Thank you for your interest in Clinical Training with Crisis Support Services of Alameda County (CSS). Certified by the American Association of Suicidology, CSS offers a variety of counseling services to the community including individual, couples, family, and group counseling for children, adults, and older adults.
The Grief Counseling Program provides up to 20 grief counseling sessions for those suffering the loss of a loved one. CSS specializes in traumatic or sudden loss due to suicide, homicide, and accidental death.
The Counseling Services for Older Adults Program offers in-home counseling to socially isolated, home-bound older adults living in North and Central Alameda County who otherwise would not have access to mental health services. Older adults who are able to come on-site receive counseling at our agency.
School-Based Counseling is provided to students from elementary through high school at schools throughout Alameda County.
The Crisis Line provides suicide prevention and crisis counseling to more than 65,000 callers each year on our 24-hour telephone crisis lines.
Clients served by each of these programs represent a broad spectrum in terms of age, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Responsibilities of CSS Counselors include assessment, diagnosis, and development of treatment plans for individuals, couples, and families with the utilization of supervision. Applicants who are accepted can expect to carry a full client caseload. In addition, everyone will do one 4-hour shift on the agency’s 24-hour Crisis Line each week, and one weekend shift per month for a minimum of 48 shifts each year. Interns will also attend weekly individual supervision and one weekly group supervision as assigned. It is also a requirement that interns complete didactic trainings and follow all record-keeping protocols established by the agency.
Our internship is fairly demanding and incorporates the following:
- 100 hours of didactic and experiential training
- Weekend seminars in conjunction with one-on-one Crisis Line training
- Group and Individual supervision
- Comprehensive printed training materials
These elements provide a unique and highly regarded training program.
The Agency’s supervisors come from richly varied clinical backgrounds. CSS offers ongoing training and supervision to the supervisors. Given the Program’s distinct clinical settings, a variety of treatment modalities are utilized, which are contingent upon the specific needs of the client(s), the individual supervisor’s orientation, and the intern’s areas of interest.
CSS is looking for persons who are level-headed in crisis situations, committed to personal and professional growth, have had or are in their own therapy, can work independently, are reliable, responsible, and recognize their own limitations as counselors. Interns who successfully complete our program gain valuable skills that will serve them for their entire professional lives.
How to Apply
To apply for our training program, please complete and return the following application, letters of recommendation and your resume to Crisis Support Services at P.O. Box 3120, Oakland, CA 94609, or you can submit your completed application materials through the form below.
Download Internship Application