Our paid Counseling Administrative Assistant Internship helps individuals gain essential skills for employment and allows the opportunity for future employment with Ash & Birch Counseling. You will work closely with our virtual administrative assistant and clinicians. Within the internship, the intern will gain a mix of administrative, interpersonal, and technical skills that support mental health professionals. Some key skills include: Administrative & Organizational Skills Scheduling appointments and managing calendars for therapists or/and dietitians. Handling patient records and maintaining confidentiality (HIPAA compliance). Filing, faxing, and organizing medical documentation. Responding to incoming e-mails, calls, etc. Communication & Interpersonal Skills Speaking with and writing to patients empathetically and professionally. Assisting with intake forms and new patient registration. Faxing medical records and/or record requests to outside providers and insurance providers. Technical Skills Using Electronic Health Records (EHR) software. Managing databases and spreadsheets. Working with telehealth platforms. Compliance & Ethics Understanding patient confidentiality laws (HIPAA). Learning about informed consent and client rights. Recognizing signs of mental health crises and proper response protocols. Problem-Solving & Adaptability Handling scheduling conflicts and urgent patient needs. Managing high-stress situations with professionalism.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Respond to new prospective client intakes and queries. Track and manage client services waitlists. Assist with scheduling of new client intakes. Track and coordinate completion of new intake paperwork. Assist with medical records requests to and from health providers outside the organization and with health insurance companies. Attend training seminars, staff meetings, and supervision sessions (meeting the requirements set by the referring program). Maintain accurate and timely administrative documentation. Respond to phone calls, emails, and website inquiries using provided scripts as guidance. Assist with branding and marketing tasks as assigned. Represent the practice with professionalism and empathy. Maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA regulations. Support the organization’s mission and values and the provision of trauma-informed care and weight-inclusive/weight-neutral care to clients by the organization as a whole.

Interns must be enrolled in the Work Experience Program in Pierce County or Dreams Work - Step by Step Program. Preferred qualification of candidates being enrolled in or recently graduated from a relevant degree or training program (e.g., healthcare administration, business administration, marketing). Interns will also have to complete a background check and pass a background check before starting the internship program.

The internship will begin as an in‑office role to ensure proper training and support. Once an intern has successfully completed the initial training period, including seven consistent shifts and achieving a satisfactory or higher rating on their progress report, they may become eligible for hybrid work.

Work Experience Program in Pierce County interns will be paid $16.66 to $18.90 per hour. Dreams Work – Step by Step interns are provided a rate of $16.66 per hour. Compensation rates and payments are handled by your program, so please refer to them for any questions.

If you are interested in interning at Ash & Birch Counseling, please fill out the Counseling Administrative Assistant Intern Application.