Human Services Career Planner

Why wait until graduation to start your career in human services?

Find out how LSI can help, wherever you are on your journey to building your dream career!

Getting a part-time job in your field can count as valuable work experience by the time you receive your diploma, and the right job could earn you a higher paying position in several of our services!

Select the phase of life that best fits you. For more details on LSI’s services, visit the Our Services section.

Behavioral Health Intervention Services/Community Programs

  • Gain work experience with LSI as a:
  • Intern with any of the following programs:
    • Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS)
    • Mental Health Services
    • Child Welfare
    • Disabilities
    • Early Childhood
    • Social Work
    • Residential Treatment

Mental Health

  • Gain work experience with LSI as a:
  • Intern with any of the following programs:
    • Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS)
    • Mental Health Services
    • Residential Treatment

Family Centered Services

  • Gain work experience with LSI as a:
  • Gain work experience in the following additional areas:
    • Child care, day care, or nanny experience
    • Supervision of children in an after school program setting (non-recreational)
    • Supervision of children as a camp counselor

Foster Care and Adoption

  • Gain work experience with LSI as a:
  • Intern with any of the following programs:
    • Family Centered Services
    • Behavioral Health Intervention Services
    • Foster Care and Adoption
    • Residential Treatment
  • Volunteer with an agency that provides foster care and adoption services or support

Early Childhood

  • Gain work experience with LSI as a:
  • Intern with any of the following programs:
    • Early Childhood or People Place
    • Residential Treatment
    • Services for People with Disabilities
    • Foster Care and Adoption
    • Family Centered Services
  • Gain experience in an AmeriCorps role or an after school program focused on child development

Residential

  • Gain work experience with LSI as a:
  • Gain work experience in the following additional areas:
    • Paraprofessional in a behavioral classroom
  • Intern in any of the following programs:
    • Residential Treatment
    • Behavioral Health Intervention Services
    • Mental Health Services
    • Foster Care and Adoption
    • Family Centered Services

Services for People with Disabilities

  • Gain work experience with LSI as a:
  • Gain work experience in the following additional areas:
    • Paraprofessional
  • Intern in Services for People with Disabilities; internship experience will be counted towards education requirements

Immigrant and Refugee Community Services

  • Intern or Volunteer with Immigrant and Refugee Community Services or an agency that provides services to refugees
  • Gain experience in an AmeriCorps role with Immigrant and Refugee Community Services
  • Gain work experience at LSI as a:
    • Interpreter or Child Care Associate with Immigrant and Refugee Community Services

Behavioral Health Intervention Services/Community Programs

  • BHIS Worker
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field with child mental health training provided upon hire
  • Caseworker
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field and one to two years of human services experience

MENTAL HEALTH

  • Master of Social Work Internship
    • Students pursuing their Master of Social Work (MSW) or a related field can complete their practicum of internship placement with LSI’s clinical team

Family Centered Services

  • Interaction Support Worker
    • Associate’s degree in an accepted field and six months of qualifying full-time experience OR
    • Bachelor’s degree in any major of study
  • Family Support Specialist
    • Associate’s degree in an accepted field and two years of qualifying full-time experience OR
    • Bachelor’s degree in any major of study
  • Solution Focused Meeting Facilitator
    • High School Diploma with four years of full time experience in human services OR
    • Associate’s degree in a human services related field and two years of full time experience in human services OR
    • Bachelor’s degree in a human services related field
    • Solution Focused Meeting certification provided upon hire

FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION

  • Support Caseworker
    • Bachelor’s degree in Social Work OR
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field and two years of experience in child welfare services
  • Foster and Adoptive Family Home Study Worker
    • Bachelor’s degree in Social Work OR
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field and two years of experience in child welfare services

EARLY CHILDHOOD

  • Family Support Worker I
    • High school diploma or GED with experience in working with or providing services to children and families
  • Family Support Worker II
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field and two years of experience providing services to children and families

RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT

  • Youth Specialist
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field OR
    • Bachelor’s degree in a non-related field with mental health training provided upon hire OR
    • Associate’s degree in an accepted field and one year of qualifying full-time experience and actively pursuing a bachelor’s degree OR
    • High School Diploma and five years of qualifying full-time experience and actively pursuing a bachelor’s degree
  • Caseworker
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field and two years of qualifying full-time experience
  • Program Supervisor
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field and one year of qualifying full-time experience

SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

  • Site Team Leader
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field
    • Associate’s degree in an accepted field and two years of qualifying full-time experience
  • Caseworker
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field
  • Program Supervisor
    • Bachelor’s degree in an accepted field and two years of qualifying full-time experience

Refugee and Immigrant Services

  • Caseworker roles
    • Bachelor’s degree in a related field and one year of qualifying experience
  • Specialist-level roles
    • Associate’s degree in a related field and three years of qualifying experience
    • Bachelor’s degree in a related field and one to two years of qualifying experience
  • Supervisor-level roles
    • Bachelor’s degree in a related field and one year of qualifying experience

MENTAL HEALTH

  • Therapist-Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts (LPHA)
    • Master’s of Social Work or a related field and possess temporary or full State of Iowa licensure (LMSW, LMHC, LMFT, LISW)
    • LSI provides clinical supervision for temporary licensed Therapists

RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT

  • Mental Health Counselor
    • Master’s of Social Work OR
    • Master’s in Counseling, Family Therapy, Psychology or related field
  • Therapist-Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts (LPHA)
    • Master’s of Social Work or a related field and possess temporary or full State of Iowa licensure (LMSW, LMHC, LMFT, LISW)
    • LSI provides clinical supervision for temporary licensed Therapists

IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMUNITY SERVICES

  • Immigrant and Refugee Community Services
    • Therapist-Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts (LPHA)
      • Master’s of Social Work or a related field and possess temporary or full State of Iowa licensure (LMSW, LMHC, LMFT, LISW)
      • LSI provides clinical supervision for temporary licensed therapists

Behavioral Health Intervention Services/Community Programs

  • Social Work
  • Psychology
  • Mental Health Counseling
  • Social Sciences (Central College only)
  • Sociology
  • Criminology (UNI only)
  • Family Therapy
  • School Counseling (Master’s degree)
  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Education

 

Bachelor’s degrees in a field not accepted may qualify for LSI’s BHIS Worker position by completing 30 hours of mental health training provided upon hire.

Mental Health/Therapy

  • Master’s in Social Work or related field.
    Must possess temporary or full licensure including:

    • Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
    • Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
    • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
    • Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW)

Family Centered Services

Associates in any of the following programs:

  • Social Work
  • Psychology
  • Criminal Justice
  • Child, Adult, and Family Services
  • Nursing
  • Special Education
  • Sociology
  • Human Services
  • Counseling
  • Chemical Dependency Counseling
  • Education
  • Elementary Education
  • Political Science
  • Law Enforcement Administration

or bachelor’s degree in any major of study

Foster Care and Adoption

    • Social Work
    • Social Work related field

Early Childhood

  • Health/Human Services or related field
  • Education
  • Family Studies
  • Nursing
  • Social Work
  • Child/Family Services

Residential

  • Social Work
  • Psychology
  • Mental Health Counseling
  • Social Sciences (Central College only)
  • Sociology
  • Criminology (UNI only)
  • Family Therapy
  • School Counseling (Master’s degree)
  • Education
  • Behavioral Sciences

Services for People with Disabilities

  • Art Therapy
  • Behavioral Science
  • Child Development
  • Education
  • Family Services
  • Family Studies
  • Human Services
  • Mental Health Counseling
  • Child, Adult, and Family Services
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Criminal Justice
  • Sociology
  • Family Therapy
  • Human Development
  • Special Education
  • Psychology
  • Social Work

IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMUNITY SERVICES

Accepted degrees vary by program

  • Human Services or related field
  • Child Development or related field
  • Education or related field
  • Business Administration or related field
  • Sustainable Agriculture or related field

These qualifications may be subject to change. If you have questions on how to get started, contact HR@LSIowa.org.

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