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Site Name: West Palm Beach Veteran Affairs Medical Center

Department: 116 MH&BS

Program Information: 116 MH&BS

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 2170
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: West Palm Beach Veteran Affairs Medical Center
Department: 116 MH&BS
Address: 7305 N. Military Trail
West Palm Beach, Florida 33410
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
Distance from Major City: 70 miles north of Miami
Phone: 561-422-5664x
Fax: 561-422-7010
Email: regina.pavone@va.gov
Web Address: https://www.va.gov/west-palm-beach-health-care/work-with-us/jobs-and-careers/psychology-training-program/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/west-palm-beach-health-care/work-with-us/jobs-and-careers/psychology-training-program/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director & Lead / Director: Regina Pavone
Chief Psychologist: Melanie Perez
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: 07/18/2022
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 6
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 28012
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dissertation Release Time, Health Insurance, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): Eleven (11) paid U.S. Federal holidays
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site M-F 8:00a-4:30p, typically comprised of face-to-face clinical service delivery (intervention, group therapy, assessment, psychoeducation, etc.), supervision, didactic, consultation, case conference and administration.
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: 11/15/2022 11:59 PM EST
Interviews at this site are:
  • Optional
  • Preferred
Interview notification date: 12/12/2022
Tentative interview date: 01/09/2023, 01/11/2023, 01/18/2023
Interview process description:

Candidates will be informed by email by mid-December if they are invited for a finalists interview.  Interviews will on site (program's preference) or virtual depending upon finalist's need and scheduled in January and are a full day.  The interviews consist of an overview of the program, small panel and individual, competency-based interviews with staff from our training committee.  Our site strictly adheres to the process guidelines established by APPIC.
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 New Mexico, Albizu University (San Juan), Adelphi University, Alliant/California School of Professional Psychology - San Diego
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 application deadline
Dissertation Proposal Approved: Yes, by application deadline
Dissertation Defended: No
Minimum Number of AAPI Intervention Hours (if applicable): 500
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 Not Accepted
PCSAS-Accredited Not Accepted
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: Full-time (40 hrs, M-F, 8:00am to 4:30pm) on site presence excepting circumstances that require telework as determined by institutional leadership. COVID-19 vaccination is required.
Program Description

The Psychology Section is part of the Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service (MH&BS). The Psychology Section at the West Palm Beach VAMC consists of 36 full-time psychologists. Psychologists provide care in traditional mental health programs, including general Mental Health, Clinical Health, PTSD, and Substance Abuse clinics and are integrated into various other settings, including Primary Care, Blind Rehab, Domiciliary and Community Living Center. MH&BS leadership includes the Chief of the MH&BS, Associate Chief of MH&BS, Chief of Psychiatry, Chief of Psychology, Assistant Chief of Psychology and Director of Training, and Assistant Training Director.

The WPB Internship Program has been funded since the 2011-2012 training year. We had our initial APA accreditation site in 2013 and the next site visit is scheduled for early November 2022.

The Program follows a practitioner-scholar model. Our primary goal is to expose predoctoral interns to a diversity of patient problems and many different intervention techniques as guided by relevant scientific literature. Based upon this philosophy, interns receive broad, comprehensive training in preparation for entry-level, generalist practice in health service psychology with an emphasis on evidenced-based psychotherapies. Although we believe that training in clinical and counseling psychology at the predoctoral level should be broadly based, the internship retains sufficient flexibility to allow for specialized training needs and interests of the intern to be met.

Below is a list of the seven rotations that are currently available for psychology interns at the WPB VA. In addition, minor rotations are available in Mental Health Clinic, Interprofessional team experience, Suicide Prevention Team, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery program, and Pain Management.

1 Mental Health Outpatient Clinic 2. Consultation and Liaison-Health Psychology 3. Trauma Recovery Program 4. Primary Care Mental Health Integration 5. Substance Abuse Treatment Clinic 6. Acute Inpatient Unit 7. Suicide Prevention Team

Internship Training Opportunities

Populations
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: U.S. Veterans

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Individual Therapy: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Couples Therapy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy:
Group Therapy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Community Intervention:
Consultation/Liaison: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Crisis Intervention: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Brief Psychotherapy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Long-term Psychotherapy: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation:
Primary Care: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Evidenced Based Practice: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Evidence Based Research: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Supervision of Practicum students : EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Women's Health: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
HIV/AIDS: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Eating Disorders: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Sexual Disorders: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Learning Disabilities:
Developmental Disabilities:
Assessment: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Adult: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Anxiety Disorders: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Trauma/PTSD: EMPHASIS (31% to 49%)
Sexual Abuse: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Substance Use Disorders: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Forensics/Corrections:
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling:
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
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:

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/west-palm-beach-health-care/work-with-us/jobs-and-careers/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 Internship Class
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023
Number of Completed Applications: 79 82 64 150
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 36 36 32 50
Total number of interns: 4 4 4 4
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 4 4 4 4
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 3 3 2 0
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 1 1 2 4
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 2 3 3 4
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 2 1 1 0
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0 0 0 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 8 2 4 3
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 35 32 11 18
Summary of Post Internship Employment Settings of Each Internship Class (1st Placement)
2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022
Working on dissertation/Student: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Postdoctoral Fellow: 4 2 2 2 3 0
Community Mental Health Center: 0 1 0 0 0 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Veteran's Affairs Medical Center: 0 0 0 2 2 0
Military Medical Center: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Private General Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 0
General Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other Medical Center: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Private Psychiatric Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 0
State/County/Other Public Hospital: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Correctional Facility: 0 0 0 0 0 0
School District/System: 0 0 0 0 0 0
University Counseling Center: 0 0 0 1 0 0
University Teaching Faculty: 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 or 4 year Undergraduate Teaching Position: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Medical School: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Academic Non-Teaching Position: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Research Position: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Independent Practice: 0 0 0 1 1 0
Other (e.g. consulting): 0 0 0 0 0 0
Not Currently Employed: 0 1 1 0 1 0
Changed to Other Career Field: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown: 0 0 1 0 0 0
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