Psychology Internship Program
Our American Psychological Association Accredited pre-doctoral internship program is a vital part of Andrus’ mission offering interns the opportunity to develop the necessary skills to independently practice child psychology. We are currently accepting applications for slots within the Mental Health and Campus Divisions.

The Mental Health Division of Andrus Children’s Center

The Mental Health Division of Andrus is an outpatient, community based mental health setting with its primary goal being early identification of and intervention with children and their families at risk for mental illness or under intense situational stress. Most of the Mental Health Division's resources are focused on the treatment of young children who have significant emotional, developmental and/or family problems. As such, it is among the largest facilities in the nation specializing in outpatient treatment of children under the age of 13 with a uniquely high proportion of preschoolers. The mental health division also treats a substantial number of children, adults and families who have experienced significant life crises and/or traumatic events in the recent past.

The Campus Division of Andrus Children’s Center

The Campus Division of Andrus is located on a 110-acre campus in Yonkers, New York. Campus programs serve more than 175 seriously emotionally disturbed children, grades Pre-K-9, in three treatment programs: residential, day treatment and a live-in diagnostic unit. Children from the residential and day programs attend the Orchard School located on the Andrus campus.

The Internship Program

The Internship offers two separate tracks – an “Outpatient” clinic based track and a “Campus” track that involves the provision of therapeutic services (individual, family and group) to children in the Day Treatment Program on the Andrus campus. Interns from both tracks take seminars together.

The Outpatient track is a two-year training program. The first year of our American Psychological Association Accredited pre-doctoral Internship provides interns with supervised clinical experiences and a rich, extensive didactic seminar schedule. The second, a fellowship or post-doctoral year - depending on graduation status – which is not accredited - allows for more specialized clinical experiences.

The Campus track is a one year experience.

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Social Work Internship Program
Our social work internship program has evolved considerably since its inception in 1992. The Andrus Children's Center is committed to being a teaching and learning organization. Our social work internship program provides a rich and fulfilling learning experience in our residential-based treatment center and out-patient mental health clinics located throughout Westchester County . Our partnerships with Hunter College, New York University, Columbia University , Fordham University , Yeshiva University , and Smith College provide our interns a unique opportunity to work and learn with peers from other institutions.

Our social work internship program accepts first, second, and advanced placement students. We specialize in group therapy, individual and family therapy, while providing our interns with some administrative experience, necessary for the real world. With the broad scope of services provided by our organization, interns can benefit from a range of experiences, including out-patient services, early childhood development, community services, residential treatment, day treatment, and diagnostic services. The responsibilities of the social work intern focus on the conceptualization of treatment for the child and family. The intern is also responsible for presenting their concept to a treatment team and developing from that, a treatment plan. Treatment can consist of individual therapy, family therapy, medication monitoring; and in residential and day programs, groups, special education services, and milieu treatment provided throughout the programs. The social work intern is also responsible for providing individual and family treatment, group therapy, and crisis intervention as needed, along with working within a multi disciplinary team.

The Sanctuary Model® provides our trauma informed treatment philosophy. We are committed to creating a non-violent, democratic and productive community to restore children's sense of safety and self-efficacy. Sanctuary has been effective with both children and adults across a range of human service organizations, including residential treatment centers and public and private schools. Our interns become well versed in this philosophy, which has been identified by SAMHSA as a promising practice. In addition, our treatment models include TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Trauma Art, Dance Therapy, Drama Therapy, and groups that can be topic specific, such as adoption, adolescence, sexuality, psychoeducation and social skills.

Clinical Social Workers, who completed the SIFI curriculum, provide weekly individual supervision sessions with our interns. Our social work intern's experience is augmented with weekly seminars that enrich their practice and theoretical knowledge.

Andrus values the training provided to our social work interns. In some cases, there may be opportunities to gain summer employment or permanent employment after the completion of the Master's level program. Some of our social work interns have gone on to work in the fields of child welfare, outpatient services, hospital programs, residential programs and school settings. A number of former interns have even returned after several years, to full employment with Andrus.

School of Social Work Administrators interested in placement opportunities for their students or current Master's level students in social work considering placement options should contact Martin O'Connell at 914.965.3700 or by email.