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Site Name: South Florida State Hospital

Department: Department of Psychology

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Department : Department of Psychology

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 1211
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: South Florida State Hospital
Department: Department of Psychology
Address: 800 East Cypress Drive
Pembroke Pines, Florida 33025
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
Distance from Major City: 17 miles east of Fort Lauderdale, FL and about 18 miles north of Miami, FL
Phone: 954-392-3000x3370
Fax: 954-392-3345
Training Director Email: sschmitt@recoverysolutions.us
Co-Training Director Email:
Web Address: https://recoverysolutions.us/south-florida-state-hospital/
Brochure Website's Address: https://recoverysolutions.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SFSH-Internship-Brochure-2025%E2%80%932026.pdf
Primary Agency Type: State/County/Other Public Hospital
Additional Agency Types:
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Sheila Schmitt
Chief Psychologist: Sheila Schmitt
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 7
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 2
Position Information
Start Date: 08/03/2026
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 3
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 40000
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dental Insurance, Disability Insurance, Health Insurance, Professional Development Time, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): Free lunch at hospital's cafeteria
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site While no two days are exactly alike in our setting, psychology interns engage in a wide range of clinical activities each week. These include providing individual and group psychotherapy, conducting initial and annual psychological assessments, participating in multidisciplinary treatment teams, consulting with treatment staff, and completing activities specific to their chosen track—Clinical or Forensic.
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
Internship Application Process
Accepting Applicants: Yes
Application Due Date: 12/01/2025 11:59 PM EST
A Virtual Interview are: Required
Interview notification date: 12/12/2025
Tentative interview date: 1/6, 1/7, 1/13,1/14, 1/20, 1/21, 1/27, 1/28
Interview process description:

Applicants selected for an interview will be scheduled in January, typically on Tuesday mornings or Wednesday afternoons. Interviews are conducted via videoconference and last about two hours. As part of the process, applicants will also have the chance to meet with current psychology interns in an informal Q&A session to learn more about the training experience.
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Nova Southeastern University, University of Miami, Emory University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Purdue University, Indiana State University, Georgia State University, Georgia Southern University, Pacific University, Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology, Florida State University, University of LaVerne, Albizu University, William James College, Palo Alto University, Loyola University Maryland, Alliant IU/CSPP-Los Angeles, Roosevelt University, Spalding University, and Argosy University at: Phoenix, Orange County, Washington, DC, Tampa, FL, and Georgia.
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: 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: No
Comprehensive Exams Passed: Yes, by ranking deadline
Dissertation Proposal Approved: No
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable): 400
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable): 75
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 Not Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited Not Accepted
PCSAS-Accredited
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: Please review the psychology internship brochure for other onboarding requirements at https://recoverysolutions.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SFSH-Internship-Brochure-2025%E2%80%932026.pdf
Program Description

This internship is accredited by the American Psychological Association and follows a Scholar-Practitioner model of training. The program is designed to prepare interns to become competent and knowledgeable psychologists equipped to work with adults experiencing serious mental illness in an inpatient setting. While many persons served carry diagnoses of schizophrenia or other thought disorders, interns will also gain experience with individuals diagnosed with substance-related, mood, anxiety, and personality disorders. Treatment is provided within a multidisciplinary psychiatric rehabilitation model, offering interns exposure to collaborative, team-based care.

Clinical training provides interns with valuable opportunities to develop assessment and intervention skills with a diverse population. The program emphasizes awareness of, and sensitivity to, diversity, social, and psychological needs of special populations, while encouraging adaptation of traditional approaches to meet those needs. Interns engage in a variety of treatment modalities while receiving direct supervision and structured didactic training. Each intern receives a minimum of two hours of weekly individual supervision with licensed psychologists, in addition to two hours of group supervision, which includes case conferences, a supervision-of-supervision group, and a DBT consultation group. Interns also participate in two hours of weekly didactic seminars covering topics such as psychological assessment, diversity, forensics, trauma-informed care, and general psychology.

The internship program at SFSH offers two tracks, both integrated with the core curriculum. Two matched interns will receive specialized training in forensic psychology, while one intern will focus on clinical psychology. Regardless of track, all interns gain experience in forensic practice, psychological assessment, and behavioral assessment and consultation, while building a strong foundation in core clinical skills.

Internship Training Opportunities

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

(training opportunities continued)

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

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology:
Women's Health:
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Learning Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Developmental Disabilities: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Assessment: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
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: Experience (21% to 30%)
Substance Use Disorders: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Forensics/Corrections: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Sexual Offenders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Geropsychology:
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling:
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: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Administration: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Integrated health care - primary:
Integrated health care - specialty:
Other:

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://recoverysolutions.us/south-florida-state-hospital/  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 2025-2026
Number of Completed Applications: 73 56 82 82 84 75 95 98 81
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 30 29 26 34 30 31 36 38 30
Total number of interns: 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 3
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 14 14 6 5 17 11 6 3 4
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 30 30 33 26 33 40 13 19 22
Summary of Post Internship Employment Settings of Each Internship Class (1st Placement)
2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025
Academic teaching:
Community mental health center: 0 0 0
Consortium: 0 0 0
University Counseling Center: 0 0 0
Hospital/Medical Center: 0 0 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 1 0 0
Psychiatric facility: 2 1 1
Correctional facility: 0 0 1
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0 0
School district/system: 0 0 0
Independent practice setting: 0 1 1
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0 1 0
Link to Program's Trainee Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data: https://wellpathcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SFSH-Internship-Admissions-Support-and-Initial-Placement-Data-2023-24.pdf
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