College Joins SUNY's Mental Health Internship Program
August 3, 2026
In February, the State University of New York (SUNY) announced the expansion of its Mental Health Internship Program, a workforce development initiative that provides paid, hands-on learning opportunities for community college students pursuing careers in mental and behavioral health. Hudson Valley Community College joined the program, allowing students in the Psychology A.A. degree program to be eligible for internship opportunities.
Internship applications are open now through Aug. 9 for the fall semester. Eligible students must be enrolled at Hudson Valley in the Psychology A.A. degree program and a minimum GPA of 3.25 is required. Students can apply online by submitting the Psychology Internship Application.
Four Hudson Valley students completed psychology internships during the spring at various locations, including Northern Rivers, Equinox and Unity House. Ren Shariatmadari, a second-year Psychology A.A. student who hopes to become a neuropsychologist, is one of those students. His internship with Unity House began in April and runs through July.
“I applied because it was a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience and connect with professionals already working in the field,” Ren said. “Psychology offers many career paths, and learning about them now will help me make informed decisions when I apply to graduate school.”
“I’m really enjoying the internship, and Unity House has been amazing,” he added. “I’ve shadowed the Critical Time Intervention (CTI) program, and I’ve learned about patient-centered care, common psychiatric medications, documentation, insurance and billing, and the differences between private practice and social work clinics.”
Ren encourages other psychology students to apply. “It’s a paid internship, which is rare, and it’s a great way to explore different career paths—whether that’s research, management, social work, or counseling. The mentors I’ve met have also emphasized that relevant undergraduate experience can make a real difference when applying to graduate school.”
SUNY’s Mental Health Internship Program, which was launched in Spring 2024, was developed with support from the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) to connect students with supervised internships at OMH-licensed facilities across New York. See SUNY Mental Health Internship Program expansion press release to learn more.