Springfield Hospital Center (SHC) is a large state psychiatric hospital that has been in operation since 1896. Patient care is provided by multidisciplinary treatment teams composed of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, somatic physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, art therapists, music therapists, recreation therapists, dietitians, and activity therapists. Psychologists provide services through various departments and programs at the hospital, including the Department of Psychology, Addiction Recovery, & Trauma Services (PsyARTS) and the Office of Forensic Services (OFS). Within the Department of Psychological Services, staff psychologists draw upon a range of theoretical orientations, including psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and integrative. Psychologists and interns conduct group therapy, crisis management, psychological assessment, individual psychotherapy, cognitive remediation, behavioral consultation, and provide other consultations with treatment teams. The Office of Forensic Services (OFS) conducts court-ordered assessments, providing feedback to treatment teams and acting as a liaison with the court system. The Addiction Recovery and Trauma part of PsyARTS provides consultation to treatment units regarding screening, assessment, and treatment targeting substance use and trauma-related symptoms. The PsyARTS department also conducts violence risk and psychosexual assessments for referred patients as well as treat compulsive sexual behaviors.
The internship is based on the Practitioner-Scholar model and is designed to prepare entry-level psychologists who practice ethically and with sensitivity to diversity. Training goals include knowledge and application of ethical and legal standards, theories, research, and methods of psychology related to models of psychotherapy, assessment, supervision, evaluation, and consultation. Interns have an opportunity to complete rotations in the Psychology, Addiction Recovery, & Trauma Services Department in the Acute Care or the Recovery Programs with an emphasis in trauma and/or addictions if desired. Interns also have the opportunity for a rotation in the Office of Forensic Services. All rotations are located at Springfield Hospital Center. Interns have opportunities to take part in the cognitive remediation lab, peer supervision of externs, and comprehensive psychological assessments. The internship employs diverse didactic training to complement the clinical work performed by the intern. While we offer a generalist training program, the majority of current admissions are patients with forensic involvement. Group therapy is a primary treatment modality in the hospital, and interns are expected to implement a group intervention of their choosing during the internship.
Current COVID-19 Hospital Precautions may include mandatory Covid-19 testing, use of masks for staff and patients, daily screening questions for staff, social distancing, hospital-wide communications, and use of quarantine precautions when indicated. Unless there is a reason for exemption, Interns are expected to follow CDC and Maryland Department of Health guidelines regarding vaccination. Expect changes to policies or procedures as circumstances evolve. For more details please see brochure or contact the training director.