IHP Behavioral Health Internship Program

Building the Next Generation of Community Based Behavioral Health Professionals

Integrated Health Partners (IHP) is the region’s leading not-for-profit clinically integrated network, supporting community health centers across San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial counties. Our network collaborates to improve outcomes through coordinated care, quality improvement, and value-based strategies, ensuring equitable access to high-quality care for every community.

About the Behavioral Health Internship Program

Launched in 2023, the IHP Behavioral Health Internship Program is part of our broader commitment to strengthening the behavioral health workforce serving Southern California. The program was created to:

  • Provide experientially rich, clinically focused training for masters-level behavioral health students (MSW, MFT and PCC)
  • Support community health centers in hosting and supervising interns
  • Help build a more robust, culturally responsive behavioral health workforce for the San Diego region

Each year, the program offers internship placements across participating member health centers, giving students meaningful real-world experience in outpatient, community-based healthcare settings.

Placement Sites

Interns will be placed at one of the following IHP partner organizations:

Because of the diversity of sites across the region, IHP is often able to accommodate student preferences for geographic location and interest in working with specific populations.

Program Experience and Clinical Training

IHP’s internship provides hands-on clinical behavioral health experience within integrated primary care settings. Interns work as part of interdisciplinary teams and receive ongoing mentorship and supervision from IHP’s licensed clinical supervisor.

First-Year Students
may engage in:

  • Screenings and diagnostic assessments
  • Case management
  • Care coordination
  • Behavioral health interventions under supervision
 Second-Year Students may additionally participate in:

  • Individual and group psychotherapy
  • Crisis intervention
  • Treatment planning
  • Advanced clinical interventions

Throughout the experience, interns contribute directly to improving patient access to compassionate, culturally responsive behavioral health care.

Funding support is available for eligible interns.

2026–2027 Internship Opportunities

IHP will begin accepting applications for the 2026–2027 cohort in February 2026. If you’re passionate about behavioral health, community care, health equity, or integrated care models, we encourage you to reach out. 

Learn More / Contact Us

We welcome inquiries from prospective students, university partners, and community organizations. Please contact: 

Micah Gargala, LCSW
Social Work Supervisor
mgargala@ihpsocal.org
619-492-9550