Our program offers an intensive training experience covering a broad range of clinical populations for the internship participants within the context of community mental health. Our training program was successfully granted APA accreditation effective February 2017.
The Monterey County Behavioral Health Doctoral Psychology Internship Program functions within a developmental-mentorship-practitioner training model that is culturally focused. The internship’s mission is to develop competent generalists who can function professionally in multiple clinical contexts and settings. Our program views learning as a developmental process that depends on support, challenge, feedback, and role modeling. High importance is placed on providing a setting where an intern’s professional identity is explored and further developed. This is achieved through:
(1) a developmental perspective which is taken on all training activities over the course of the internship year,
(2) a mentorship philosophy which provides a variety of opportunities to interact with multiple psychologists and senior clinical staff through clinical, training, and outreach activities, and
(3) a practitioner orientation which emphasizes ethical, culturally sensitive and relevant clinical practice and intervention. The psychology internship provides a wide range of clinical practice opportunities including outpatient, in-custody and at-home assessment and treatment, group therapy, and community outreach activities. Interns learn the importance of integrating science with practice through the use of culturally relevant, evidence based treatment practices and evaluating treatment efficacy and outcomes. These are also critical practices within our public behavioral health service delivery system.
We seek applicants with diverse backrounds and experience, Spanish language skills, and cultural sensitivity.The Monterey County Behavioral Health Doctoral Psychology Internship Program is composed of two clinics. Through a dual rotation arrangement, interns have the opportunity to engage in diverse training experiences and are exposed to a broad range of client populations.
1.The Family Assessment, Support, and Treatment (FAST) Assessment Team.
The Family Assessment, Support, and Treatment (FAST) Assessment Team provides comprehensive family mental health assessments and treatment to children and families involved in dependency proceedings where the court has deemed it necessary to remove the child(ren) from the home due to abuse and/or neglect issues. The team uses attachment theory and systems perspectives in helping understand and conceptualize the family’s challenges, strengths, and services needed. Interns typically have a varied therapy caseload (including families) along with their ongoing assessment cases. Clinical treatment provided by interns includes individual (child & adult), dyadic, family, and couples therapy utilizing techniques to address trauma, attachment problems, and family system disruption. Evidence based treatment models utilized within the program include: Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Mindfulness, Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT), and Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Interns also complete detailed psychological reports that include developmental evaluation, trauma evaluation, psychological testing, clinical impressions, systems formulation, and treatment recommendations which are provided to the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Juvenile Dependency Court.
2. The Transition Age Youth (TAY) Avanza Program.
The Transition Age Youth (TAY) Avanza Program is voluntary and youth guided. Youth aged 16-25 are provided mental health services, psychotropic medication support, case management, and family support. The clinical presentations of youth served include severe mood disorders, severe trauma and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, first episode psychosis, psychotic spectrum conditions, and chronic and severe mental illness. Interns provide individual, family and group therapy, along with intensive case management. Service delivery occurs in clinic and community settings. Evidence based treatment models utilized within the program include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Mindfulness, Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT). The Psychology Intern will also help the Avanza team through conducting psychological assessments in order to help the youth meet their personal goals, clarify diagnostic issues, and assist in guiding appropriate clinical treatment. Youth also participate in therapeutic group activities to increase socialization and interpersonal skills (EcoTherapy, Sports Groups, Womens Group, Mens Group).