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Site Name: VA Maine Healthcare System (formerly Togus VAMC)

Department: Mental Health Service

Department : Mental Health Service

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 9967
Program Type: Post Doctoral
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: VA Maine Healthcare System (formerly Togus VAMC)
Department: Mental Health Service
Address: VA Maine Healthcare System
1 VA Center (116B)
Augusta, Maine 04330
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Distance from Major City: 50 miles north of Portland, ME
Phone: 207-623-8411x6344
Fax: 207-621-6935
Email: Jennifer.Breslin@va.gov
Web Address: https://www.va.gov/maine-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/maine-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since: 1974
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Postdoctoral Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Jennifer Breslin
Chief Psychologist: Christine Ramsay
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 17
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 0
Number of Non-Psychologist Staff/Faculty who Supervise Post-docs 0
Position Information
Start Date: 08/26/2024
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: 52662
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dental Insurance, Health Insurance, Licensing Exam Release Time, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): Postdocs may be eligible for federal holidays throughout the calendar year. In addition, postdocs accrue 4 hours of sick leave and 4 hours of annual leave for each full two week pay period, for a total of between 96 and 104 hours of each during the year, optional health insurance, excellent fully staffed medical library with personal desktop access, athletic facilities and a pool on site, historical campus with 500 acres of spacious wooded grounds with streams, ponds and hiking trails
Brief description of the typical work day for a postdoc at this training site This depends on which rotation the postdoc is currently in, but in all rotations the day would be a combination of direct patient service, supervision, consultation, and training activities
Does this site have practicum psychology students on site? Yes
Doctoral Psychology Practicum StudentsYes
Masters Psychology Practicum StudentsNo
Do Psychology Interns/Postdocs Have the Opportunity to Supervise Practicum Students?Yes
Is this program fully affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Is this program partially affiliated with one or more doctoral programs? No
Postdoctoral Application Process
Application Due Date: 01/08/2024 11:59 PM EST
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHCS), Maine Department of Corrections, VA Maine Healthcare System, Fulton State Hospital, Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System (NAVHCS), Cheyenne VA Medical Center, VA New Jersey Health System, Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology, VA Wilmington Healthcare System, VA Sheridan Healthcare System, Canandaigua VA Healthcare System, Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Albany Psychology Internship Consortium, VA Maryland Health Care System/University of Maryland School of Medicine Psychology Internship Consortium, VA Alaska Healthcare System
The program uses the APPA Centralized Application Service: Yes
Interviews at this site are: Not Offered
A Virtual Interview is: Required
Interview notification date: 01/19/2024
Tentative interview date: 01/30/2024
Interview process description:

Interviews will take place on Tuesday, 01/30/2024.  All interviews for the 2024-2025 training year will be virtual, with video interviews preferred over telephone interviews. 

The virtual interview day will include:

- An opportunity to interview with at least two members of the Psychology Training Committee  - times will vary based on applicant time zone and rotations of interest.  Each interview will last 45 minutes.  

- An information/orientation session with the Psychology Training Committee.

- An opportunity to meet with past Psychology Postdocs for a Q&A session.
Postdoctoral Applicant Requirements
US Citizenship Required: Yes
If NOT a U.S. Citizen, Authorization to Work in the US is Required No
Canadian Citizenship Required: No
If NOT a Canadian Citizen, Authorization to Work in Canada is Required: No
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:
Program Description

We offer and implement advanced Clinical Psychology training within a rural psychology context, in accord with a scholar-practitioner model.  We offer advanced postdoctoral training within the traditional practice area of Clinical Psychology, with emphases in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, ACT for chronic pain, Transdiagnostic Clinic/Outpatient General Mental Health, Neuropsychology, and Geropsychology. At the postdoctoral level, our goal is to train ethically grounded, culturally aware clinical psychologists with advanced competency in thoughtful development and application of empirically based psychological assessment, treatment, and consultation skills for the benefit of persons and organizations, particularly within a rural environment.Training consists of 2080 hours per year with training experiences in at least two different treatment settings. We are located on spacious wooded grounds five miles east of Augusta, the state capital of Maine.The Clinical Psychology positions represent a one year appointment. Start date will be August 26, 2024, although there may be some flexibility around start date for unusual circumstances.

 

Checklist for Health Professions Trainees (HPTs) Training at VA Facilities: https://www.va.gov/OAA/TQCVL/2021HPTInstructionsFINALv2.pdf

Postdoctoral Training Opportunities

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

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy:
Group Therapy: Experience (21% to 30%)
Community Intervention: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Consultation/Liaison: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Crisis Intervention: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Brief Psychotherapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Long-term Psychotherapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Cognitive Rehabilitation: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Primary Care:
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research:
Supervision of Practicum students :
Other: Transdiagnostic therapies, may have the opportunity to supervise interns and/or practicum students

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology:
Women's Health: Exposure (1% to 20%)
HIV/AIDS: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Eating Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Learning Disabilities: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Developmental Disabilities:
Assessment: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Adult: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Neuropsychology-Child:
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: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Geropsychology: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling:
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Feminist Therapy:
Religion/Spirituality: Experience (21% to 30%)
Empirically-Supported Treatments: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Public Policy/Advocacy:
Program Development/Evaluation: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Supervision: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Research: Experience (21% to 30%)
Administration: Experience (21% to 30%)
Integrated health care - primary: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Integrated health care - specialty: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Other:

Transdiagnostic therapy--therapy that is based on each individual's strengths and problem areas rather than diagnoses or combat status. 

Psychodiagnostic testing, to help identify the strengths and problems cited above.

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.va.gov/maine-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-program/  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 Postdoctoral Class
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024
Number of Completed Applications: 22 14 12 15 16 6 5
Where did Former Postdoctoral Fellows Go (1st Placement)?
2022-2023
Total Number of post-docs: 1
Still a Postdoctoral Fellow: 0
Academic teaching:
Community mental health center: 0
Consortium: 0
University Counseling Center: 0
Hospital/Medical Center: 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 1
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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