Student Graduate Training Programs
San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center, Inc. has a well-known and highly respected student graduate training program for mental health professionals. For more than 50 years, the Center has offered the opportunity for hundreds of students to be trained as mental health professionals. They’ve been able to build their skills in a cutting edge environment while providing essential services to the Center’s consumers. Training opportunities in a variety of populations (children, families, adults, homeless, etc.) are provided to Master’s Level Students working towards their degrees. They include:
- MFT Trainees
- MSW Interns
- LPCC Trainees
- Ph.D. and Psy.D. practicum and interns
We are now accepting for Spring and Fall 2026.
You can apply for a Student Graduate Training Program here:
Bachelor (BSW) Practicum Students can volunteer through the Center.
Child/Adolescent and Transition Age Youth (TAY) Programs:
The Center’s Child/Adolescent and TAY Programs are contracted with the Department of Mental Health and provide services with families and their children ages Birth to 18 (and older if still in high school). Youth and families in the TAY Programs are typically adolescents and young adults up to age 25.
Services are geared toward increasing the adaptive functioning of children in their homes, schools, and communities and to supporting their transition from adolescence to adulthood. Programs focus on providing supportive and individualized intervention services that may include:
- Mental Health Services – Assessment, Individual/Family/Group Therapy, Collateral work with caregivers, and Case Management. Clinicians are trained in a variety of Evidenced-Based and Trauma-Informed Practices as well as traditional therapeutic approaches.
- Medication Support Services – Psychiatric Evaluation and ongoing Medication Management as needed.
Student Training Program Details
Practicum Length: 9–12 months
Start Dates: Available throughout the year based on university program.
Total Hours Per Week: Minimum of 16 hours per week
Days/Hours: Program sites are open Monday to Thursday from 8:00am – 7:00pm and Fridays until 5:30pm.
Most Frequent Diagnostic Categories: Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Neurodevelopmental, and Adjustment Disorders.
Clientele and Services Provided: Students will provide therapy/counseling, as well as case management and advocacy services, with individuals and families. Students work as part of a multidisciplinary team made up of the Mental Heslth Clinician/Student, Mental Health Counselor, Parent Partner, and Psychiatrist (based on families’ needs and program). Teams coordinate care and plan treatment with all individuals and systems involved, including special education, developmental services, DCFS, and others. All services are provided from a trauma- informed, strengths-based and best practices approach.
Clinical Supervision and Training: 1 -1 ½ hours of Individual Supervision will be provided by an LMFT or LCSW on a weekly basis, as well as 2 hours of Group Supervision at times (as additional weekly clinical supervision). The Center also places a strong emphasis on ongoing clinical training and development, offering an array of multiple clinical trainings throughout the year.
Students accepted into the program will need to have a Social Security Number, pass a DMV clearance with no more than 2 points on their record and pass a fingerprint clearance.
For more information about student/practicum opportunities within our Child/Adolescent and TAY programs, please contact:
Nereida Ramos, LCSW
Program Coordinator
Email: nramos@sfvcmhc.org
(818) 908-4999
Milestones Continuum – AB 109 and Diversion 50 Programs
Individuals in the AB 109 program are referred through the Department of Mental Health (DMH) and/or AB 109 probation HUB clinicians. Clients have a history of mental illness and are also currently on AB 109 probation.
The Diversion 50 program clients are referred from the San Fernando or Van Nuys Courts. Clients have select misdemeanor or felony cases and a history of mental illness, homelessness and in some cases a co-occurring substance use disorder. MORE
The program utilizes recovery principles to stabilize and reintegrate post incarcerated, homeless, mentally ill adults back into mainstream society while providing comprehensive support services to increase self-sufficiency and quality of life.
Services include: intensive case management, psychiatric support, nursing support, medication management, therapeutic services, vocational and educational services, substance abuse services, and community linkage. The continuum focuses on:
- Enhancing independent living skills
- Addressing basic survival needs (housing, shelter, stabilization)
- Decreasing mental health symptoms
- Increasing financial benefit entitlements
- Reducing need for emergency services
- Promoting stabilization
- Obtaining permanent housing
- Educational and Vocational Services
Homebound Older Adult Services,
Homebound Older Adult Full Service Partnership Program
About the Programs
The Homebound Older Adult Programs offer specialized field-based services to older adult clients who are 55 or older and have a serious and persistent mental illness. More clients also have a severe functional impairment in their ability to complete activities of daily living. Types of services include: clinical and psychiatric assessments; mental health services; case management services; and psychiatric services, which are provided in the client’s home, assistant living facilities, independent living facilities, Skilled Nursing Facilities as well as other field based locations. There are also some cases in which the client receives services in the clinic. The goals of the programs are to improve access to supportive services for those older adults who unable to receive services due to their impaired mental health, mobility, fragility or geographic locations. Client’s mental illness has to fit a major Axis I diagnosis.
Training Program Details
Practicum Length: 9–12 months
Approximate Start Dates: August 11, 2026
Total Hours Per Week: minimum 16
Mandatory Days/Hours: There are 2 group supervision times – Wednesday 2 – 4 p.m. or Thursday, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. There is also a mandatory disposition meeting Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 1 – 2 p.m. Individual supervision will be arranged as needed.
The facility is open from Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Clientele and Services Provided: Students will provide therapy to individuals and groups. Students will also provide case management and advocacy services. Students will work as a part of a multidisciplinary team made up of a nurse, substance abuse counselor and psychiatrist.
Most Frequent Diagnostic Categories: anxiety, major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, co-occurring substance abuse and/or medical problems.
Special Note: Students will provide services in private homes, independent living facilities, assistant living facilities, Skilled Nursing Facilities and in the clinic.
Supervision: 1 hour of individual and 2 hours of group supervision are provided by a LMFT, LCSW or Ph.D.
Students accepted into the program will need to have a Social Security Number, pass a DMV clearance with no more than 2 points on their record and pass a fingerprint clearance.
For more information about student training programs for Older Adult programs, contact:
Liana Moini
Program Coordinator
Email: lmoini@sfvcmhc.org
