User:

Site Name: Sacramento VA Medical Center

Department: Behavioral Health

Back

Department : Behavioral Health

Click on a section title to expand or collapse individual sections.
Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 2465
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Full Membership
Site: Sacramento VA Medical Center
Department: Behavioral Health
Address: 10535 Hospital Way
Mather, California 95655
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, CA
Distance from Major City: 10 miles east of downtown Sacramento
Phone: 916-843-2808
Fax:
Training Director Email: themis.yiaslas@va.gov
Co-Training Director Email:
Web Address: https://www.va.gov/northern-california-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-sacramento/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.va.gov/northern-california-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-sacramento/
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: Themis Yiaslas
Chief Psychologist: Brian Dahmen
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 15
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 0
Position Information
Start Date: 07/14/2025
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 4
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 37324
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dissertation Release Time, Dental Insurance, Health Insurance, Licensing Exam Release Time, Life Insurance, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): 11 Federal Holidays
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site Please refer to program brochure. https://www.va.gov/northern-california-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-sacramento/
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: 11/01/2024 11:59 PM EST
A Virtual Interview are: Required
Interview notification date: 12/15/2024
Tentative interview date: 01/03/2025, 01/07/2025, 01/9/2025, 01/15/2025
Interview process description:

Target interview dates for 2025 are 1/3, 1/7, 1/9, 1/15

On each interview day, applicants will receive an overview of the program and presentations on our core rotations from supervisors. Then applicants will have 2-3 interviews with faculty and one interview with the training director.  Applicants are encouraged to identify specific faculty or rotations of interest, and efforts will be made to interview with those faculty if scheduling allows.  We are conducting all interviews virtually using Microsoft Teams. 
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs: See Brochure https://www.va.gov/northern-california-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-sacramento/
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: Yes, by application deadline
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): 250
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable): 50
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 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:
Program Description

The Sacramento VA Medical Center offers a generalist internship training program located near a growing urban center which also serves a significant number of rural Veterans from the upper third of the State of California and into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.  We require all interns complete a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) rotation, one medical consultation rotation chosen from Primary Care Mental Health Integration Clinic (PCMHI), Behavioral Medicine, Behavioral health Intensive Care Unit (inpatient), and one specialty rotation from PTSD, Addictions, or Psychosocial Rehabilitation & Recovery Center (PRRC).  The fourth major rotation is an elective based on availability.   All interns will complete either a year-long clinical experience (evidence-based psychotherapy track) in either (1) CBT for Insomnia (CBT-i), Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD (CPT), and Written Exposure Therapy, or (2) CBT-i, Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).  Interns should expect a variety of face to face and telework depending on needs of the specific rotation.  Sacramento is a growing region with easy access to the best parts of Northern California, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.  Themis Yiaslas, PsyD, Themis.Yiaslas@va.gov    

Please see brochure for additional information.

https://www.va.gov/northern-california-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-sacramento/

Internship Training Opportunities

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

(training opportunities continued)

Treatment Modalities
Assessment: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Individual Therapy: Emphasis (31% to 49%)
Couples Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Family Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
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: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Cognitive Rehabilitation: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Primary Care: Experience (21% to 30%)
Evidenced Based Practice: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Evidence Based Research:
Supervision of Practicum students : Exposure (1% to 20%)
Other:

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology: Experience (21% to 30%)
Women's Health:
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders:
Sexual Disorders:
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Learning Disabilities:
Developmental Disabilities:
Assessment: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Adult: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness: Experience (21% to 30%)
Anxiety Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Trauma/PTSD: Experience (21% to 30%)
Sexual Abuse: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Substance Use Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Forensics/Corrections:
Sexual Offenders: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Geropsychology: Experience (21% to 30%)
Pediatrics:
School:
Counseling:
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy: Exposure (1% to 20%)
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:
Administration:
Integrated health care - primary: Experience (21% to 30%)
Integrated health care - specialty: Experience (21% to 30%)
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/northern-california-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-sacramento/  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: 45 89 120 142 67
Number of applicants invited for interviews: 32 38 38 33 32
Total number of interns: 4 4 4 4 4
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs: 4 4 4 4 4
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs: 2 1 1 1 4
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs: 2 3 3 3 0
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs: 0
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program 4 4 3
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program 1
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program 0
Range of integrated assessment reports: lowest number of reports written 3 3 5
Range of integrated assessment reports: highest number of reports written 6 15 16
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: 4 4 0
Psychiatric facility: 0 0 0
Correctional facility: 0 0 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0 0
School district/system: 0 0 0
Independent practice setting: 0 0 0
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0 0 0
Link to Program's Trainee Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data:
Back