Aspiranet is seeking a consultant to create a proposal to develop the agency’s behavioral health internship program. The agency is looking for a consultant to develop a comprehensive scope of work in the manner that s/he believes will best suit Aspiranet. However, at minimum, the scope of work should be broken down into the following phases with projected hours and costs tied to each phase:

Phase 1: Assessment – Conduct a thorough needs analysis to understand the goals, intended outcomes, and information gathering to understand the best path forward for the program.
Phase 2: Design and Development – Engage in designing and developing components of the internship program, which may include developing the following (or any other) elements conducive to a successful behavioral health internship program:

- Strategies for building partnerships with educational institutions
- Contacts with school directors
- Memorandum of understanding with schools
- Policy, procedures, forms, and collateral
- Onboarding process/program for interns

Engaging with educational institutions provides a strategic approach to talent acquisition, ensuring a diverse and skilled pool of candidates for current and future positions. Providing outreach materials to social work and counseling schools ensures a focused approach to reaching candidates with relevant skills and interests, aligning with the organization's needs. Engaging with junior colleges broadens access to educational opportunities and promotes inclusivity by connecting with candidates who may be seeking alternative paths to career advancement. Offering paid internships for hard-to-fill positions enables the organization to address specific skill gaps, providing practical experience and attracting top talent to challenging roles. Introducing certificate programs and incentives for recent graduates creates a pathway for these individuals to enter the workforce, fostering a pipeline of skilled professionals.

We have already had interns from existing colleges in Central California (MSW programs, etc.), but the effort has been disorganized and informal. We need someone to come in, analyze what we have done, complete a formalized review, process map the entire program, and create an onboarding component for internships so we can sustain the effort consistently!