Funded Practicum Education Programs

The Building Related Service Capacity through Interdisciplinary Education & Experience Scholars Program is a partnership among the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the Department of Special Education, and the Texas Center for Disability Studies.

The CCK Scholars Program is a joint effort of CapCityKids (a nonprofit 501c3 organization), the Austin Independent School District (AISD), and the Steve Hicks School of Social Work to provide preventative services to AISD students at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The program maintains a field unit within AISD with an internship coordinator and field instructor dedicated full-time to supervise CCK Scholars. Questions? https://www.capcitykids.org/learn-about-our-programs/

DVPHA Scholars will receive significant training in domestic violence prevention and safety planning as well as public health from a national network of universities the nationally renowned UT-SHSSW Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault IDVSA (utexas.edu). Students will also participate with the Austin-Travis County Domestic Violence Task Force, join the AmeriCorps network, and receive training in public speaking.

During the spring semester, scholars will deliver domestic violence-prevention trainings to diverse audiences composed of students, professionals, volunteers, or other community members. AmeriCorps requires a total of 675 hours at both the first and final internship sites. DVPHA scholars may apply and be selected for one of seven first-field positions with 440 internship + 235 additional hours, August 2023 through Mayterm, or for one of two final field positions with 520 + 155 additional hours, January through July.

• Focus: Public Health, Interpersonal Violence prevention. 
• Who: Seven MSSW First Field Clinical or APP applicants will be selected; two MSSW Final Field students will be selected. To be eligible, students must be a US Citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien interning at a DVPHA designated non-profit or governmental agency that offers an extended placement. Students do not need to be placed in agencies that focus on domestic violence. DVPHA members will be expected to facilitate trainings on: IPV 101, Evidence-infused screening, and safety planning. They will also take part in a group Community Resource Mapping project during the course of their internship.
• Requirements: The MSSW final field Clinical or APP 540 internship hours will count toward a 675-hour commitment to be completed by July. This requires an additional 135 hours outside the internship during which students will receive training to prepare them to become a qualified trainer. To be eligible, students must be a US Citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien interning at a DVPHA designated non-profit or governmental agency that offers an extended placement. Students do not need to be placed in agencies that focus on domestic violence. DVPH AmeriCorps members will be expected to facilitate trainings on: IPV 101, Evidence-infused screening, Safety planning. They will also take part in a group Community Resource Mapping project during the course of their internship. 
• Funding: $4,000 stipend, $2,626.27 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award | AmeriCorps
• Questions? Contact Patrick Lloyd.

Earl Maxwell Scholars program funds MSSW students each year to be placed in agencies that don’t have a social worker on staff to serve as the field instructor. Students receive field instruction from the Faculty Program Director or an external social worker. Students can expect to gain generalist social work skills and experience in program development and interdisciplinary practice.  This program funds up to 10 MSSW students each year. This program is supported by the St. David’s Foundation. 

• Focus: Social services 
• Who: MSSW students, typically 7 first field students and 3 final field students.  
• Funding: $10,000 award. The program offers ten awards each year. 
• Questions? Contact Starla Simmons.

FIFA provides financial support for students who are selected for international field placements with the goal of making this experience accessible to a wider range of students. 

• Focus: International social work. 
• Who: MSSW students. 
• Requirements: International field placement. Students apply for this award when they submit their applications for international field in August. Awards are granted based on presented financial need and offered with the international field placement, allowing awardees to factor the funding into their decision. Awards are granted at the end of the fall semester upon successful completion of the fall international field seminar. 
• Award: Up to $5,000 award to 2 MSSW students, based on financial need. 
• Questions? Contact Tanya Voss.

The GRACE Program prepares students to work with older adults and is supported by the St. David’s Foundation. 

• Focus: Geriatric social work. 
• Who: MSSW students. 
• Requirements: GRACE field placement, attend at least five GRACE educational events. 
• Funding: Eligible for a $7,500 fellowship award based on application process. The GRACE Program provides up to 24 awards per year. Funding is divided between students in first and final practicums. Students may complete both first and final practicums in GRACE settings and apply for funding each time. GRACE Candidates are offered the opportunity to apply for fellowship awards to help defray the cost of their education. The number of fellowships awarded is contingent upon funding each year; the selection process is competitive. GRACE students may also apply for an all-expenses paid trip to the On Aging Conference, which occurs each spring. At commencement, students receive the designation of GRACE Scholar. 
• Questions? Download a one-pager. Contact Sarah Swordsor Joan Asseff.

The Integrated Behavioral Health Scholars Program seeks to build a diverse and culturally responsive behavioral health workforce with expertise in delivering integrated behavioral health care, particularly to underserved populations in Texas. The Addiction and Recovery scholarship is funded by the Steve Hicks Endowment and the interdisciplinary training program is administered through the Dell Medical School Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

• Focus: Interprofessional health education with a focus on substance use disorder.
• Who: One MSSW Final Field Clinical student.
• Requirements: IBHS-Addiction & Recovery eligible extended field placement, approximately 40 additional training hours. To be eligible, student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Funding: $10,000 award.
• Questions? Contact Eboni Calbow.

The Integrated Behavioral Health Scholars Program seeks to build a diverse and culturally responsive behavioral health workforce with expertise in delivering integrated behavioral health care, particularly to underserved populations in Texas. This interdisciplinary training program is administered through the Dell Medical School Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and funded by Health Resources and Services Administration.

• Focus: Interprofessional health education with a focus on children, adolescents and transition aged youth.
• Who: MSSW Final Field Clinical students.
• Requirements: IBHS-Youth and Family eligible extended field placement, approximately 60 additional training hours. To be eligible, student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Funding: $10,000 award.
• Questions? Contact Eboni Calbow.

This program seeks to enhance educational opportunities for social workers in the area of play therapy. The program is funded through the Norma and Clay Leben Endowment for Excellence in Play Therapy Methods. 

• Focus: Play therapy methods. 
• Who:  MSSW Final Field Clinical students.
• Requirements: Full block field placement in setting that provides significant play therapy opportunities, attend three training events. Students are required to attend the following professional development events for free: Norma Leben Play Therapy Workshop, Texas School Social Work Conference, and Annual Leben Play Therapy Symposium.
• Funding: $2,000 award. 
• Questions? Contact Mary Beer.

Over 90% of social workers will work with a suicidal client in their career, yet fewer than 20% receive any formal training in suicide prevention. Given that LGBTQ+ youth have the highest rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, this program provides a unique opportunity to prepare students in suicide prevention and brief suicide intervention with LGBTQ+ young adults. This program represents a partnership between the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, the PRIDE Health Lab at Dell Medical School, University of Texas Southwestern Department of Family Medicine, and University of Kentucky Department of Psychiatry.

• Focus: LGBTQ+ young adults (18-24 years) with histories of suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors.
• Who: MSSW First and/or Final Field students (APP or Clin)
• Requirements: Final Field students, extended block field placement. For all students, approximately 40+ additional hours of training.
• Funding: $3,000/extended internship ($1,500/semester) · Questions? Contact Dr. Lauren Gulbas.

The program prepares social workers to provide culturally competent health and mental health services to Spanish-speaking clients in Central Texas. 

• Focus: Bilingual clinical social work. 
• Who: MSSW First and/or Final Field Clinical students.
• Requirements: Spanish and English fluency, field placement that requires bilingual skills. Applicants must be newly admitted, be fluent in Spanish and English, and submit an application that includes a two-page essay and resume. Finalists are interviewed to assess Spanish fluency; both native and non-native Spanish speakers are encouraged to apply.
• Funding: $10,000 award. The program offers up to 10 awards for one or two years, depending on the program of work. 
• Questions? Contact: Dante Vargas.