User:
Site Name: Western State Hospital
Department: Psychology Department
The interview process consists of a group interview with 2-3 candidates and 2 committee members. The candidates may be asked original questions, or they may be asked to respond to something said by another candidate. The group interview will be held on Jan 9, 2020 at the end of Open House and last 45-60 minutes. A telephone interview is available for those candidates unable to attend Open House.
Note: While U.S. citizenship is not required, candidates must be attending a qualifying graduate program in the United States.
Western State Hospital features broad-based training in major mental illness and inpatient mental health. Specialty rotations include criminal forensic, adult civil, sexual predators (required), and child/adolescent. Ample training opportunities include extensive forensic seminars, intern seminar series, and other continuing education provided at the hospital. Each rotation is four months long. A specialty rotation at the nearby Special Commitment Center (SCC) involving the evaluation or treatment of Sexually Violent Predators is required. SCC treatment is located on McNeil Island and is accessed by passenger-only motor launch from the Steilacoom ferry terminal. SCC evaluation is located in nearby Steilacoom, three miles from the hospital. Our psychology department is one of the largest in the state with approximately 64 licensed psychologists. About one-third of our staff are former interns. The psychology department also co-sponsors a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology in association the University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Our interns have the option of participating in the postdoctoral fellowship seminar series. Western State Hospital is located in the Tacoma/Lakewood/Steilacoom area, about a forty-five minute drive from downtown Seattle. South Puget Sound is accessible by way of the quaint town of Steilacoom. An award-winning park with walking and hiking trails is across the street from the hospital on the south side. The nearby Cascade Mountain range offers many areas for downhill and cross-country skiing, hiking, and camping. Western State Hospital provides an intern open-house in January. Intern applicants are welcome at other times by arrangement. Please contact us by telephone, or email with any questions.
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Additional information about training opportunities: Not all rotations or experiences may be available at all consortium sites, and some internship programs may not have updated this information recently. Please consult the program's web site https://www.dshs.wa.gov/bha/division-state-hospitals/western-state-hospital-internship-program or other application materials for a complete description of the training opportunities available at each site.
