The Doctoral Internship Training Program in Professional Psychology is currently accredited by the American Psychological Association’s Commission on Accreditation (CoA), having been awarded a 7-year accreditation in 2016. Questions related to this program's accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242 or (202) 336-5979. E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org, Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation
The Internship is located in an urban Community Mental Health Center with 11 sites across Los Angeles county and nearly 700 staff. We offer core mental health services to adults with severe/persistent mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbance, crisis intervention and short-term counseling services, and substance abuse treatment and prevention services. Training activities are focused on 10 competency areas: Ethical and Legal Standards; Individual-Cultural Diversity; Scientific Knowledge/Research/Evaluation; Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors; Communication and Interpersonal Skills; Assessment; Intervention; Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills; Supervision-Teaching; and Community Outreach. Interns provide services in mental health clinics at any of our sites, but both training tracks (Child/Family as well as Adult Services) house Interns at a primary office in Inglewood, CA. All Interns participate in individual, group, and family psychotherapy in the office in the field, or remotely, as well as crisis intervention, diagnostic intake assessments, comprehensive psychological assessments, community outreach projects, and a small program evaluation or research project. Interns lead group supervision of practicum students and receive "supervision of supervision." The program provides intensive supervision, weekly didactic seminars, a professional development group, participation on interdisciplinary treatment teams, and bimonthly agency training seminars.
PLEASE NOTE: Didi Hirsch remains committed to adhering to the four Guiding Principles recommended by APPIC in formulating our response to future public health emergencies at their impact on Intern training.