Department : Mental Health Care Line 116B

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 1463
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: VA Hudson Valley Health Care System, Montrose Campus.
Department: Mental Health Care Line 116B
Address: P.O. Box 100/Albany Post Road
Montrose, New York 10548-0100
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA
Distance from Major City: 40 Miles North of NYC.
Phone: 914-737-4400x203426
Fax:
Email: Christopher.StGermain@va.gov
Web Address: http://www.hudsonvalley.va.gov
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/hudson-valley-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since: 09/01/2003
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Christopher St. Germain
Chief Psychologist: Thomas Stracuzzi
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 22
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 0
Position Information
Start Date: 09/01/2024
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: 38901.00
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dissertation Release Time, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): Proximity to New York City and 11 paid legal holidays.
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site Interns engage in clinical work (individual and group therapy, psychodiagnostic assessment, training seminars)as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team.
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: 11/15/2023 11:59 PM EST
Interviews at this site are:
A Virtual Interview is: Optional
Interview notification date: 12/15/2023
Tentative interview date: 01/08/24, 01/9/24, 1/10/24,1/11/24,1/12/24
Interview process description:

This year's interview process will offer either an in-person or virtual interview.   An in-person interview offers you the opportunity to commute to the campus and see the site as well as surrounding areas. Each applicant will meet with a training Supervisor for their interview and will also have a short interview with the Training Director.  Applicants will also meet as a group with the training director for a brief orientation to the site and the Internship.   You will also have the opportunity to meet with current Interns and ask questions.   

How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Visit Website
We have matched with interns from these programs: Yeshiva University Fordham University William James College Columbia University Pacific University
Internship Applicant Requirements
US Citizenship Required: Yes
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: No
Dissertation Proposal Approved: Yes, by ranking deadline
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable): 600
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable): 150
Minimum Number of Combined Intervention and Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable): 3
Accepted / Not-Accepted Program Types
Clinical Psychology Accepted
Counseling Psychology Accepted
School Psychology Not Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited Accepted
PCSAS-Accredited Accepted
Non-Accredited Not 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: https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/VACOMentalHealth/mhrrtp/SitePages/MH-COVID-19-Resources.aspx
Program Description

Training Director: Thomas Stracuzzi, PhD

VA Hudson Valley HCS, with campuses at Montrose and Castle Point, NY, offers a fully-accredited APA internship in Clinical and Counseling Psychology.(Contact APA, Commission on Acreditation, (202) 336-5979 for further information, or write: Commission on Accreditation, American Psychological Assoc., 750 First St.,NE,Washington D.C. 20002.) As one of the largest psychiatric facilities in the VA, HVHCS offers opportunities to work with diverse populations in a variety of clinical settings. In addition, the hospital's location enables interns to take advantage of a rich array of educational and cultural opportunities available in tbe NYC area.

 

The Internship Training Program’s aim is train Interns in the achievement of the nine Profession-wide competency areas necessary for proficient practice as an early career psychologist. The Program thus provides interns with the necessary training opportunities to build upon their already existing competencies and support them in their progression toward proficiency. 

The competencies areas are :

  1. Research

  2. Ethical and legal standards

  3. Individual and cultural diversity

  4. Professional values, attitudes, and behaviors

  5. Communication and interpersonal skills

  6. Assessment

  7. Intervention

  8. Supervision

  9. Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills

     

Each of the above competencies are achieved through engagement in multiple training opportunities.   Clinical experiences and educational activities throughout the training year assist interns in achieving these standards. Progression toward such achievement is evaluated with feedback provided to interns on a regular basis.    

 

Clinical opportunities***Major Rotations (2 rotations; three or six months in duration):Interns are assigned to three Major Rotations throughout the year. These rotations take place on the PTSD residential unit.  While one track focuses on Substance Abuse, the 2nd track's focus is PTSD.  Interns spend approximately two-thirds of their week fulfilling responsibilities in these placements. Each Intern will be provided a Supervisor to supervise experiences on these units.  ***Supplemental Rotations (6 or 12 months in duration): The intern will also be involved in one or more Supplemental Rotations that are estimated to occupy about eight hours each week (7 hrs-clinical, 1 hour-supervision). These may include Neuropsychology, Evidence-Based Treatments (DBT, CPT, CBT-I), Primary Care, Outpatient Mental Health (Group/Individual therapy) and Geriatric/Extended Care and Palliative/Hospice Care. These experiences may be combined based upon Intern’s preference or in order to ensure a comprehensive training experience. Each Intern will be provided a Supervisor to supervise these training experiences. ***Assessment: Interns are expected to complete a minimum of 10 comprehensive assessment reports during the internship year. A completed report will be due at the end of each month, September (sample data provided) through June. ***Didactics: The Internship Training Program offers numerous weekly seminars. Offerings include regular seminars in psychodiagnostic testing and group psychotherapy case conferences. An overview of neuropsychology is offered throughout the year as well as a seminar on use of the Rorschach. A variety of other seminar are offered including: treatment of newer era Veterans, evidenced based treatment.

 

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations

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

Treatment Modalities

Assessment: Experience (21% to 30%)
Individual Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Couples Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Group Therapy: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Community Intervention:
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: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Primary Care: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Evidenced Based Practice: Experience (21% to 30%)
Evidence Based Research:
Supervision of Practicum students :
Other:

Experience

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

Interns have the opportunity to take a role in other hospital programs, e.g., EAP, Whole Health, CBT or outpatient DBT. Rotations and experience is also offered in a Primary Care setting, and neuropsychological screening and assessment.

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: http://www.hudsonvalley.va.gov  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: 64 63 52 42
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 40 40 48 34
Total number of interns: 4 5 4 4
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 4 5 4 4
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 2 2 0 2
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 2 3 4 2
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 4
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 0
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 8 10 10 4
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 51 37 15
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: 1
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 3
Psychiatric facility: 0
Correctional facility: 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0
School district/system: 0
Independent practice setting: 0
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0