STARS Scholar Information:
Four paid internships to be completed in the summer of 2009, or the 2009-2010 academic year, for county fieldwork opportunities for Social Work & Psychology Bachelor and Master degree interns who are African American, African Immigrant, Asian, Latino, or American Indian.
STARS for Children’s Mental Health, a local federally funded children’s mental health initiative, is sponsoring four paid internships for students from underserved populations in our partnered counties. The purpose of these internships is to provide students from underserved populations fieldwork experience with a county children’s mental health services unit, along with training on STARS.
Eligibility Requirements: Eligible students with a major in Social Work or Psychology who will be doing their academic fieldwork requirement this summer or fall, 2009. Eligible students will be one of the following; African American, African Immigrant, Asian, Latino, or American Indian. Eligible students must have an interest in doing their bachelor or master degree academic fieldwork requirement in children’s mental health services in one of four counties. The four counties are Stearns, Benton, Wright and Sherburne. In addition, the STARS Scholars will agree to attend at least six STARS Scholars group meetings with the STARS Cultural & Linguistically Competent Consultant to discuss the internship. The purpose of these meetings is to provide a forum for the STARS Scholars to share experiences and to get insight and support for this fieldwork opportunity.
Internship: STARS will provide $3,000 to each STARS Scholar for a semester of acceptably completed fieldwork at an assigned county’s children’s mental health services unit. $1,500 will be paid to the student when half of the fieldwork hours are successfully completed. The remaining $1,500 will be paid when the total fieldwork hours are successfully completed. An agreed upon mileage reimbursement will also be paid, based on the distance to the county field placement, car usage for the placement, and other available mileage payments.
Application Process: Eligible M.S.W. students need to fill out the STARS Scholars Application Form and submit it to Steve Maxwell, Director of Field Instruction. He will forward the application to the appropriate county agencies. Applicants also need to send a copy to Mary Jo Verschay at Children’s Mental Health Division, P.O. Box 6485, St. Paul, MN 55164-0985 or mary.jo.verschay@state.mn.us.
Additional Information Contact: Mary Jo Verschay at mary.jo.verschay@state.mn.us or 651-431-2338.