J-1 Visa Mental Health Worker Jobs
Mental Health Worker roles in the U.S. are available to exchange visitors through the J-1 Trainee or Intern program category, depending on your career stage. Host organizations partner with State Department-designated sponsors to provide J-1 visa sponsorship for supervised clinical and community mental health placements.
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145 PHP Adult
Scheduled Weekly Hours
16
Work Shift
First Shift (United States of America)
Shift & Status
Internship start dates include May 2026 and August 2026.
Who Are We?
We at Pine Rest believe in the power of healing and that everyone in our community has the right to expert care for mental health and substance use disorders. We are much more than just the third largest non-profit behavioral health system in the country, our 220-acre main campus, and our network of clinical sites across Michigan. We are a tight-knit community of healers who witness the impact of our life-changing work each day.
Each day, we are closing the gaps in access to care. We are innovating through leading-edge research, testing, programs, and treatment modalities that others replicate across the country. Our services include a state-of-the-art psychiatric urgent care center and a soon-to-be-built pediatric behavioral health center, outpatient, inpatient, partial hospitalization (day programs), assessment and testing, residential, addiction treatment and specialty services such as crisis response, employee assistance programs, forensic psychiatry and psychology, and neuromodulation. On-the-job educational programs for nurses, psychologists, advanced practice providers, psychiatrists, and chaplains are equipping the next generation of care providers.
We are passionate about serving and are honored to be a part of this incredible work.
What Will you Do?
As an Intern at Pine Rest, you’ll be part of tight-knit team that believes in the healing power of your expertise and compassion. The Intern - Master’s Level Social Worker will have shared responsibility and accountability with the Internship Supervisor and designate leaders for a group of patients/clients and directs care to these patients/clients via the development of the treatment approach including specific discipline interventions. They will ensure that the appropriate level of care is determined and confer with the family referral source as to the status of the patient throughout treatment. Intern - Master’s Level Social Worker must demonstrate excellent customer service and have enthusiasm about the program and the Pine Rest organization.
Our Interns are driven to make an impact in the lives of those we serve and are motivated by the healing they witness first-hand each day. They are dedicated to excellent customer service, enthusiastic about the care we offer, and foster a sense of belonging and empowerment in a diverse workplace.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assesses and prioritizes patient/client treatment needs including discharge needs.
- Implements plan of care and collaborates with the clinical team to assure a uniform plan of care.
- Provides individual, group, and family therapy or interventions; psychosocial assessment, including assessment of co-occurring disorders.
- Provides input to the interdisciplinary treatment plan, functioning as a team member.
- Establishes therapeutic relationship with assigned patients/clients including engaging, deescalating, screening, and managing crises.
- Serves as a liaison between community resources, family, patient/client, and hospital- or clinic-based providers of care.
- Assures appropriate length of stay based on continual reassessment of patient’s/client’s progress towards goals.
- Responsible to monitor for and report to the manager, attending physician, or appropriate team leader any potential risk to patient safety that could lead to an adverse outcome.
- Responsible to document and report all necessary information according to established policies and procedures.
- Utilizes processes to conserve financial resources.
- Creates a customer/client friendly environment by following quality improvement standards, maintaining professionalism, initiating and maintaining positive relationships with departments, co-workers and external customers.
- Works in various clinical settings with diverse patient/client populations with complex needs.
- Commitment to demonstrating the Hospital and Residential Services Model of Care.
What Does the Role Require?
Education/Experience:
- Currently enrolled in an accredited Master’s Level Social Work program.
Notice:
Pine Rest provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
All new employees are subject to a criminal background check and education verification which may include sending a copy of your high school diploma, GED, or college transcripts.
NOTICE: Successful completion of a drug screen prior to employment is also part of our background process.
Cost Center
145 PHP Adult
Scheduled Weekly Hours
16
Work Shift
First Shift (United States of America)
Shift & Status
Internship start dates include May 2026 and August 2026.
Who Are We?
We at Pine Rest believe in the power of healing and that everyone in our community has the right to expert care for mental health and substance use disorders. We are much more than just the third largest non-profit behavioral health system in the country, our 220-acre main campus, and our network of clinical sites across Michigan. We are a tight-knit community of healers who witness the impact of our life-changing work each day.
Each day, we are closing the gaps in access to care. We are innovating through leading-edge research, testing, programs, and treatment modalities that others replicate across the country. Our services include a state-of-the-art psychiatric urgent care center and a soon-to-be-built pediatric behavioral health center, outpatient, inpatient, partial hospitalization (day programs), assessment and testing, residential, addiction treatment and specialty services such as crisis response, employee assistance programs, forensic psychiatry and psychology, and neuromodulation. On-the-job educational programs for nurses, psychologists, advanced practice providers, psychiatrists, and chaplains are equipping the next generation of care providers.
We are passionate about serving and are honored to be a part of this incredible work.
What Will you Do?
As an Intern at Pine Rest, you’ll be part of tight-knit team that believes in the healing power of your expertise and compassion. The Intern - Master’s Level Social Worker will have shared responsibility and accountability with the Internship Supervisor and designate leaders for a group of patients/clients and directs care to these patients/clients via the development of the treatment approach including specific discipline interventions. They will ensure that the appropriate level of care is determined and confer with the family referral source as to the status of the patient throughout treatment. Intern - Master’s Level Social Worker must demonstrate excellent customer service and have enthusiasm about the program and the Pine Rest organization.
Our Interns are driven to make an impact in the lives of those we serve and are motivated by the healing they witness first-hand each day. They are dedicated to excellent customer service, enthusiastic about the care we offer, and foster a sense of belonging and empowerment in a diverse workplace.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assesses and prioritizes patient/client treatment needs including discharge needs.
- Implements plan of care and collaborates with the clinical team to assure a uniform plan of care.
- Provides individual, group, and family therapy or interventions; psychosocial assessment, including assessment of co-occurring disorders.
- Provides input to the interdisciplinary treatment plan, functioning as a team member.
- Establishes therapeutic relationship with assigned patients/clients including engaging, deescalating, screening, and managing crises.
- Serves as a liaison between community resources, family, patient/client, and hospital- or clinic-based providers of care.
- Assures appropriate length of stay based on continual reassessment of patient’s/client’s progress towards goals.
- Responsible to monitor for and report to the manager, attending physician, or appropriate team leader any potential risk to patient safety that could lead to an adverse outcome.
- Responsible to document and report all necessary information according to established policies and procedures.
- Utilizes processes to conserve financial resources.
- Creates a customer/client friendly environment by following quality improvement standards, maintaining professionalism, initiating and maintaining positive relationships with departments, co-workers and external customers.
- Works in various clinical settings with diverse patient/client populations with complex needs.
- Commitment to demonstrating the Hospital and Residential Services Model of Care.
What Does the Role Require?
Education/Experience:
- Currently enrolled in an accredited Master’s Level Social Work program.
Notice:
Pine Rest provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
All new employees are subject to a criminal background check and education verification which may include sending a copy of your high school diploma, GED, or college transcripts.
NOTICE: Successful completion of a drug screen prior to employment is also part of our background process.
See all 5+ Mental Health Worker jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Mental Health Worker roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship in Mental Health Worker
Document your supervised clinical training hours
J-1 Trainee applications require proof that your mental health training abroad is directly related to your proposed U.S. placement. Gather records of supervised hours, licensure exam results, and any clinical practicum logs before approaching host employers.
Distinguish Intern from Trainee program eligibility
Intern status applies if you're currently enrolled in a degree program. Trainee status requires at least one year of post-degree professional experience. Applying under the wrong category is a common reason designated sponsors reject DS-2019 requests for mental health placements.
Search Migrate Mate for J-1 compatible host employers
Use Migrate Mate to find U.S. behavioral health organizations and community mental health centers that have hosted J-1 exchange visitors, so you're targeting employers already familiar with the DS-2019 process and training plan requirements.
Confirm host employer training plan specificity
Designated sponsors like CIEE or Cultural Vistas require a detailed training plan before issuing a DS-2019. Ask prospective host employers early whether they can document week-by-week learning objectives tied to your mental health discipline, not just a general job description.
Check whether your role carries the two-year requirement
Mental health roles funded by a government agency or tied to a shortage area may trigger the two-year home residency requirement under INA Section 212(e). Confirm your program category and funding source with your designated sponsor before accepting a placement offer.
Align your training objectives with OFLC Wage Search data
Designated sponsors assess whether your offered compensation meets a reasonable standard for the role and location. Cross-reference the position's duties against OFLC Wage Search prevailing wage levels for mental health occupations to strengthen your training plan and avoid sponsor pushback.
Mental Health Worker jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Mental Health Worker JobsMental Health Worker J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Mental Health Worker placement?
Most mental health placements fall under the J-1 Trainee category if you hold a degree and have at least one year of post-graduation professional experience. If you're currently enrolled in a degree program, the Intern category applies instead. The specific category affects your DS-2019 eligibility, the length of your authorized stay, and which State Department-designated sponsors can issue your exchange visitor documentation.
Who actually sponsors the J-1 visa for a mental health position?
The visa sponsor is not your employer. It's a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, such as CIEE, Cultural Vistas, or AIPT, that issues your DS-2019 form and monitors your exchange program compliance. The behavioral health organization or hospital where you work is the host entity. You'll need both a willing host employer and an approved designated sponsor before your exchange can begin.
How do I find U.S. employers open to hosting J-1 mental health workers?
Search Migrate Mate to identify U.S. behavioral health organizations, community mental health centers, and hospital systems that have experience hosting international exchange visitors. Many employers in this sector are unfamiliar with the DS-2019 and training plan process, so targeting those with prior J-1 hosting experience saves significant negotiation time and reduces the risk of a placement falling through.
Does the two-year home residency requirement apply to mental health placements?
It can. The two-year home residency requirement under INA Section 212(e) applies when your J-1 program is funded by a U.S. or home-country government agency, or when your occupation appears on the Exchange Visitor Skills List for your home country. Mental health roles in government-funded community programs or shortage areas often meet one of these triggers. Confirm your specific situation with your designated sponsor before committing to a host employer.
What documents do I need before a designated sponsor will issue a DS-2019?
Designated sponsors typically require proof of your mental health credentials and supervised training history, a signed training plan detailing week-by-week learning objectives, confirmation that the host employer can provide qualified supervision, and evidence of adequate health insurance coverage meeting State Department minimums. Some sponsors also require a formal letter of support from the host organization's clinical director or department head before they'll process your DS-2019 request.
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