Philly Leader

Over the past 25 years, TUH-Episcopal Campus has established a strong program offering internship opportunities for Master of Social Work (MSW) students. This program collaborates with several programs, such as Temple University’s School of Social Work. The initiative allows interns to gain hands-on experience and often leads to employment at Episcopal or other Temple sites post-graduation.

Recently, Temple University’s School of Social Work awarded Episcopal the Outstanding Practicum Agency Award. "Winning this award is a significant accomplishment," says Briana Stinson, who serves as Episcopal’s Director of Therapeutic Programming. Stinson underscores the importance of investing in the future clinicians' learning and professional growth.

Stinson, along with Social Worker Elly Gerhardt and Behavioral Health Community Liaison Yvonne Williams, plays a key role in the program. Stinson matches MSW students with social workers based on mutual interests, ensuring effective mentorship. "We usually have our Temple students for an entire school year, and by the time they finish, they can run a caseload independently," she states.

Interns gain experience in different units, including the Acute Unit and Crisis Response Center. "We’ve had interns do rounds in the CRC, the Emergency Department, and even with our Drug and Alcohol team," explains Gerhardt. This helps to provide a comprehensive understanding of the field.

The Episcopal team, which includes former intern and Behavioral Health Community Liaison Yvonne Williams, works to give each intern a unique, enriching experience. Williams remarks, "I treat this as employment and not as an internship."

Temple University's program has become competitive, with many students expressing keen interest due to the autonomy and experience offered. "Our interns tend to talk about how much autonomy and independence we give them," notes LJ Rasi, Director of Behavioral Health. With a high success rate in fostering career-ready social workers, the program has kept a strong reputation.

In summary, Episcopal's program remains a favored choice for many future social workers, as noted by intern referrals and high application numbers. "I already have so many students reaching out to me for internship placements," says Stinson.