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Psychology Internship

ACR Homes / ACR Healthcare
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ACR Homes provides personalized & high quality direct patient care for people with disabilities living in ACR's 40+ group homes located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area of Minnesota. We also provide memory and end of life care for seniors living in our assisted living homes through our affiliated company Arthur's Senior Care located in Roseville and Shoreview, MN. We're proud to announce that ACR Homes & Arthur’s Senior Care Ranked #7 as one of Minnesota’s 2026 Top Workplaces, #1 Healthcare Employer (large category), and received an award - once again - for Meaningfulness. All made possible by employees whose leadership, purpose, and innovation define who we are and continue our legacy of quality care.

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: 

We're hiring students to become Direct Care Professionals (DCP). The DCP role pairs with the research/ project-based Psychology Internship, giving you the hands-on experience, patient care hours, critical thinking, research, patient advocacy, and data analysis experience you need for a future in Psychology. 

Direct Care Professional Job Overview (DCP) (part-time & full-time):

Because ACR cares about providing the best quality of life for our residents with disabilities, we start with providing care in comfortable group homes rather than large facilities. This also allows our residents to be valued and integrated members of the communities they live in. There are only 4 residents living in each group home, allowing us to have small staff to resident ratios. To provide consistency for you and our residents, you'll be placed to work at one of the 40+ group home locations on a continual basis. Typically, you will be working alongside at least 1 other co-worker on your shifts, with the (live-in) group home manager and house RN just a phone call or text away. Small staff to resident ratios allow you the chance to take your time and provide quality medical care, as well as assist residents through activities of daily living, and enjoy fun activities together. DCPs are often found playing games, baking, doing crafts, watching movies, reading, and going out in the community with the residents while providing their medical cares. 

Healthcare responsibilities include but are not limited to the following (Paid training provided):

  1. Administering medication
  2. Working with medical equipment
  3. Using medical terminology
  4. Charting
  5. Taking Vitals
  6. Behavior assessment and tracking
  7. Assisting with physical/occupational therapy routines & range of motion
  8. Ambulation assistance & transfers
  9. Administering therapies

Additional responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

  1. Helping residents get up and get ready for the day
  2. Preparing meals and assisting during mealtimes
  3. Aid with personal cares
  4. Additional activities of daily living
  5. Advocating for residents in the community
  6. Helping residents maintain friend and family relationships
  7. Enjoying fun activities together inside and outside the home

Shifts & Scheduling:

ACR Homes has flexible part-time and full-time DCP positions available. Scheduling is easy! You'll receive a blank copy of each month's schedule from your supervisor to fill in. Let them know which shifts you're available for, which are your second choice, which you cannot do, and the amount of hours per week you're looking to work. They'll create the schedule and send it back to you with your shifts based on what you marked down for your availability! Although ACR Homes asks that part-time employees maintain at least 12-16 hours/week or about 8-10 shifts/month, you're welcome to trade shifts with co-workers, and take time off as needed. Plan for shifts to last around 6 - 8 hours in length, with some houses offering shorter shifts based on resident schedules and needs. Shifts are offered during the following times:

  • Weekday morning, afternoon, evening, and overnight (both awake and asleep)
  • Weekend morning, afternoon, evening, and overnight (both awake and asleep)

Although most students work part-time, full-time employment is available, and they maintain at least 38-40 hours/week.

WAGES (Effective 12/29/24):

Part-time Direct Care Professional:

  • $16 - $18/hour for day and evening shifts - dependent on placement location's rate exception differential, if applicable.
  • $18.25 - $20.25/hour for weekend shifts - dependent on placement location's rate exception differential, if applicable.
  • $18.25 - $20.25/hour for weekday awake overnight shifts - dependent on placement location's rate exception differential, if applicable.
  • $20.50 - $22.50/hour for weekend awake overnight shifts (Friday & Saturday) - dependent on placement location's rate exception differential, if applicable.
  • Initial training pay is $14/hour

Full-time Direct Care Professional:

  • $18.25-$20.25/hour for day and evening shifts--dependent on placement location's rate exception differential, if applicable
  • $20.50-$22.50/hour for weekend shifts--dependent on placement location's rate exception differential, if applicable
  • $20.50-$22.50/hour for weekday awake overnight shifts--dependent on placement location's rate exception differential, if applicable
  • $22.75-$24.75/hour for weekend awake overnight shifts (Friday & Saturday)--dependent on placement location's rate exception differential, if applicable
  • Initial training pay is $16.25/hour

**Ranges listed above are due to $.50-$2.00/hour house specific rate exception differential at specific homes.

BENEFITS:

Full-time DCPs, Weekend DCPs, & LPNs are eligible for the following benefits: 

  • Paid time off (PTO) & earned sick and safe time (ESST)
  • Traditional health insurance plan
  • FREE NICE HEALTHCARE subscription allowing eligible employees free virtual and in-home visits with nurse practitioners and PA's. Options for free prescriptions, mental health services, and xrays (See their website for more details and to find out what's covered free of charge).
  • Vision, dental, and pet insurance
  • Long-term disability
  • MN Paid Leave & supplemental life insurance
  • 401k

*Additional compensation includes optional asleep shifts paid at $11.50/hr, wage increases starting at 1 year of employment, bonuses, tuition assistance, and advancement opportunities. See our website for full benefit & qualification details. 

**Part-time employees are also eligible for 401K & ESST 

Psychology Internship Details:

Once you’ve completed training for the Direct Care Professional Job, you can begin your internship at any point during your employment. 

To start, you’ll meet with our Internship Supervisor to discuss your research or special project idea and choose your internship track. Internship tracks are 4, 6, or 12 months in length. You can choose our standard research track with a custom topic, or do a shorter internship with a pre-determined track if you need more direction. Most function similar to a case study, and students complete research in a specific area that co-relates to improving the quality of life and care for a resident. Although the program is largely self-paced and pairs along with your direct care job, the Supervisor will assist you in setting up unique opportunities, guiding group networking discussions, or coordinating experiences in a clinic setting to aid you in completing your internship. All interns will write a paper about their experience and have the chance to make recommendations to advocate for a resident. Special to the Pre-Med and Pre-PA internship track, you'll have the opportunity for shadowing through Bluestone Physician Services. Because of our connections at Mayo Clinic, all interns are given the opportunity to join us on a “field trip” to the Mayo Clinic where you're given a behind the scenes tour, networking with physicians, glimpses into their labs, and more. Upon completing the internship, you’ll receive a letter of recommendation from Jim Nelson, PHD and CEO of ACR Homes. To see how the internship has impacted students, click here (https://acrhomes.com/students/grad-school-beyond/)

Pre-Med Internship aspects include (but are not limited to):

  1. Research, data collection, & special projects
  2. Patient advocacy
  3. Ethical responsibility
  4. Critical thinking & problem solving
  5. Networking & discussion groups with Internship Supervisor & other interns
  6. A field trip to the Mayo Clinic (offered in the summer based on availability)
  7. MCAT/GRE study groups & materials
  8. Opportunities to attend medical appointments and advocate for residents
  9. Hands-on experience with medical equipment, devices, & therapies
  10. Shadowing opportunities with a partner organization called Bluestone Physician Services
  11. Internship presentation to the leadership at ACR Homes where you can advocate for the needs of your residents based on the conclusion of your case study.

Former Psychology Interns have had the opportunity to help residents in the following ways:

  1. Learned how exercise impacts the moods, behaviors, and mental health of the residents
  2. Aided in starting mental health services for residents
  3. Assisted residents through the emotional aspect of the changing and aging brain and body
  4. Advocated for medication changes or alternative treatments and therapies
  5. Implemented new exercise routines for residents
  6. Helped change a resident medication schedule

REQUIREMENTS:

  • You must be at least 18 years old
  • You must have a valid U.S. or Canadian drivers license and a relatively clean driving record
  • You must have reliable access to transportation other than the bus system (unless you are a University of Minnesota or University of Wisconsin -River Falls student. We have an employee transportation program on each of these campuses, allowing students to use a company vehicle to get to their shifts)
  • You must be able and willing to provide care for both male and female clients
  • You must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.
  • You must be able to work independently and you must have interpersonal skills including empathy, responsibility, self-control, good judgment, and overall adjustment
  • You must be able to see, hear, speak, interact, and write in English sufficiently to perform the essential functions of the position
  • WDCP employees must work at least 30-32 hours per week
  • Part-time DCP must work at least 12-16 hours/week (2+ shifts/week or 8-10 shifts/month)
  • Full-time DCP must work at least 38-40 hours/week
  • WDCP must be able to commit to this position for a minimum of 6 months, part-time & full-time DCP must be able to commit to this position for a minimum of 3 months.

This is intended as a summary; additional functions and requirements are stated on our jobs and careers webpage.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Please submit resumes to universityoffice@acrhomes.com or apply via Handshake.

For questions, email Recruiting Supervisor & Marketing Manager, Brianna Palkki at Brianna.palkki@acrhomes.com

 

*Students must first be hired as a Direct Care Professional to gain access to our internship program. Internships pair hand-in-hand with the jobs at ACR, and can be completed at any point during employment with ACR Homes.

 

ACR Homes is an EEO/AA Employer who is proud to be a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment that is free of discrimination. 

www.acrhomes.com | (651) 415-9991 | Main office: 2437 Rice St. Roseville, MN 55113