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Site Name: Southlake Community Mental Health Center, Inc DBA Regional Mental Health Center

Department: Regional Health Services Pre-Doctoral Internship

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Department : Regional Health Services Pre-Doctoral Internship

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 1296
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: Southlake Community Mental Health Center, Inc DBA Regional Mental Health Center
Department: Regional Health Services Pre-Doctoral Internship
Address: 8555 Taft St.
Merrillville, Indiana 46410-6199
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI MSA
Distance from Major City: Approximately 35 miles southeast of Chicago, IL
Phone: 219-769-4005
Fax:
Training Director Email: valerie.perez@rhs.care
Co-Training Director Email:
Web Address: https://www.rhs.care/careers/#internships
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.rhs.care/psychology-internship/
Primary Agency Type: Community Mental Health Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Community Mental Health Center
Member of APPIC since: 07/01/1979
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Valerie Perez
Chief Psychologist: Angela Comsa
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 4
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 1
Position Information
Start Date: 07/14/2025
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 4
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 33000
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dental Insurance, Disability Insurance, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): The agency also reimburses at the national rate for some work-related travel expenses. The agency pays for malpractice insurance and life insurance. Interns may participate in the agency's health and dental insurance plans and have access to free short term psychotherapy through the agency's EAP for up to six sessions. Sick leave and Vacation are combined into a general paid time off category of 160 hours off per year in addition to holidays.
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site The core of the day is outpatient therapy. Group therapy, individual, for family/therapy though the opportunity to assist in other departments and programs at the agency may also be possible if the program allows (such as on residential substance abuse, emergency services, inpatient, QI, etc.). New to our program is Leadership Training. Leadership Training activities will be available throughout the year. The intern will provide weekly peer supervision to more junior staff and students (such as psychology externs, master’s level students, etc.). Additionally, interns will create and present 2-hour long lectures (based on a psychology curriculum) to help train a group of psychiatry residents foundational psychology topics that will aid the residents in their work with the clients they see at Regional. Topics may include Cultural Humility, Trauma Stewardship, Lifespan/ Development, and various Evidenced based treatments/interventions. Finally, interns will also participate in NILEA (Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy) training. Interns present mental health topics (such as: Substance abuse, psychosis, mental health first aid, autism, suicide, etc.) to incoming police cadets to fulfill their annual certification requirements. The aspect of the internship may change and evolve as unique opportunities for our interns continue to develop. Weekly didactic training is held throughout the year, group supervision with a licensed psychologist is held weekly. Individual Supervision for outpatient and assessment each occur weekly.
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? No
Internship Application Process
Accepting Applicants: Yes
Application Due Date: 12/05/2024 11:59 PM EST
A Virtual Interview are: Required
Interview notification date: 12/13/2024
Tentative interview date: 01/10/2025
Interview process description:

At Regional, we offer virtual interviews and have a video tour available. The virtual interview process begins with an informal information session with a group of applicants, includes a discussion with the current interns as well as individual interviews with one of the psychologists on staff and a sample case review. We will email invitations for interview day and schedule virtual interviews for early to mid-January.  
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Adler University, Chicago School of Professional Psychology, ISPP/National Louis, Carlos Albizu University, IIT, Roosevelt University, Pacific 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: Yes
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 start of internship
Comprehensive Exams Passed: Yes, by ranking deadline
Dissertation Proposal Approved: Yes, by start of internship
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable): 500
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable): 100
Minimum Number of Combined Intervention and Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Does your program require applicants to submit supplemental materials (i.e., an assessment report and/or a case/treatment summary): Yes
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable): 3
Accepted / Not-Accepted Program Types
Clinical Psychology Accepted
Counseling Psychology Accepted
School Psychology Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited Not Accepted
PCSAS-Accredited Not Accepted
Non-Accredited Not Accepted
Ph.D Degree Accepted
Psy.D. Degree Accepted
Ed.D. Degree Not 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: Pre-employment drug screen, background check, and fingerprinting are required.
Program Description

Regional Health Systems, a part of the Regional Care Group, provides affordable, quality mental health care, primary health care, addictions treatment and case management services to adults and children. We support our client’s emotional, physical and intellectual well-being through whole person care. We are located within 45 minutes southeast of downtown Chicago in Northwest Indiana. The longstanding internship program (also known as Southlake CMHC dba Regional CMHC) was created to be a generalist program whose goal is to provide clinical training in outpatient therapy and assessment with a diverse client population. In addition to the outpatient therapy and assessment, leadership experiences are available in a variety of departments and levels of care, with both mental health and substance abuse populations, adults and children, and within the psychiatry department.

Applicants from diverse backgrounds who can speak Spanish and who specialize in culturally sensitive treatment with a variety of individuals from Latinx populations are encouraged to apply.  Successful applicants must be committed to working with diverse and underserved community populations.  We have opportunities for a wide variety of psychological testing batteries, all interns are provided with testing cases and additional training on specialized instruments.  

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations
Infants:
Toddlers:
Children: Yes
Adolescents: Yes
Adults: Yes
Family: Yes
Older Adults: Yes
Inpatients: Yes
Outpatients: Yes
LGBTQ+: Yes
Ethnic minorities: Yes
Spanish-speaking: Yes
French-speaking:
Deaf/Hearing-impaired:
Students: Yes
International Students:
Rural: Yes
Urban: Yes
Low income: Yes
People without housing: Yes
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Group Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Community Intervention: Experience (21% to 30%)
Consultation/Liaison: Experience (21% to 30%)
Crisis Intervention: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Brief Psychotherapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Long-term Psychotherapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation:
Primary Care:
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision of Practicum students : Experience (21% to 30%)
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Women's Health: Exposure (1% to 20%)
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders:
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Learning Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Developmental Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Neuropsychology-Adult: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Child: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Serious Mental Illness: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Anxiety Disorders: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Trauma/PTSD: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Sexual Abuse: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Substance Use Disorders: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Forensics/Corrections: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology:
Pediatrics: Experience (21% to 30%)
School:
Counseling: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Feminist Therapy:
Religion/Spirituality:
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
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: Experience (21% to 30%)
Integrated health care - specialty: Experience (21% to 30%)
Other:

The East Chicago location of Regional has a significant number of Spanish Speaking clients. We also will have post-doctoral therapist available for supervision and further diversity training.  

Additionally, the Leadership training will be coordinated on and offsite as needed throughout the year. Interns will need to have their own transportation. 

 

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: https://www.rhs.care/careers/#internships  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 2024-2025
Number of Completed Applications: 59 58 45 33 34 42 34
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 34 33 28 27 22 29 25
Total number of interns: 6 4 5 4 4 5 5 2
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 6 4 5 4 4 5 5
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 1 0 2 0 1 0 0
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 5 4 3 4 3 5 5
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 6 4 5 4 4 5 5
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 7 9 17 8 5 13 1
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 21 25 67 30 31 37 16
Summary of Post Internship Employment Settings of Each Internship Class (1st Placement)
2022-2023 2023-2024
Academic teaching: 0
Community mental health center: 0 0
Consortium: 0 0
University Counseling Center: 0 0
Hospital/Medical Center: 0 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 0 0
Psychiatric facility: 0 0
Correctional facility: 0 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0
School district/system: 0 0
Independent practice setting: 5 0
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0 0
Link to Program's Trainee Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data: https://www.rhs.care/psychology-internship/
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