Behavioral Health Specialist Internships
Behavioral health specialist internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on clinical and community-based project experience, mentorship from working behavioral health specialists, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across Healthcare & Medical Services, with National Youth Advocate Program, ABA Support Services, and Brightpoint among the employers posting roles now.
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Showing 5 of 23+ Behavioral Health Specialist Internships
Internship/field experience/practicums
Enhance your academic experience with practical experience, grow your resume and advance your career!
ABA Support Services offers, in affiliation with approved universities, paid internships,
Why select ABA Support Services for your internship, field experience or practicum ?
- Resume growth and career advancement
- Enhance your academic knowledge with practical experience outside of the classroom setting
- Gain hands-on, real world experience
- Close and ongoing supervision by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and/or a Licensed Behavior Specialist (LBS)
- Professional growth opportunities within ABA Support Services
- Support and guidance from an experienced clinical team
- Meaningful one-on-one work with children and families
- ABA Support Services provides necessary resources, at no cost to you, to complete your internship, field experience or practicum
- Competitive pay
What You'll Do as an Intern:
As a BHT Intern, you'll work directly with children to help them develop meaningful skills and make progress toward individualized goals.
You'll implement treatment plans under the guidance of our clinical team, collect data, collaborate with supervisors, and provide one-on-one behavioral support in settings such as homes, schools, clinics, and the community depending on your assigned cases and approval of your university.
Who We're Looking For
Interested applicants should be pursuing a career path in psychology, education, behavioral health, ABA, childcare, social services, or other related fields. Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors are welcome to apply.
Successful candidates are compassionate, dependable, eager to learn, and passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families.
Ready to Get Started?
Apply today!
Requirements:Background clearances are required for this position.
Prior experience working with children is preferred but not required—we provide comprehensive training! A willingness to learn, dependability, and a commitment to supporting our clients are essential.
Candidates must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation. This is an in-person position, with services provided wherever the client is located, including school, home, and clinic-based settings. Case assignments are made based on your geographic location, availability, willingness to travel and approval from your university.
Internship/field experience/practicums
Enhance your academic experience with practical experience, grow your resume and advance your career!
ABA Support Services offers, in affiliation with approved universities, paid internships,
Why select ABA Support Services for your internship, field experience or practicum ?
- Resume growth and career advancement
- Enhance your academic knowledge with practical experience outside of the classroom setting
- Gain hands-on, real world experience
- Close and ongoing supervision by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and/or a Licensed Behavior Specialist (LBS)
- Professional growth opportunities within ABA Support Services
- Support and guidance from an experienced clinical team
- Meaningful one-on-one work with children and families
- ABA Support Services provides necessary resources, at no cost to you, to complete your internship, field experience or practicum
- Competitive pay
What You'll Do as an Intern:
As a BHT Intern, you'll work directly with children to help them develop meaningful skills and make progress toward individualized goals.
You'll implement treatment plans under the guidance of our clinical team, collect data, collaborate with supervisors, and provide one-on-one behavioral support in settings such as homes, schools, clinics, and the community depending on your assigned cases and approval of your university.
Who We're Looking For
Interested applicants should be pursuing a career path in psychology, education, behavioral health, ABA, childcare, social services, or other related fields. Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors are welcome to apply.
Successful candidates are compassionate, dependable, eager to learn, and passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families.
Ready to Get Started?
Apply today!
Requirements:Background clearances are required for this position.
Prior experience working with children is preferred but not required—we provide comprehensive training! A willingness to learn, dependability, and a commitment to supporting our clients are essential.
Candidates must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation. This is an in-person position, with services provided wherever the client is located, including school, home, and clinic-based settings. Case assignments are made based on your geographic location, availability, willingness to travel and approval from your university.
Behavioral Health Specialist Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
Tips for Your Behavioral Health Specialist Internship Search
Apply to summer internships in the fall
Large hospital systems, government behavioral health agencies, and national nonprofits open summer intern applications as early as September or October. Smaller community organizations and co-op programs post closer to start dates, so set up alerts and check listings regularly rather than waiting for a single recruiting window.
Build a clinical project portfolio before you apply
Hiring teams for behavioral health specialist internships expect limited work history and look for documented evidence of competence instead. Prepare two or three case studies, community needs assessments, or group facilitation summaries that name the population, the approach you used, and the outcome. A linked written sample or report gives recruiters something concrete to assess.
Work your campus network and apply directly at the same time
Campus career fairs surface structured internship programs tied to your university, and professors or field supervisors often know which employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. Applying directly to smaller behavioral health organizations running their own cohorts alongside campus activity reaches employers who never attend university fairs.
Practice your intern interview format out loud before submitting
Behavioral health specialist intern screens typically include scenario-based questions, where you walk through how you would respond to a client situation or ethical dilemma. Practice explaining your reasoning aloud, not just arriving at an answer, since interviewers weigh your clinical thinking process as much as your conclusion. Do at least three practice runs before your first real screen.
Target structured internship programs built for new entrants
Larger healthcare systems and behavioral health organizations run cohort-based intern programs designed specifically for candidates without prior clinical employment, including behavioral health technician training tracks and rotational community mental health placements. These programs recruit early, fill fast, and often include supervision hours that count toward licensure, so identify the ones that fit and apply in the first posting wave.
Set your work-type filter before you start searching
On-site roles are 75% of the behavioral health specialist internships listed here. Decide what you can realistically commit to before sorting through openings, then filter by location and work type on Migrate Mate so you only spend time on roles you can actually accept.
Behavioral Health Specialist Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a behavioral health specialist internship?
Lead with coursework and documented case studies or clinical project write-ups rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited experience at the intern level. A portfolio of assessed client scenarios or community outreach projects gives recruiters something concrete to evaluate. Combine direct applications with campus career fairs, where behavioral health program recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can a behavioral health specialist internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What drives it for behavioral health specialist interns is consistent performance on real casework, available headcount on the team, and clarity about return-offer timelines before the internship ends. Position for one by treating every client interaction and documentation task as evaluated work, without counting on the offer.
When should I apply for behavioral health specialist internships?
Earlier than most candidates expect. Large hospital systems, nonprofits, and government agencies recruit for summer cohorts the preceding fall, sometimes as early as September or October. Smaller community organizations and co-op programs post closer to their start dates, so openings appear year-round. Check regularly and apply as soon as a role opens rather than waiting for a single season.
Are behavioral health specialist internships paid?
Most professional behavioral health specialist internships in the U.S. are paid. Compensation varies by company size, industry, and location. Some nonprofit and government placements offer stipends rather than hourly wages, while larger healthcare systems and private employers tend to pay competitively. Listings show compensation where the employer discloses it, so you can compare before applying.
What should a behavioral health specialist internship resume include?
Lead with two or three documented projects rather than work history: name the population or setting, the intervention or assessment approach used, and link to a case study, clinical reflection, or community program report where possible. Add relevant coursework in psychology, social work, or counseling. Keep the entire resume to one page and put your strongest clinical or research project first.
Are there remote behavioral health specialist internships?
Yes. Remote and hybrid roles make up 25% of the behavioral health specialist internship listings here, with the rest on-site. Remote cohorts in areas like crisis support, telehealth coordination, and program evaluation fill quickly, so apply early and filter by work type to see them before they close.
What is a behavioral health technician or BHT internship track?
Some larger healthcare systems and residential treatment organizations offer structured behavioral health technician training internships that rotate new graduates through direct-support, documentation, and group facilitation settings. These tracks are built for people entering the field without prior clinical employment, recruit competitively, and often run on fixed cohort schedules, so identifying open tracks and applying in the first posting window matters.
Can international students get behavioral health specialist internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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