Clinical Internship Program
Training the next generation of trauma-informed, community-based clinicians
The FACTS Initiative’s Clinical Internship Program gives graduate-level interns the opportunity to build skills in trauma-informed, community-based mental health care while helping expand access to support for children and families in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
Building the Workforce of Tomorrow
The FACTS Initiative created its Clinical Internship Program to help develop a stronger, more diverse behavioral health workforce for our community. Through supervised, hands-on experience, graduate-level interns gain practical training in trauma-informed care while supporting children and families who face barriers to traditional mental health services.
This program expands care for families today while investing in the clinicians who will serve our community tomorrow.
What our interns gain:
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Interns receive regular supervision from a licensed clinician, along with guidance in clinical judgment, documentation, and ethical practice.
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Interns build skills in supporting children and families affected by trauma, stress, and instability through structured, developmentally appropriate interventions.
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Interns learn what it means to provide care in real-world community settings, where mental health support is connected to broader family and social needs.
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Training may include competencies in telehealth, risk management, safety planning, and other core areas that prepare interns for future behavioral health roles.
How Interns Support Care
Under the supervision of a licensed clinician, interns provide trauma-informed, skills-based support that helps clients better understand stress, regulate emotions, strengthen coping skills, and build resilience. Program activities may include:
psychoeducation about stress, trauma, and resilience
relaxation and grounding techniques
affect modulation and emotional regulation
cognitive coping skills
Why This Program Matters
Communities across North Carolina continue to face shortages in mental health professionals, and many families struggle to find care that is timely, culturally responsive, and accessible. The Clinical Internship Program helps address both challenges by expanding service capacity now while building a stronger pipeline of early-career clinicians for the future.
The program also helps create more pathways for diverse and community-rooted clinicians to grow in the field, which strengthens trust, access, and long-term impact in the communities FACTS serves.
“My own experiences helped me understand both the need for mental health support and how hard it can be to access. As I learned more about mental health, it opened my eyes and deepened my awareness of what people may be carrying.”
“Ending the stigma around mental health is deeply important to me. Mental health is something almost everyone experiences in some way, and there should be no shame in seeking help.”
Interested in interning With The FACTS?
We welcome inquiries from graduate students and emerging clinicians who are interested in trauma-informed, community-based mental health care.