Doctoral Internship Program
in
Clinical Psychology


Training

The internship has a full-time licensed psychologist designated as the Training Director (TD) whose primary duties are centered on the internship and residency program. This person has extensive training and experience as a clinical psychologist working, leading and training others in a correctional setting. The TD is responsible for organizing the internship program and resources, intern selection, and the monitoring, evaluation and improvement of the program’s goals and activities. The TD provides program orientation, didactic training and supervision throughout the year, chairs the training committee and documents and maintains interns’ records.

The internship is designed to provide the doctoral experience necessary for the development of at least intermediate practice competence in the area of clinical psychology. Training is with incarcerated adult clients in inpatient and outpatient settings and will meet the doctoral/internship experience that will count toward licensure as a psychologist in the State of Florida. Our program is designed to align with the guidelines for accreditation by the American Psychological Association. Applicants should confirm that our program meets the requirements of any other state board where they may wish to obtain licensure. Our internship is designed to ensure a sufficiently broad spectrum of training and competency development at an intermediate level so that each intern will be well prepared to succeed in entry level/ postdoctoral residency positions within general and/or correctional clinical settings. We also provide broad training, experiences and preparation to support the passage of the EPPP exam and attainment of licensure as a clinical psychologist.

We strive toward a competency based educational program. We believe that the development of intermediate competence requires opportunities to attain knowledge, skills and appropriate attitudes. Interns’ training is primarily experiential, consisting of supervised clinical experiences as well as didactic instruction, review of relevant journal and research articles and other training activities. These training experiences are designed to produce postdoctoral residents who have demonstrated at least intermediate competence. Through experience, study, and investigation we help the interns develop information into knowledge. We structure their year to allow repeated application of that knowledge, in combination with self-reflection, feedback from others and objective assessment of outcomes, so that they become more skillful. Professional attitudes are developed through appropriate role modeling, investigation, as well as discussion and feedback about attitudes toward patients, the public, our profession, and the interns themselves.

Competency Areas

The internship experience is designed to assure that a broad spectrum of skills and abilities are gained during the year such that each intern will be prepared to succeed in a post-doctoral position and obtain licensure as a psychologist. However, special emphasis is placed on several areas of competency during the internship year. These include Research, Ethical and Legal Standards, Diversity, Professional Attitudes, Values and behaviors, Communication and Interpersonal Skills, Assessment, Therapeutic interventions (including individual psychotherapy, group therapy and crisis intervention), Supervision, and Consultation.

Program Aims

  • Research: To provide progressive training, clinical experiences and supervision that prepare our interns to incorporate strategies of scholarly/evidence based inquiry that is sensitive to individual and cultural diversity into their provision of psychological services including treatment and assessment in post-doctoral/entry-level psychologist positions working in general and/or correctional clinical settings.

    1. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the provision of evidence-based individual therapy that is sensitive to individual and cultural diversity.
    2. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the provision of evidence-based group therapy that is appropriately sensitive to individual and cultural diversity.
    3. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the provision of scholarly/evidence-based psychological assessments and diagnosis that are appropriately sensitive to individual and cultural diversity.
    4. Demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the presentation of scholarly/evidenced based knowledge in the field of psychology that is appropriately sensitive to individual and cultural diversity.

  • Ethical and Legal Standards: To provide training, clinical experiences and supervision that adequately prepare our interns to reach at least an intermediate level of competency in maintaining ethical and legal standards consistent with the practice of health service psychology in general and/or correctional clinical settings including attending to issues of cultural and individual diversity.

    1. Interns will verbalize an understanding of and demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the application of and adherence to the American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct including attention to issues of cultural and individual diversity that pertain to them.
    2. Interns will verbalize an understanding of and demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the application of and adherence to the Federal and State laws governing the practice of health service psychology including attention to issues of cultural and individual diversity that pertain to them.
    3. Interns will verbalize an understanding of and demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the application of and compliance with all Florida Department of Corrections’ rules, regulations, and policies at all times and be familiar with the FDOC’s Chapter 33 and its Mission Statement, abide by the FDOC’ Code of Conduct and its Oath of Allegiance including attention to issues of cultural and individual diversity that pertain to them.
    4. Interns will verbalize an understanding of and demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in maintaining ethical behavior and comportment befitting their role in all professional activities.

  • Diversity: To provide training, modeling, clinical experiences and supervision that adequately prepares our interns to demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the provision of psychological services that are sensitive to diversity and individual differences in post-doctoral/entry-level psychologist positions in general and/or correctional clinical settings.

    1. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the provision of individual and group psychotherapy that is sensitive to cultural and individual differences.
    2. Interns will demonstrate at least and intermediate level of competence in the provision of psychological assessment and diagnosis that is sensitive to cultural and individual differences.
    3. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the understanding of how their own thoughts and feelings (countertransference) impacts their interactions with others in professional, clinical, and supervisory settings.

  • Professional Values, Attitudes and Behaviors: To provide progressive training, clinical experiences and supervision that produce students able to succeed in post-doctoral/entry-level psychologist positions working in general and/or correctional clinical settings, who are professional in their work, including attending to issues of cultural and individual diversity.

    1. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in meeting the professional standards of deportment for psychologists in general and/or correctional clinical settings.
    2. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in their ability to voice understanding of and engagement in self-care.
    3. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in their ability to identify, evaluate and assess the degree to which their personal values and attitudes impact their clinical work.

  • Communication and Interpersonal Skills: To provide progressive training, clinical experiences and supervision that produce students able to succeed in post-doctoral/entry-level psychologist positions communicating with a wide range of individuals, producing and comprehending oral, nonverbal, and written communication and managing difficult communication well while attending to issues of cultural and individual diversity.

    1. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in verbal communication with patients, supervisors, as well as staff from all disciplines to include clinical and non- clinical staff.
    2. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in written communication with staff from all disciplines.
    3. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in communicating effectively and appropriately in interpersonal settings to include meetings, presentations, group supervision, and organizational functions.

  • Psychological Assessment and Diagnosis: To provide progressive training, clinical experiences and supervision that adequately prepare our interns to succeed in post-doctoral/entry-level psychologist positions working in general and/or correctional clinical settings, in the provision of evidence-based psychological assessment and diagnosis, using intellectual, objective and subjective personality assessment instruments, as well as patient interviews, historic and collateral information with appropriate consideration of relevant issues of cultural and individual differences.

    1. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the provision of evidence-based psychological assessment as evidenced by successful selection, administration and scoring of psychological assessment instruments including appropriate consideration of relevant issues of cultural and individual differences.
    2. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the report writing of evidence-based psychological assessment data using intellectual, and both objective and subjective personality assessment instruments including appropriate consideration of relevant issues of cultural and individual differences.
    3. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in evaluating and diagnosing patients using patient interviews, historic and collateral information, as well as intellectual, objective and subjective personality assessment instruments with appropriate consideration of relevant issues of cultural and individual differences.
    4. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the use of evidenced based psychological assessment data in the formulation of accurate diagnostic impressions that include considerations of the social context, the functional and/or dysfunctional nature of behaviors, patient strengths, and recommendations including appropriate consideration of relevant issues of cultural and individual differences.

  • Therapeutic Intervention: To provide training, clinical experiences and supervision that adequately prepare our interns to reach at least an intermediate level of competency in therapeutic interventions such that they may enter post-doctoral/entry-level psychologist positions working in general and/or correctional clinical settings, and succeed at providing evidence-based individual therapy, group therapy and crisis intervention to individuals with a broad spectrum of mental disorders in either inpatient or outpatient settings with both respect and sensitivity to cultural and individual differences.

    1. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the provision of evidence-based individual therapy that is well-informed, respectful and sensitive to individual differences to inmate patients of diverse backgrounds with a wide range of mental disorders.
    2. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the organization, provision and supervision of evidence-based group therapy to inmate patients that is well-informed, respectful and sensitive to cultural and individual differences.
    3. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the provision of evidence-based crisis intervention services to inmate patients that are well-informed and sensitive to cultural and individual differences.

  • Supervision: To provide progressive training, clinical experiences and supervision that adequately prepares our interns to demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the utilization of supervision experiences and in training and supervising other mental health staff with both respect and sensitivity to individual and cultural diversity in their work as post-doctoral/entry level psychologists in general and/or correctional clinical settings.

    1. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the use of peer and faculty supervision experiences.
    2. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in the provision of training and supervision to other mental health staff with both respect and sensitivity to individual and cultural diversity.

  • Consultation and Interprofessional/ Interdisciplinary Skills: To provide training that adequately prepares our interns to succeed in providing and obtaining consultation with at least an intermediate level of competence, with sensitivity to individual and cultural diversity, as post-doctoral/entry level psychologists in general and/or correctional clinical settings.

    1. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in their verbal and written communications to professionals from other disciplines within the Department while demonstrating sensitivity to individual and cultural diversity.
    2. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in providing and obtaining consultative communications with other professionals with sensitivity to individual and cultural diversity.
    3. Interns will demonstrate at least an intermediate level of competence in their ability to understand the responsibilities and role of others within the Departmental system.

  • Maintain Professional Standard of Training: Assure that our program continues to provide interns with quality training.

    1. Maintain APPIC membership
    2. Maintain APA accreditation.

Seminars

Didactic seminars are an integral part of the internship and are scheduled routinely throughout the year. These topics often include: psychopharmacology; forensic evaluation; legal and ethical issues; cognitive therapy techniques such as DBT, CBT, Act, Mindfulness, Positive Psychology; civil commitment; competency evaluations; sex offender assessment and treatment; grief and loss; assessment; gender/cultural diversity; assessment and diagnostic techniques; crisis intervention; and treatment planning. At least one hour of didactic activities including seminars, grand rounds and in-service training are provided each week. Seminars are most often presented by psychologists, but may be led by psychiatrists or others with expertise in the area (e.g. neurologists, pharmacists, nurses, etc.)

Case presentations are an important part of the interns training as they require their reflective integration and discussion of the theory and practice of psychological assessment and treatment. In addition to informal case presentation and discussion in group supervision, Formal case presentations serve as a format for improving the interns’ case conceptualization and professional presentation skills. During the year, interns present four didactic trainings in a Grand Rounds format. Didactic topics include two patient conceptualizations with at least one incorporating formal assessment data, a review of current research and literature in an area of interest and the development and implementation of an empirically supported manualized group treatment module.

Supervision

At least two hours of individual face-to-face supervision by a licensed psychologist will be provided each week and must total at least 100 hours by the end of the year. Two hours of Group supervision will also be scheduled weekly. Group supervision will include both clinical and administrative topics. A total of four hours of supervision will be provided, each week by licensed psychologists and must total 200 hours by the end of the year. Supervision by multiple supervisors throughout the training experience is intended to provide interns with differing perspectives and treatment approaches. Individual supervision will address clinical care of patients, the interns’ concrete clinical experiences, their cases, assessments and therapy, reflective observations of their interventions and patient interactions, patient and staff behavior, and the impact of cultural and individual diversity factors in clinical work. Supervisors will take care to incorporate appreciation, sensitivity and awareness of issues related to cultural and individual diversity, respect, and integrity as well as the Florida Department of Corrections’ Mission and Code of Conduct and the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principals of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (2017).

Professional Development

As part of the 2000-hour training experience, interns complete 100 hours of professional development throughout the year.Interns coordinate the usage of this time with the TD which routinely includes activities such as dissertation completion/defense, participation in research, attendance of conferences, professional meetings, and program graduation, post-internship job/residency interviews, and EPPP study.

Evaluations

Our interns are evaluated using the Intern Evaluation Form (see Appendix B of the Training Manual). Evaluations will be completed at midyear and at the end of the year for the primary rotation at Zephyrhills Inpatient Unit and at the end of each secondary rotation. Areas assessed will include Therapeutic Interventions, Psychological Assessment and Diagnosis, Scholarly/Evidence Based Inquiry, Professional Values, Ethical and Legal Issues, Supervision, Communication, Consultation and Diversity Awareness. The intern’s academic institution may provide their own evaluation forms and request that they be completed, if necessary. The interns will also evaluate each rotation, their supervisors and finally the internship program.

Research

The Florida Department of Corrections holds great potential for research. Interested parties must submit formal proposals for approval, per Florida Department of Corrections Procedure Manual 207.001, before beginning any research. Research consultation is available upon request. The evaluation of and incorporation of current research into clinical work is an integral part of the internship program.

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