Field Agencies – Centers of Excellence

AltaMed serves the entire family with primary medical care, dental clinics and complete senior long-term care services, including primary care clinics, senior case management, and the Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Placement with the PACE program will allow students to integrate their classroom education into direct practice through bio-psychosocial assessments, care plan development, case management, community-based linkages and referrals, discharge planning, psycho-educational and therapeutic groups, and working as part of an interdisciplinary team.

Alzheimer’s LA provides services to anyone concerned about their own memory or a loved one’s, looking for what to do if they have received a diagnosis, or finding dealing with Alzheimer’s or another dementia difficult. Services are provided regardless of location and are free of charge. Depending on the project/area that the student selects, he/she will have the opportunity to observe and learn about people experiencing the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and how they and their loved ones cope with the diagnosis. Opportunities exist for students interested in working with diverse populations, advocacy, public policy and macro practice.

Alzheimer’s OC provides a variety of services to individuals and families concerned about or experiencing cognitive decline. This includes adults of all ages, although primarily older adults, and with wide range of functioning. AlzOC provides services directly to the public, and via their two healthy aging centers as well as numerous residential memory care communities. Depending on the project/area that the student selects, he/she will have the opportunity to observe and learn about people experiencing the all stages of progressive cognitive decline and how they and their loved one’s cope with the diagnosis. Opportunities exist for students interested in working with diverse populations, advocacy, public policy and macro practice.

Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) is a healthcare district focused on preventive health and serves the communities of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. Established in 1955 as a public agency, it offers an extensive range of dynamic health and wellness programs, with innovative services and facilities to promote health and prevent diseases across the lifespan. Students will conduct screenings (GDS, SLUMS), learn computer-based charting, work with volunteers, participate in strategic planning and board meetings, implement evidence-based practice modalities, participate in team treatment planning meetings, ability to do both micro and macro work.

Senior Care Network is a Department of Huntington Health, an affiliate of Cedar-Sinai.  Our mission is to positively impact the health and well-being of adults in our community throughout the care continuum. Students have the opportunity to provide care management, participate in community engagement, and assist with macro-level projects.  Senior Care Network is located on the campus of Huntington Hospital, a 544-bed nonprofit community hospital that provides a full range of medical services from basic health care to highly specialized programs.

Jewish Family Services provides non-medical home care solutions for older adults and adults with specialized needs. We employ a whole person, whole family professional approach to care that includes initial home assessments, development of a plan; and care management and oversight to provide better care experiences for our clients and their families. Students will work closely with the team to provide traditional social work placement services along with innovative business development.

For 100-years, MPTF has been a safety net of social and supportive services to people in the entertainment community. MPTF is dedicated to providing interns with a meaningful and diverse learning experience in an innovative environment of compassion and dedication to serving others all while having the opportunity to develop skills across the practice spectrum.

The Pacific Clinics Pacific Clinics serves children to older adults and offers mental health, substance use treatment, and supportive services to Medi-Cal eligible individuals and families. Our diverse staff provides culturally and linguistically relevant services in over 22 languages to our region’s culturally and ethnically diverse populations. Students will gain clinical experience working at the Asian Pacific Family Center or Older Adults Services Programs.

Partners in Care Foundation is a non-profit community-based organization that addresses the social determinants of health by aligning social care and healthcare. We envision a world where every person has equitable access to affordable high-quality health and social care. Partners provides evidence-based prevention and care management interventions for older adults and other high-acuity populations and leads social determinants of health innovations nationally. Students will have micro, mezzo, and macro level opportunities working in our Community Wellness Department, Home and Community Based Alternatives Program or Multipurpose Senior Services Program.

SCAN is a not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plan.  Serving more than 275,000 members across multiple counties in the states of California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas. SCAN offers comprehensive health care plus geriatric enhanced health management programs for our most frail and vulnerable members. At SCAN, our mission is to continue to find innovative ways to enhance seniors’ ability to manage their health and to continue to control where and how they live.  Our focus is to maximize the senior’s ability to remain healthy and independent.  SCAN offers the GSWEC intern a breadth of experiences with the senior population, within a non-profit environment.  These opportunities include case management within multiple programs, program planning and development, personal interaction, care planning, and continued interfacing with other clinical disciplines.

Special Service for Groups (SSG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing community-based solutions to the social and economic issues facing those in greatest need. SSG/SILVER works with clients starting from Prevention and Early intervention to Full Scope intensive mental health treatment (24/7 crisis management) for culturally diverse clientele. Students placed at SSG/SILVER will have an opportunity to see clients flow through different levels of care from brief case management and mental health intervention to intensive case management and comprehensive mental health intervention including medication management. Students will also have the opportunity to work with family caregivers and address systems issues within the home environment.

VA Long Beach Healthcare System is one of the leading health care systems serving Veterans in the VA Desert Pacific Network. Our medical center provides primary care and specialty health services, including cardiology, mental health care, treatment for spinal cord injuries and disorders, suicide prevention, women’s health services, and more.

The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VA GLAHS) is the largest integrated healthcare organization in the Department of Veterans Affairs. At the West Los Angeles Healthcare Center and Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center, services provided are, but not limited to: Acute Care (Medical/Surgical, Mental Health, Rehabilitation), Geriatrics and Extended Care (Nursing Home, Adult Day Health Care, Home Healthcare, Hospice/Palliative Care), Primary Care, Mental Health, Homeless Service, and Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Graduate Trainees will be placed at one of the several programs and will gain micro and macro level skills in this setting, all with an interdisciplinary focus.

WISE & Healthy Aging is a community based, non-profit organization serving older adults throughout LA County and San Bernardino County. Students may apply for 1 of 4 unique field placement opportunities: Care Management, Adult Day Services Center, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, or the Holistic Elder Abuse Response Team. Each placement has a focus on client-centered, direct services, with macro level project opportunities also available. WISE & Heathy is headquartered in Santa Monica with internships also available in Torrance, Long Beach, Montebello, Pasadena, Van Nuys, Lancaster, and San Bernardino.