Behavioral Health Services Clinical Graduate Internship Program

Overview

Behavioral Health Services (BHS) offers a network of providers from many different backgrounds who work together to help the community. This team includes doctors, therapists, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and people with lived experience. They provide mental health care for all San Francisco residents, including adults with mental illness and children or teens with emotional challenges, along with their families.

Training

We provide training for masters-level trainees and practicum level psychology students in a doctoral program. Interns must be actively enrolled in a graduate program. The exception to this are those seeking post-doctoral placements and supervision.

Students are provided with weekly didactic trainings seminars on relevant clinical topics and are also able to attend system-wide trainings available to BHS employees through our training unit.

Multicultural Student Stipend Program

Students placed within the BHS system of care—which includes both civil service and City-funded agencies—are eligible to apply for the Multicultural Student Stipend Program (MSSP). This program provides financial support to interns and trainees who reflect the diverse communities we serve, with the goal of promoting greater diversity within San Francisco’s behavioral health workforce.

Go to the Multicultural Student Stipend Program website

Student Training Agreement (STA) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

Only students from academic institutions that have a current Student Training Agreement (STA) MOU with the San Francisco Department of Public Health may be placed at BHS placement sites. See the bottom of this page for a list of schools with current STA MOUs and instructions on how to set up a new STA MOU.

How to Apply

After ensuring your school has a current STA MOU (see below) please review the placement opportunities and e-mail the placement coordinator(s) with materials they request below.

Internship Policy

Go to current BHS policy for the Use of Trainees/Interns for Clinical Behavioral Health Services.

All BHS Placement Sites are CLOSED for Fall 2026 - Spring 2027

The following programs are no longer taking interns for this coming year.