Department : (formerly Huntington VA Medical Center)

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 2175
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: Hershel "Woody" Williams VAMC
Department: (formerly Huntington VA Medical Center)
Address: 1540 Spring Valley Drive
Huntington, West Virginia 25704
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Distance from Major City: 58 miles west of Charleston, WV
Phone: 304-429-6755x2713
Fax: 304-429-7527
Email: denise.harris@va.gov
Web Address: https://www.va.gov/huntington-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/huntington-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/
Primary Agency Type: Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Additional Agency Types:
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director & Lead / Director: Denise Harris
Chief Psychologist: Aaron Upton
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 23
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 0
Position Information
Start Date: 07/31/2023
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: 26297
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dissertation Release Time, Health Insurance, Licensing Exam Release Time, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): 11 paid federal holidays
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site Interns are on site from 0830-1630. There is no typical day for interns; their daily activities depend on their training rotations. However, each day involves direct care, training, and supervision.
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: 11/18/2022 11:59 PM EST
Interviews at this site are:
  • Virtual
Interview notification date: 12/02/2022
Tentative interview date: 01/06/23, 01/08/23, 01/13/23
Interview process description:

Interviews will be held in January 2023.  All interviews are conducted by invitation only and candidates will be invited via email.  Due to uncertainly surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and travel safety, all interviews will be held virtually again for this internship class.  We consider interviews to be a two-way process: the opportunity for us to meet you and learn more about you and the opportunity for you to meet us and gain a better understanding of our program.  Candidates will interview with the Psychology Section Chief, Directors of Training, 4 staff psychologists and our current interns.  As part of the interview invitation, we ask candidates to rank order their rotation interests so we can match applicants with interviewers who are the supervisors associated with the applicant’s areas of interest.  In this way, interviews can be most productive. The interview process takes a minimum of five hours, but applicants are encouraged to allow more time because interviews can’t always be scheduled consecutively. 


 

How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: Adler University Alliant International University/California School of Professional Psychology-San Diego Alliant International University/California School of Professional Psychology-San Francisco American School of Professional Psychology, Argosy-Washington DC Antioch University New England Argosy University-Phoenix George Fox University Georgia School of Professional Psychology, Argosy-Atlanta Illinois School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University Marshall University Nova Southeastern University Palo Alto University Radford University Spalding University The Chicago School of Professional Psychology University of La Verne University of North Dakota University of Toledo Washington State University Xavier 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: 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): 350
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): 3
Accepted / Not-Accepted Program Types
Clinical Psychology Accepted
Counseling Psychology Accepted
School Psychology Not Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited 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: See the training brochure for additional requirements: https://www.va.gov/huntington-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/
Program Description

The Hershel "Woody" Williams VAMC's Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology is based on a practitioner-scholar model of training in applied clinical practice with a special emphasis on rural Appalachian culture.  It is designed to train generalist interns to function as independent, ethical, and competent entry-level professional psychologists. The internship subscribes to the following characteristics most commonly associated with the practitioner-scholar model of training:  A scholarly approach to practice via reflection and critical thinking, an application of empirically-based research data to clinical practice, an emphasis on the psychologist as an avid consumer of empirical research, recognition of the importance of generating knowledge through practice, an expectation that interns will attend and become active participants in scheduled weekly academic/didactic activities and development of mentoring relationships.   Our philosophy is to implement and promote established, reliable, and efficient treatment modalities and protocols to the greatest extent possible and to actively encourage our interns to draw upon empirical literature to enhance the development of their professional skills over time.  As practitioner-scholars, we strive to remain abreast of current empirical findings in our chosen areas of professional practice and to further our knowledge of treatment advances in order to inform clinical decisions. 

The training program works from a developmental model in which interns move from close supervision and instruction to relatively independent practice, assuming increasing levels of professional responsibility over the course of each rotation and the internship year.

The training schedule includes a combination of 3 major rotations and an elective minor rotation. Interns will participate in three major rotations (up to three days a week, actual time depends on training plan), selected from General Mental Health, Home-Based Primary Care, Pain Psychology, Palliative Care, Primary Care-Mental Health Integration, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery, PTSD Clinical Team, Substance Use Disorders and SUD Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program, completing one major rotation each four months.  In addition, interns may elect to complete a minor rotation (4 hours a week; actual time depends on training plan) in one of the following areas: Consult-Liaison Service, Health Behavior & Prevention, LGBTQ+ Healthcare, Military Sexual Trauma (MST), Neuropsychology (6 months only), or PTSD/SUD.  An EBP mentorship program is embedded into the program, as is mental health consultation, training and experience with psychological assessment, training and experience providing supervision, and assessment, supervision and diversity seminars.  Interns will receive training/experience in telemental health.  For more detailed information, please see our training website.

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:
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:
Family Therapy:
Group Therapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Community Intervention:
Consultation/Liaison: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Crisis Intervention: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Brief Psychotherapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Long-term Psychotherapy: EXPERIENCE (21% to 30%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation:
Primary Care: EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research:
Supervision of Practicum students : EXPOSURE (1% to 20%)
Other:

Experience

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

Experience with Veteran and rural populations.

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/huntington-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/  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: 60 59 26 23 25 49
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 40 34 20 14 19 27
Total number of interns: 3 1 3 3 3 2
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 3 1 3 3 3 2
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 0 0 0 0 2 1
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 3 1 3 3 2 1
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 2 1 3 3 3 2
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 1 0 0 0 0 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
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written
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: 0 0 1 2 0 3
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 1 0 3 0 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 0 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 0 0 0
Other (e.g. consulting): 0 1 0 0 0 0
Not Currently Employed: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Changed to Other Career Field: 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown: 0 0 0 0 0 0