USPP Placements

​​​​​​​​The purpose of the University Student Practicum Program (USPP) is to create mutually beneficial partnerships, providing students from affiliated higher education institutions an equitable and competitive opportunity to experience a progressive, reciprocal relationship between theory, conceptual frameworks, and practice in a professional Human Services setting with the Department’s highly skilled and practiced field Instructors.​

​​​​UPDATED 03/2024

  • Broward Addiction Recovery Center (BARC) – 2 openings Social Work or Counseling - Masters or doctoral level students Note: Students will rotate through several BARC units throughout this practicum. Social Work/Mental Health/Counseling/Psychology or similar majors. 

The Broward Addiction Recovery Center provides a full continuum of care, including Substance Use Assessment (Admissions), Detoxification​, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), Residential Treatment, and Outpatient Services to adults aged 18 years and older. ​

Practicum will include intake/needs assessment, case management services, referrals, discharge planning, a small caseload, individual and group therapy, recreational counseling, family counseling, therapeutic/ treatment planning, service plans, documentations, maintaining information on internal company systems, locating and connecting clients with resources in the community, participation in outreach and networking services and professional development trainings.     

   

  • Family Success Administration Division (FSAD) – 1 opening – Bachelors level students – Note: Clinical Counseling NOT included in this practicum. Social Work/Mental Health/Counseling/Psychology or similar majors. 
The Family Success Administration Division (FSAD) provides emergency assistance and case management services through 4 programs to prevent the citizens of Broward County from experiencing homelessness, evictions, foreclosures, loss of electric and water services and assist with tuition, financial management, employment, transportation, nutrition, and childcare.​ ​
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Practicum will include case management services, consultations, intake, assessment, care, discharge planning, documentation, maintaining information on internal company systems, connecting clients with needed and available community resources, preparing reports, occasional field visits, participation in outreach and networking services and professional development trainings. 


  • Broward Addiction Recovery Center (BARC) - Health and physical assessment for substance use disorder - 6 openings - Masters or DNP level students - Note: This Practicum is ONLY for MSN, Post graduate certifications in PMHNP/FNP/ANP and Doctoral Nursing students. 
The Broward Addiction Recovery Center provides Substance Abu​se Assessment (Admissions), Detoxification, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), Residential Treatment, and Outpatient Services to adults aged 18 years and older.​

Practicum will include psychiatric training and medical training, inpatient detoxification, smoking cessation, MAT, an array of counseling which constitutes motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma informed care, mindfulness and recreational therapy.

  • Mass Care, Administrative - 1 opening - Associates, Bachelors or Masters level students. Public Administration​/Business Administration/Human Services or similar majors. 
The Human Services Department (HSD) Mass Care section provides management, logistical and administrative support to County Administration, and the Emergency Management Department during natural or manmade disasters that require evacuation shelters. HSD Mass Care is the lead when staffing, operating, and managing shelters (up to 35) throughout the County. 

Internship will include assisting with recruiting, training and coordinating shelter support personnel for General Population and Pet Friendly shelters; Managing schedules to coordinate meetings between Emergency Services Function (ESF) leadership and other essential disaster response resources; Managing Excel spreadsheets of shelter personnel for accurate contact information and shelter scheduling; Assisting with the development of a Count-wide mass care plan using FEMA guidelines and industry best practices; Assisting with the coordination of county resources to assure all vital supplies and personnel are activated and understanding timelines for deployment; Making follow up contact to personnel who have not acknowledged availability through automated system..
 
  • Operations and Administrative Section (OAS) - 1 opening - Associates, Bachelors or Masters level students. Public Administration/Business Administration/Human Services or similar majors. 
The OAS is a centralized agency that provides fiscal and administrative support to Human Services divisions and sections. This includes payroll, accounts payable and receivable, procurement, and budget forecasting. Coordinates programs and projects and implement divisional​ policies and procedures.  

Internship will include completing research, analyzing, and auditing of procurement, accounts payable and accounts receivable. Students will get an​ understanding of how the budget process works in the County especially during the yearend process. 

  • Community Partnership Division (CPD) - 0 openings - Associates, Bachelors or Masters level students - ​ Public Administration/Business Administration/Human Services or similar majors. 
CPD provides public centered grants administration, policy development, and procurement opportunities; develops legal contracts; completes public records requests; responds to County Commissioners' request for information; assists with emergency management response responsibilities; participate in community development​ and outreach activities.   

Internship will include general office duties, special projects assignments, public budgeting, legal documents review, attendance at commission meetings, county government business meetings, use of technology (to include computers, virtual meetings, Microsoft office applications). There may be analytical work to include data, statistics, and budgets.

  • Equity & Community Investment (ECI) - 0 openings - Associates, Bachelors or Masters level students. Public Administration/Business Administration/Human Services or similar majors. 
​ECI coordinates human services grants, external grant application activities, procurement opportunities, nonprofit capacity building, technical assistance, community engagement, and University Student Practicum Program.   

Internship will include attendance at Human Services Leadership meetings, Advisory Board meetings, County governments business meetings, community engagement events; general office duties, facilitate special project assignments'; observe human service programming and shadow county staff; participate in trainings and workshops" develop model for strategic plan of action for ECI and Human Services; budget and fiscal management, data analysis and customer/client support.​

  • University Student Practicum Program (USPP) - 1 openings - Associates, Bachelors or Masters level students. Public Administration/Business Administration/Human Services or similar majors. 
​USPP is part of the Equity and Community Investment section. Work involves coordination and management of all parts of educational projects and programs within human services division, offices, and sections.   

Internship will include attendance at multiple ECI business meetings, County governmental business meetings, community engagement events; development and facilitation of special projects; observation of humans service programming and shadows/works closely with county staff; participation in trainings and workshops, administrative program support. Student should be competent with computes and technology as assigned will include the ability to host virtual and in person meetings, PowerPoint presentations, and assistance with planning and handling program events, recruitment efforts, interviews, research, etc.

  • Strategic Housing and Innovation Officer - 1 openings - Associates, Bachelors or Masters level students - Note: Clinical Counseling NOT included in this practicum. Public Administration/Business Administration/Human Services or similar majors. 
​The Strategic Housing an Innovations Officer works to coordinate the Continuum of Care Network of Providers to reduce homelessness in Broward County through innovative projects, individual case staffing's and creation of strategies. The strategies are then implemented weekly to see what success or changes need to be made.   

Practicum will include site visits to the airport and various transit locations, shelters, housing providers, and new potential landlord properties to assess what is working and the need to address any barriers to the projects. Additionally, the students will participate in extensive data mining from the Homeless Management Information System and have the opportunity to participate in a Data Analysis Course offered through HUD and gain certification. Intern will also work on special projects with the Transit Department and the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. These project focus on strategies to help reduce the number of individual experiencing homelessness in these venues. The position may also assist with the Landlord Recruitment Campaign, Project Home​Again.

Below are descriptions for some of the practicum experiences listed above: 


  • Administrative: Involves an opportunity to work in the administration of a wide variety of projects in various Human Services Department (HSD) divisions/sections in preparation​ for careers in human services. Students will provide management, logistical and administrative support in HSD.
  • Behavioral Health Therapy: Therapy is provided throughout the Human Services Department using a variety of treatment modalities including family therapy, group therapy, individual therapy, and milieu therapy. Therapy takes place in outpatient and residential settings and includes individuals from a diverse range of age ranges, racial and ethnic groups, and socioeconomic levels who have an assortment of presenting issues. Students will develop treatment plans with specific goals and objectives for each of their therapy cases. ​
  • Case Management:  Broward County defines case management as a direct service implemented by HSD. These services incorporate a collaborative process of assessment, planning, care coordination, and advocacy. Through this collaborative process students are able to put together a comprehensive case management plan to meet the overall needs of each client. 
  • Community Outreach:  Outreach may include accompanying HSD staff to events/fairs in the community.    
  • Intake Assessment:  Intake assessments involve developing interviewing skills and gathering pertinent clinical information during intake interviews. All clients are seen for an initial intake interview to assess their eligibility and need for services and/or to make appropriate referrals. Students will also be given the opportunity to learn about risk assessment, abuse reporting, crisis intervention, and safety planning.  
  • Learning Activities:  Includes attending and presenting at bi-weekly and monthly agency trainings. Trainings take various forms, including lecture, demonstration, formal continuing education workshops. The goal of these trainings is to maintain awareness of recent empirical literature, to inform clinical practice with evidence-based findings, and to develop skills in making professional case presentations. The learning activities and training schedule are intended to compliment clinical supervision. 
  • Supervision:  Each student will be assigned a field instructor while in the USPP to mentor and help them during their practicum placement. The field instructor can expand and clarify the direction that students receive from the task managers. Students may call upon the field instructor on an as-needed basis or schedule weekly meetings. The Field Instructors may offer group supervision sessions for multiple practicum trainees as needed.​