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Behavioral Health Intern

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Behavioral Health Intern

Salary

$50,875.48 - $73,769.45 Annually

Location

Commerce City, CO

Job Type

Temporary 3

Job Number

07171

Department

Public Health Department

Division

Public Health Nursing

Opening Date

09/11/2025

Closing Date

10/2/2025 4:30 PM Mountain

Our Mission

To responsibly serve the Adams County community with integrity and innovation.

EEO

Adams County is an equal opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status or any other legally protected characteristic.

Position classification

Hybrid -- Job duties and expectations allow for onsite and remote work scheduled every week. Employees in this classification are regularly scheduled onsite one (1) to four (4) days per week based on the County needs and as determined by Department Director. Hybrid classified roles can be onsite more than the set minimum based on employee preference.

+ Description

+ Benefits

+ Questions

What Success Looks Like In This Job

Under close supervision, the Behavioral Health Intern is a DORA-registered graduate student training to become a licensed counselor. The intern will serve adult and juvenile patients of the Adams County Health Department (ACHD) and will be supervised by a Licensed Addiction Counselor employed or contracted by ACHD. Responsibilities include:

+ Screening, assessing, and treating each client’s symptoms and needs around substance use, mental health, life skills, self-esteem, and other behavioral health issues.

+ Collaborating with ACHD Harm Reduction, home visiting, and care coordination programs to evaluate individual and family needs, including issues of domestic violence, substance abuse, child abuse, and child neglect. This includes accessing the caretaker’s capacity to parent, provide for, and protect children if parenting.

+ Serving in acute harm reduction outreach/street settings or in-home with nurses, or handling clients referred internally for formal individual brief therapy.

+ Facilitating Cognitive Behavior Therapy, parenting, skills, emotional regulation, or other specialized therapeutic groups as assigned.

Learning Responsibility:

Must commit to a learning mindset and continuous improvement regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of work within Adams County and Adams County Health Department including management style, work style, training, and communication and evaluation. As well as continuous process improvement and innovation to align with the departmental strategic plan, values and purpose.

A resume and cover letter are required for consideration for this position.

Examples of Duties for Success

+ Adhering to the Colorado Mental Health Practice Art and the National Association of Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) Code of Ethics.

+ Maintaining Client charts, progress notes, clinical documentation, and records consistent with departmental policies and local, state, and federal rules and regulations.

+ Designing, implementing, and leading appropriate therapy groups or individual counseling for clients based on proven practices in the field, particularly substance use disorder groups.

Emergency Preparedness Duties

Employee responds, as required, to support public health emergencies, incidents, and events. Employee participates in all exercise preparedness, as required. Completes trainings identified as appropriate for this level employee.

HIPPA Statement

Maintain sensitive & confidential client information according to the HIPAA policy.

Work location

This is a mostly in person position with limited possibilities of remote work, at the South Platte Crossing building, 7190 Colorado Blvd, Suite 200.

Qualifications for Success

+ A commitment to justice, liberation, and equity principles/

+ Awareness and experience with screenings such as the GAD-7, PHQ-9, and others, with the ability to critically evaluate risk, need, and protective factors.

+ Ability to deliver evidence-based therapeutic services with fidelity to practices such as Motivational Enhancement Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or Narrative Therapy, under supervision.

+ Knowledge of Motivational Interviewing (MI) principles and practices.

+ Proficiency in developing and implementing treatment plans to assist clients in achieving measurable objectives and goals.

+ Understanding of addiction, co-occurring, and trauma-informed care treatment standards.

+ Skill in exercising initiative, judgment, creativity, and decisiveness to facilitate problem-solving and achieve organizational goals

+ Ability to work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team to achieve client goals.

+ Proficient in Microsoft Office (particularly Excel) and experience using web-based software and assessment products.

+ Ability to quickly develop rapport with broad range of clients including adults, pregnant and parenting individuals, young adults, and families with children.

+ Strong time management skills and flexibility in supporting peers.

More Qualifications for Success

To be successful, the ideal candidate should have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

Requirements:

+ A Bachelor’s degree in one of the human behavioral science fields.

+ Active enrollment in a Master’s degree program in one of the human behavioral science fields.

+ One year of full-time (or equivalent) relevant and related experience (1200 hours) in detox, outpatient, residential treatment, harm reduction or other human behavioral science field such as social work or education.

+ A Certified Addition Technician credential under DORA satisfies this requirement.

+ A valid Colorado Driver’s License.

Highly Desirable Requirements:

+ Bilingual Spanish speaking - We offer language pay, which is added to your base salary upon passing a proficiency test and is distributed evenly throughout the year

+ Lived, work, or educational experience working with pregnant or parenting individuals experiencing substance use or behavioral health challenges

A resume and cover letter are required for consideration for this position.

Equipment used:

Must demonstrate proficiency in computer use, including internet, email, and Microsoft Office

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

+ Requires ability to work outdoors in all types of weather conditions and ability to walk and navigate on all types of terrain.

+ Requires ability to lift and carry supplies and equipment occasionally up to 30 pounds

Background Check: Must pass a criminal and motor vehicle background check.

Adams County complies with Colorado’s Job Application Fairness Act (“JAFA”). JAFA prohibits employers from asking individuals to disclose their age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation on an initial employment application. However, additional application materials such as certifications and transcripts containing this information may be required for certain positions; if such additional materials are requested, applicants may redact information that identifies the applicant’s age, date of birth, or dates or attendance or graduation.

Employees in this benefit class are eligible based on the number of hours worked and the duration of employment.

Employees who work within the parameters below are eligible to participate in the 457b deferred compensation plan:

+ Duration - 3 months or less

+ Weekly Hours - Any

+ Break in Service Requirement - 13 weeks

+ Lactation friendly certified workplace

OR

+ Duration - Up to 12 months

+ Weekly Hours - 29 or less hours

+ Break in Service Requirement - 13 weeks

Employees who work within the parameters below are eligible to participate in the the medical plan for the employee and child(ren) only as well as the 457b deferred compensation plan:

+ Duration - At least 3 months and up to 12 months

+ Weekly Hours - 30 or more

+ Break in Service Requirement - 13 weeks

+ Lactation friendly certified workplace

01

Please be aware that your cover letter and resume will not be accessed in the initial screening process, so you must complete your application and supplemental questions with as much detail as possible. Any personally identifiable information (PII) such as name and address will be redacted from applications that meet the minimum screening requirements and are forwarded to the hiring manager. If the hiring manager selects you to advance in the hiring process, your cover letter and resume will then be accessible to the hiring team. Information provided on the application is used to determine if a candidate meets minimum qualifications. Only information provided at the time of the application being completed will be considered and additional information that is not listed on the application will not be considered when deciding if a candidate meets or does not meet the qualifications. Applicants are STRONGLY encouraged to include all information and details on their application. I understand and agree that only information provided at the time of my application will be used to determine if I meet the minimum requirements for this position.

+ Yes, I understand and agree

+ Yes, I understand but disagree.

02

Do you possess a Bachelor's degree in one of the human behavioral science fields?

+ Yes

+ No

03

Are you actively enrolled in a Master's degree program in one of the human behavioral science fields?

+ Yes

+ No

04

Do you have one year of full-time (or equivalent) relevant and related experience (1200 hours) in detox, outpatient or residential treatment or harm reduction; OR do you have a Certified Addition Technician credential under DORA?

+ Yes, I have one year of full-time (or equivalent) relevant and related experience

+ Yes, I have a Certified Addiction Technician credential under DORA

+ No, I do not have the experience nor the credential

05

Do you possess, or have the ability to obtain within 30 days of hire, a valid Colorado's Driver's license?

+ Yes

+ No

06

Have you included a resume and cover letter in your application? Please note that your cover letter and resume will not be accessed in the initial screening process, so please complete your application and supplemental questions with as much detail as possible (see Question 1 in this section).

+ Yes

+ No

Required Question

Employer

Adams County

Address

4430 S. Adams County Parkway, Suite C4000BBrighton, Colorado, 80601-8213

Website

http://www.adcogov.org/current-career-opportunities

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