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Site Name: Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System

Department: Psychology/123

Department : Psychology/123

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 1936
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System
Department: Psychology/123
Address: 2400 Hospital Rd
Building 4A-2nd Floor, Room 248
Tuskegee, Alabama 36083
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Distance from Major City: 35 miles east of Montgomery, AL , 126 miles south of Atlanta
Phone: 334-727-0550
Fax:
Email: paul.whittaker@va.gov
Web Address: http://www.psychologytraining.va.gov/tuskegee/
Brochure Website's Address: http://www.psychologytraining.va.gov/tuskegee/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Psychology Department
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Paul Whittaker
Chief Psychologist: Marijo Lucas
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 18
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 0
Position Information
Start Date: 07/13/2025
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 2
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 33469
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Health Insurance, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): You will be paid on a biweekly basis for a total of $33,469 for the year less tax deductions federal and state. VA will pay its share of FICA and of any health insurance which you may elect. You will earn four hours of annual leave and four hours of sick leave after each biweekly pay period as well as 11 paid federal holidays. You are eligible for Federal Employee Group Life Insurance and for the government health benefits plan. You may wish to choose a plan that best suits your own situation.
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site Work day begins at 0800 and ends at 1630 Monday through Friday.
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: No
Application Due Date: The data is not updated for current year. We are showing the previous data.

11/30/2020 11:59 PM
Interviews at this site are:
A Virtual Interview is:
Interview notification date: N/A
Tentative interview date: N/A
Interview process description:

Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System-CAVHCS (APA-Accredited) has made the decision to pause admissions to our program for 2024-2025 due to a staffing shortage.   Thus, we will not be accepting applications for the 2024-25 training year.  We anticipate we will be able to resume admissions for 2025-2026.
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: From a variety across the country.
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 start of internship
Dissertation Proposal Approved: Yes, by start of internship
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable): 500
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable): 100
Minimum Number of Combined Intervention and Assessment Hours (if applicable):
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable):
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: Refer to brochure for specific program requirements that are unique to governmental positions.
Program Description

Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS) Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology provides a broad and integrated 12-month internship, conducted on a full-time basis (2080 hours).  The internship begins mid-July each year.  

The Psychology Internship is offered to foster the interest and skills of future psychologists to provide high quality services to Veterans across levels of care, and to enrich our programs through infusion of advanced trainees throughout the hospital.  The aim of our Psychology Internship is to prepare doctoral interns for successful entry into postdoctoral or entry-level professional positions, particularlyl in Veteran Health Care and Public Sector Health Care Settings, as well as private health care settings and private practice.  The Psychology Department aims to educate clinicians toward the highest standards of clinical practice consistent with local, state, and national regulatory agencies and professional organizations; empirically supported treatment processes; and transformation, recovery-oriented, humanistic and existential perspectives and standards of care.  In addition, this aim includes professional identity development.  

Our Training Program is unique in that it provides intensive, direct clinical service working within multi-disciplinary teams, across all levels of care, with Veterans at all levels of functioning and across all stages of change.  Psychology Interns provide a range of services, including diagnostic interviews, intervention planning, individual and group therapy, milieu therapy, and ongoing collaoration of care within interdisciplinary teams.  

Each Psychology Intern provides clinical services as part of interdisciplinary treatment teams in acute inpatient psychiatry, residential rehabilitation, and outpatient programs.  These clinical activities include individual and group therapy, participation and interventions in the milieu, team meetings, psychological testing/consultation, therapeutic community meetings, staff training, and program development.  In addition to these clinical activities, Psychology Interns participate in program evaluation and briefings regarding clinical metrics, and they participate in a core curriculum of seminar and supervision, including didactics, case conference, and supervision.  

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:
French-speaking:
Deaf/Hearing-impaired:
Students:
International Students:
Rural: Yes
Urban: Yes
Low income: Yes
Homelessness: Yes
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Experience (21% to 30%)
Individual Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Couples Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy:
Group Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Community Intervention: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Consultation/Liaison: Experience (21% to 30%)
Crisis Intervention: Experience (21% to 30%)
Brief Psychotherapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Long-term Psychotherapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation:
Primary Care: Experience (21% to 30%)
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Supervision of Practicum students : Exposure (1% to 20%)
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Women's Health: Exposure (1% to 20%)
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders:
Sexual Disorders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Physical Disabilities: Experience (21% to 30%)
Learning Disabilities:
Developmental Disabilities:
Assessment: Experience (21% to 30%)
Neuropsychology-Adult: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Anxiety Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Trauma/PTSD: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Sexual Abuse: Experience (21% to 30%)
Substance Use Disorders: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Forensics/Corrections:
Sexual Offenders:
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: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Research: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Administration: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Integrated health care - primary: Experience (21% to 30%)
Integrated health care - specialty: Exposure (1% to 20%)
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: http://www.psychologytraining.va.gov/tuskegee/  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: 31 31 30 31 24 35
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 29 30 26 25 22 25
Total number of interns: 4 4 4 4 4 2
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 4 4 4 4 4 2
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 2 2 2 1 2 0
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 2 2 2 3 2 2
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 3 2 3 4 3 2
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 1 2 1 0 1 0
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0 0 0 0 0 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 4 4 4 14 1 23
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 10 15 20 25 15 45
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: 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 1
Psychiatric facility: 0
Correctional facility: 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0
School district/system: 0
Independent practice setting: 1
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0
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