MSW Field Internship Spotlight: Rose Andom Center

STUDENTS: Keely Resing, Denver Campus MSW Program concentration in Mental Health, and Kate Morris, Denver Campus MSW Program concentration in Children & Youth 

AGENCY: Rose Andom Center in Denver, Colorado 

WHAT THEY DO: The Rose Andom Center is a resource center and safe space for current and past survivors of domestic violence, helping them to find the safety, support and services they need to rebuild their lives and heal their families. The center connects survivors with resources and organizations statewide to help them work toward short- and long-term goals such as housing, job security and counseling. 

STUDENT ROLES: To prepare interns to work directly with survivors of trauma, the Rose Andom Center provides comprehensive training in areas such as motivational interviewing and concepts of power and control in domestic violence. They also familiarize interns with community partners and resources to assist survivors. As resource advocates, Resing and Morris connected clients with resources and worked collaboratively with community partners to meet their needs. Responsibilities included conducting intakes with new clients, ongoing client follow-ups and reassessing referrals and resources, safety planning and assisting with needs such as housing and rental assistance applications. 

THE IMPACT: “A skill I learned that is valuable to me is motivational interviewing and using a strengths-based approach when working with survivors,” Resing says. “Focusing on affirming the survivor on all they have accomplished thus far and the talents and resources they have within themselves is a powerful tool, and I know I will bring that with me as I continue in my practice as a social worker.” 

“It’s extremely valuable and special to work with clients long term and to have seen them start in a terrible and unsafe situation, go through the whole safety-planning, housing search and financial assistance process, and months later be in a much better place,” Morris adds. “So many of our clients — whether clients I work with for a while or who I just help get connected to therapy or childcare in one quick intake meeting — are so appreciative of the Rose Andom Center … Through this position I also have become extremely familiar with a large variety of nonprofits, governmental assistance programs, and resources in the Denver area, which is something that I will definitely take with me in the next position I have.”