I was immediately drawn to the values, mission and ongoing innovation of HealthLinc. When I discovered HealthLinc’s Behavioral Health Residency Program, I knew I had to be involved in this groundbreaking opportunity. This program is not simply a residency; it’s a door to unlocking potential within myself and reach my personal and professional goals. I am excited to work with HealthLinc on promoting health and well-being in an integrated and collaborative setting to serve the community I love dearly. 


Jenna Bubalo-Szaday
Behavioral Health Resident – Year 2

Access to mental health support is still a great need, and I want to help. It’s a pleasure to continue serving my community and contributing to HealthLinc’s mission.


Gabriela Del Real Galindo
Behavioral Health Resident – Year 2

Since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved helping people. I wanted to try and improve the quality of life for other human being, so when presented with HealthLinc’s Behavioral Health Residency Program, I believed it would be an amazing opportunity to put my love for helping others into full effect, and on a more positive, meaningful level. I am excited to embark on this journey with my cohort.


Sara Sharpe
Behavioral Health Resident – Year 2

I always knew mental health was a big issue but did not realize how many people didn’t have access to services until I finished my graduate program. I chose to go into the behavioral health field to help people in need who are going through challenging times. I believe everyone should be educated on mental health, and everyone should have access to the support they need. I have always had a passion for helping people, so I chose HealthLinc’s Behavioral Health Residency Program because it will provide resources and counseling to my community and will allow me to help lower the stigma around mental health, creating positive growth and impact.


Jaslyn Taylor
Behavioral Health Resident – Year 2

“I have always been a person who loves to help others, and my career in social work allows me to do that daily. HealthLinc’s Behavioral Health Residency Program gives me the opportunity to learn from and work with experienced mental health professionals who can support me in my goal of becoming a better clinician. I look forward to working closely with medical professionals from various disciplines to help patients in many aspects of their lives. I feel that it is my responsibility to be a productive member of society in my community, and now I can do that by improving my mental health expertise and helping others become better versions of themselves.”


Kayla Nelson
Behavioral Health Resident – Year 1

“As I was gearing up for graduation, I felt that I was lacking in skills that would make me a proficient social worker. I knew that I wanted to continue to grow in my social work journey but was unsure how to do it. That is when I found out about the residency program. It was offering exactly what I felt I needed to grow as a clinician. I have always been the person to stand up for someone, and I have a genuine belief that everyone, regardless of background, deserves a chance to become their best self. I love the idea of being the one to get that growth started. I have a special interest in veteran care, as well as women’s health and caring for individuals from all types of communities.”


Elyssa Pinks
Behavioral Health Resident – Year 1

“I chose to join HealthLinc’s Behavioral Health Residency Program to grow in my professional knowledge, expand my therapeutic skills and strengthen my ability to serve individuals and the communities with behavioral health needs. I believe this program will teach me how to empower patients by addressing their individual needs and supporting them through complex conditions with a team approach. The program also allows me the opportunity to learn from my patients while being mentored by experienced supervisors. Through the residency program, I can invest in my long-term goal of working in the mental health community.”


Sarah Tetzloff
Behavioral Health Resident – Year 1

“I was drawn to the program because of its strong commitment to professional growth, learning opportunities and focus on serving a wide range of populations. The residency offers the ideal environment to refine my clinical skills, integrate expressive art into practice and work alongside experienced professionals who share a passion for community mental health. I chose to join because it aligns with my values of continuous learning, responsiveness and providing compassionate, evidence-based care to those in need.”


Teresa Torres
Behavioral Health Resident – Year 1

Residents in our Behavioral Health Residency Program will gain hands-on experience by providing brief behavioral health interventions in various settings. During their program, residents are expected to participate in different clinical rotations and/or shadowing experiences. They will work alongside trained professionals, including primary care providers, clinical pharmacists, psychiatrists/psychiatric nurse practitioners, community health workers, and certified addiction peer recovery coaches, in a multitude of healthcare settings, including but not limited to community health centers, psychiatric inpatient and detox facilities, residential treatment centers, community mental health centers, law enforcement and other behavioral health settings.

  • Embrace Innovation to grow and expand the Behavioral Health Residency Program as it seeks to be a model for behavioral health care practice in the FQHC setting.
  • Utilize Collaboration among preceptors, mentors and specialty providers to align practice requirements within each community to ensure the needs of patients are fulfilled.
  • Increase Access to quality care through expanded training of behavioral health residents during the program.
  • Demonstrate Respect in all circumstances by consistently treating all persons with compassion and integrity.
  • Achieve Excellence by providing best-in-class patient care services in all aspects of the Behavioral Health Residency Program.
  • Humbly provide Servant Care to all communities through activities, including developing quality improvement projects and engaging in leadership practices that impact care for all patients.
  • Eligible for associate license in social work or mental health
  • Master’s degree in social work, counseling or psychology
  • Eligibility to work in the U.S.
  • COVID-19 vaccination or a medical or religious exemption

The Behavioral Health Residency Program consists of 24 months of full-time employment at HealthLinc, broken up into two phases.

  • Phase 1: Integrated behavioral health training at HealthLinc
  • Phase 2: Addition of specialty immersions with behavioral health partners

Didactic training and quality improvement projects will be included in each phase, along with clinical supervision to obtain clinical licensure.

Core Elements

  • Mentor Clinics – Sessions with a clinical mentor focused on the practice of episodic and acute care
  • Precepted Clinics – Develop and manage a panel of new patients
  • Specialty Rotations – Rotations with community health partners
  • Didactic Sessions – Training sessions on conditions frequently seen in FQHCs and behavioral health facilities
  • Weekly individual and group supervision
  • Continuous training on HealthLinc’s integrated whole-person care service delivery, including access, continuity, planned care, team-based, prevention-focused and use of data.
  • Training from experts in evidence-based practices to address chronic health conditions, mental health and substance use, including Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH), Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (fACT), Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI) and more.
  • Ongoing multi-input evaluation component using qualitative and quantitative measures
  • Training on our quality improvement model, including clinical microsystems and facilitation, as well as leadership development

 

Applications for the June 2025 cohort are now closed.

Application Requirements

  • CV or resume with five years of work and educational history sections in month and year format
  • Copy of driver’s license
  • Master’s degree in social work, counseling or psychology prior to start date
  • 3 signed letters of recommendation.
  • COVID-19 vaccination or a medical or religious exemption
  • Eligible for associate license in social work or mental health

If selected for HealthLinc’s Behavioral Health Residency Program:

  • Must obtain associate license within 90 days of start date

For more information about the Behavioral Health Residency Program, please email bhresidency@healthlincchc.org.

Yvonne Clancy

Yvonne Clancy

Behavioral Health Specialist

Melissa Quiroz

Melissa Quiroz

Behavioral Health Residency Program Director

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