuals and families facing a wide range of challenges, including:
- Supporting Older Adults: JFSLA social workers, like Helen Balagula, support older adults, including those in the Survivors of the Holocaust program. Helen collaborated with various agencies, including the City of Beverly Hills Fire Department nurse practitioners, Adult Protective Services social workers, UCLA social workers, and the City of Beverly Hills Human Services, to support a cognitively impaired couple without family support.
- Preventing Homelessness: JFSLA social workers also support individuals at risk of homelessness. Guadalupe Yamamoto played a pivotal role in the success of JFSLA’s Home Safe Program, which unfortunately is ending due to state budget cuts. One of Guadalupe’s most memorable cases involved a client experiencing elder abuse and facing eviction. Guadalupe helped the client relocate to temporary housing and facilitated a reunion with their daughter in Madera County. Through the Home Safe Program, she coordinated the client’s move, arranged for essentials and furniture, and connected them to ongoing support.
- Addressing Food Insecurity: At JFSLA’s Felicia Mahood Multipurpose Center, social worker Marylu Molina has spent nearly 15 years connecting Angelenos to life-changing resources. Marylu frequently encounters the challenges of food insecurity and financial instability among older adults. Many seniors live on fixed incomes, and rising costs often make it impossible to meet their basic needs.
Internship Opportunities Across Various JFS Agencies
Jewish Family Service agencies across the country offer diverse internship opportunities tailored to different interests and career goals. Here are some examples:
Alexander Jewish Family Service (Houston, TX)
Alexander Jewish Family Service, founded in 1913, is a non-profit human service agency located in the Braeswood area of Houston. Alexander JFS offers help to all people struggling with challenges on a sliding fee scale. The agency has mental health counseling for individuals and couples, an intensive outpatient program for mental health, disability services, senior adult services, case management, employment help, financial assistance, community outreach, disaster help and volunteer opportunities. Internships are currently available in the following departments:
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- Behavioral and Mental Health Services: Available to MSW students from local and national universities. The field instructors’ view of instruction is to immerse the student as quickly as possible to have hands-on training and work in a Socratic method of seeking answers as often as is necessary. The agency focuses on a client-centered framework of service.
- Coaching & Case Management: Case Management internships involve a variety of responsibilities aimed at supporting clients and ensuring they have access to necessary resources. Typical tasks include community advocacy, needs assessment, coaching, resource development, and program development.
- Employment Services: Employment Services offers a professional learning experience for interns to gain knowledge of vocational services for the clients during a job search. We specialize in the disability community. You will receive hands-on training in the diverse world of disabilities including working with individuals, groups, and community work. Exposure to evaluations, goal setting, treatment plans, progress notes, and so on are part of the process. To provide clinical supervision and expertise for clinical staff to provide high quality clinical services for adults, couples, families and children. Provide intake management including referral coordination, assist clinicians with opening paperwork, assessments, and treatment plans.Monitors caseloads and ensure that supervisees comply with all agency and clinical, legal and ethical practices. Provides ongoing, regular feedback and evaluation to clinicians on the quality and timeliness of their clinical work as well as their caseload. As part of the initial assessment, complete the CANS for youth 18 and under. Write comprehensive treatment plans with clear and achievable goals. Overseeing TT&S in implementation of the treatment plan and working collaboratively to achieve goals.
Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts
Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts offers several internships within its New American Program, which supports refugee families. These internships include:
- Adult Education and Learning Intern: This position supports refugee families by providing strength-based interventions to support refugees on their personal, learning, and career paths.
- Health Services Intern: This position supports refugee families by ensuring clients attend required physical, dental, and counseling appointments and that clients learn best practices related to health and hygiene.
- General Intern: This position supports initial refugee resettlement by providing strength-based interventions to promote integration for refugee families, personal health, and well-being. The intern will work to support positive resettlement, acculturation, and citizenship of refugees in Western Massachusetts. Assist with provision of medical care coordination services for medically vulnerable clients (i.e.
- New American Program Intern: This position supports the New American Program Director to lead the New American Team. The intern will support in providing strength-based interventions to promote refugee health, well-being and to support positive resettlement, acculturation, and citizenship for and with refugees in Western Massachusetts.
- Refugee Youth Programs Intern: This position supports the refugee youth programs by recruiting youth participants, coordinating workshops, and developing curricular content for future program years based on assessment data. The intern will work to support positive resettlement, acculturation, and citizenship of refugees in Western Massachusetts. Recruit and screen participants for youth mentoring program in collaboration with case workers.
Other JFS Agencies
Other JFS agencies across the country offer a wide range of internship opportunities, including:
- JFS (Location not specified): Provides evidence-based, culturally responsive treatment and support to clients facing a wide range of mental and behavioral health concerns. The clinic is licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health and serves clients starting at the age of 5. Our licensed clinicians utilize their expertise and ongoing, specialized training to address trauma, eating disorders, problem gambling, depression, anxiety, grief, and other issues related to emotional well-being.
- JFS’ Career Services program: supports job seekers of all ages and at all stages of their careers, from entry-level to more advanced. Services include assessment and career counseling, job search assistance, employment for individuals with disabilities, and newly resettled refugee employment placement. The program has developed an extensive employer network to support identifying opportunities based on the job seekers’ interests and skillset. In addition, counseling support is available for those who have experienced a period of unemployment or other unforeseen job loss, which can often impact the job seeker’s self-worth.
- Jewish Community Services: offers individuals and families connections to a multitude of Jewish support systems. Whether the need is mental health wellness counseling, vocational and training career services, Jewish care coordination for those on Medicaid, or Holocaust care coordination, we are prepared to support the Jewish community.
- JFS: has a long history of supporting refugees and asylees as they begin their new lives in the United States.
- JFS’ Care Coordination Program: is a free service that helps streamline care and improve the health and well-being of individuals and families. Eligibility requirements do apply, including active enrollment in Medicaid and having two or more chronic health conditions such as, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, mental health condition, or substance use disorder.
- JFS (Location not specified): The Aging & Wellness Division supports programs geared to support older adults in Social & Wellness Centers, Nutrition Services, Fix-It, and On the Go. Interns work within these programs to ensure our older adults live in a safe, active, and healthy environment while maintaining their independence. This home-based care management program serves older adults, assisting and aiding our clients to age in place or help find appropriate living arrangements. JFS works with older adults and their families to develop a detailed plan of care, including recommendations and referrals.
- JFS (Location not specified): Parenting and Youth Services strive to ensure that San Diego families are connected to positive parent education, mentorship, and support for family life issues at all ages and stages. Whether you’re a new parent, a single parent, or a parent of an adolescent, our programs are designed to strengthen you, your family, and the community.
- JFS (Location not specified): Current undergraduate or law students who are interested in pursuing a career in immigration law can volunteer as a student intern. Interns will work directly under the supervision of an Immigration Attorney or DOJ Accredited Representative. All academic interns are encouraged to apply through their schools before soliciting placement with JFS. Please note that many internships are filled by early summer.
- JFS established the Behavioral Health Intern Training Center: to offer hands-on experience and expert mentorship to Masters-level social work and counseling students in the Greater New Orleans area. Graduate student interns receive training in their field, assist with JFS programs, and serve our diverse client population. While building their client list under the supervision of the Program Coordinator, interns will also create and facilitate their own therapeutic group from start to finish. JFS interns are an essential part of our team who often serve on the frontline of our disaster response efforts.
The Benefits of JFS Internships
JFS internships offer numerous benefits for students, including:
- Hands-on experience: Interns gain practical experience in their chosen field, working directly with clients and communities.
- Professional development: Internships provide opportunities to develop essential skills, such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
- Mentorship and supervision: Interns receive guidance and support from experienced professionals in the field.
- Networking opportunities: Internships allow students to build connections with professionals and potential employers.
- Making a difference: Interns contribute to the JFS agency's mission of serving vulnerable populations and strengthening communities.
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