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Site Name: West Chester University

Department: WCU Community Mental Health Services

Department : WCU Community Mental Health Services

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 2469
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: West Chester University
Department: WCU Community Mental Health Services
Address: 125 West Rosedale Avenue
8th Floor, Wayne Hall
West Chester, Pennsylvania 19383
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Distance from Major City: 23 miles west of Philadelphia, PA
Phone: 610-436-2510
Fax: 610-436-2929
Email: evalentine@wcupa.edu
Web Address: http://wcupa.edu/communitymentalhealth
Brochure Website's Address: http://wcupa.edu/communitymentalhealth
Primary Agency Type: Psychology Department
Additional Agency Types:
  • Community Mental Health Center
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Not Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Leanne Valentine
Chief Psychologist: Vanessa Johnson
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 5
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 5
Position Information
Start Date: The data is not updated for current year. We are showing the previous data.

08/03/2020
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 2
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class:
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 22500
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class:
Fringe Benefits: Comp Time , Dissertation Release Time, Licensing Exam Release Time, Professional Development Time,
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above):
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site As a community clinic we get a wide range of referrals, from children to older adults; we also provide a wide range of services, including individual, family and group therapy as well as assessment. Therefore, there really isn't a "typical" day. At least 25% of the intern’s time should be spent in direct clinical service delivery via face-to-face intervention and assessment, although in practice interns typically spend upwards of 40% of their time in direct service. Interns receive 4 hours of supervision weekly: 2 hours of face-to-face individual supervision with 2 doctoral-level psychologists on staff (one hour with each psychologist), and 2 hours of group supervision with a doctoral level staff psychologist. To foster competency in supervision, interns assist a licensed psychologist with the supervision of doctoral practicum students through both group and individual supervision. Interns also participate in an average of 2 hours of weekly didactic seminars on a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, evidence-based treatment protocols, assessments/psychological testing, intakes, diagnosis, supervision, etc.
Does this site have practicum psychology students on site? No
Is this program fully affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Is this program partially affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? Yes
Details of the above affiliations All students from our program who are interested in participating in our internship are guaranteed an interview.
Internship Application Process
Accepting Applicants: Yes
Application Due Date: The data is not updated for current year. We are showing the previous data.

11/22/2019 11:59 PM
Interviews at this site are:
A Virtual Interview is:
Interview notification date: N/A
Tentative interview date: N/A
Interview process description:

Applicants interview with the Training Director and at least one other faculty/staff person. If the applicant can attend in person, a tour of the clinic and meetings with our current interns will also be scheduled. If interviewed by phone, applicants can request phone appointments with current interns. Interviews are conducted in January.
How to obtain application info: Email the Program
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Widener University Virginia State University Carlos Albizu University
Internship Applicant Requirements
US Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a U.S. Citizen, Authorization to Work or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in the US is Required: No
Canadian Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a Canadian Citizen, Authorization to Work in Canada or to Engage in Practical Training (CPT or OPT) in Canada is Required: No
Masters Degree Required: Yes, by application deadline
Comprehensive Exams Passed: Yes, by application deadline
Dissertation Proposal Approved: Yes, by application deadline
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable): 400
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable): 100
Minimum Number of Combined Intervention and Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable): 4
Accepted / Not-Accepted Program Types
Clinical Psychology Accepted
Counseling Psychology Accepted
School Psychology Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited Accepted
PCSAS-Accredited
Non-Accredited Accepted
Ph.D Degree Accepted
Psy.D. Degree Accepted
Ed.D. Degree Accepted
This institution, department, internship, or postdoctoral program requires trainees to sign a statement about personal behavior and/or religious beliefs as a condition of admission and/or retention in the program: No
How to obtain text of statement:
Other Requirements:
Program Description

WCU Community Mental Health Services (clinic) is affiliated with the West Chester University Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) Program. In addition to the Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology, the clinic serves as a training center for graduate students in the Psy.D. Program and as a clinical research site for faculty in the Psychology Program. This affiliation provides resources and depth of training not found at other community mental health centers, as it allows our interns access to the rich resources of the University as well as the expertise of the faculty within the Psychology Department; it also provides opportunities for development of supervision skills and participation in research, if desired.

As a non-profit training and research facility, the clinic is able to provide low-cost, high quality psychotherapy and testing. We provide a wide range of psychological services as well as specializations in trauma-related disorders and child & adolescent mental health. We serve children, adolescents, adults, couples and families from all backgrounds. We receive referrals from the local school district, parole and probation, as well as other mental health and service agencies in the West Chester area.

In addition to direct service provided in our clinic, we have a Continuing Education Committee that sponsors continuing education programming for mental health practitioners in the West Chester area. We also provide outreach and psychoeducational programming to hospitals, agencies and schools in the local area. As such, the clinic helps the University meet its mission of providing accessible education to our students as well as service to the local community.

The internship program utilizes the Practitioner–Scholar Model, emphasizing the practical application of scholarly knowledge to community mental health. The program takes a developmental view of training, transitioning interns from their graduate student status to that of independently functioning entry-level psychologists. At the beginning of the training year, interns complete a self-evaluation and work with the supervisor to develop an individualized training plan; over the course of the training year, the intern will be encouraged to participate in activities that allow greater independence and demonstration of specific competences. Upon completion of the internship interns will have demonstrated technical competencies derived from supervised experience in: application of human diversity and ethical concepts to practice; diagnostic interviewing; psychological assessment; case conceptualization; treatment planning; individual and group psychotherapy;  supervision. Interns will have opportunities to apply the current scientific knowledge in each of these areas. Interns will also have exposure to psychologists’ many roles as administrators, clinicians, teachers, researchers, and consultants.  

The internship emphasizes the provision of service to culturally diverse communities, as well as the treatment of underserved populations. Each intern is required to conduct individual and group psychotherapy, administer assessment batteries, and conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial evaluations during the course of the internship year. Interns may also begin specialized training in either child and adolescent mental health or trauma-related disorders, and may seek additional training to fit specific areas of interest, such as research, consultation, administration and/or supervision.

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations
Infants:
Toddlers:
Children: Yes
Adolescents: Yes
Adults: Yes
Family: Yes
Older Adults:
Inpatients:
Outpatients: Yes
Gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender: Yes
Ethnic minorities: Yes
Spanish-speaking: Yes
French-speaking:
Deaf/Hearing-impaired:
Students: Yes
International Students: Yes
Rural: Yes
Urban: Yes
Low income: Yes
Homelessness: Yes
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Experience (21% to 30%)
Individual Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Couples Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Group Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Community Intervention: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Consultation/Liaison: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Crisis Intervention: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Brief Psychotherapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Long-term Psychotherapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation:
Primary Care:
Evidenced Based Practice: Experience (21% to 30%)
Evidence Based Research:
Supervision of Practicum students : Experience (21% to 30%)
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology:
Women's Health:
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Sexual Disorders:
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities:
Learning Disabilities: Experience (21% to 30%)
Developmental Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Assessment: Experience (21% to 30%)
Neuropsychology-Adult:
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Anxiety Disorders: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Trauma/PTSD: Experience (21% to 30%)
Sexual Abuse: Experience (21% to 30%)
Substance Use Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Forensics/Corrections:
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology:
Pediatrics:
School: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Counseling:
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Feminist Therapy:
Religion/Spirituality:
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Experience (21% to 30%)
Public Policy/Advocacy:
Program Development/Evaluation: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision: Experience (21% to 30%)
Research:
Administration: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Integrated health care - primary:
Integrated health care - specialty:
Other:

Exposure to evidence based therapies for treatment of PTSD.

Additional information about training opportunities: Not all rotations or training experiences may be available as described in the APPIC Directory. Please consult the program's application materials or their website at: wcupa.edu/communitymentalhealth  for a complete description of the training opportunities available at this training site. IF the site has not updated their information by August 1, feel free to contact the Training Director for additional information.

Summary of the Characteristics of the Specified Internship Class
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024
Number of Completed Applications: 10 8
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 10 6
Total number of interns: 2 2
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 1 2
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 1 1
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 1 1
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 2 2
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 0 0
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 1 1
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 6 6
Summary of Post Internship Employment Settings of Each Internship Class (1st Placement)
2022-2023
Academic teaching:
Community mental health center: 0
Consortium: 0
University Counseling Center: 0
Hospital/Medical Center: 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 0
Psychiatric facility: 0
Correctional facility: 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0
School district/system: 0
Independent practice setting: 0
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0
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