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Site Name: The Arc of Central Alabama

Department: Behavior Support

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Department : Behavior Support

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Member Site Information
APPIC Member Number: 2650
Program Type: Internship
Membership Type: Provisional Membership
Site: The Arc of Central Alabama
Department: Behavior Support
Address: 6001 Crestwood Blvd.
Birmingham, Alabama 35212
Country: United States
Metro Area: Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Distance from Major City: Birmingham metro area, 140 miles west of Atlanta, GA
Phone: 205-313-6268
Fax:
Training Director Email: sarah.holmes@arcofcentralalabama.org
Co-Training Director Email:
Web Address: https://www.arcofcentralalabama.org/
Brochure Website's Address: https://www.arcofcentralalabama.org/programs/doctoral-psychology-internship/
Primary Agency Type: Other
Additional Agency Types:
Member of APPIC since:
Accreditation
APA Accreditation Not Accredited
CPA Accreditation Not Accredited
Internship Staff/Faculty Information
Training Director: Sarah Holmes
Chief Psychologist: Erich Grommet
Number of Full-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 2
Number of Part-Time Licensed Doctoral Psychologists on Staff/Faculty 0
Position Information
Start Date: 07/01/2025
Funded
Number of Full Time Slots Expected Next Class: 5
Number of Part Time Slots Expected Next Class: 0
Stipend
Full Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 42000
Part Time Annual Stipend for Next Class: 0
Fringe Benefits: Dissertation Release Time, Dental Insurance, Health Insurance, Licensing Exam Release Time, Professional Development Time, Sick Leave, Vacation
Other Fringe Benefits (not indicated above): Mileage reimbursement
Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site Each day varies and may include experiences across rotations. Interns provide direct services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, train direct support professionals to implement Behavior Support Plans (BSPs),and engage in behavioral consultation with community partners.
Does this site have practicum psychology students on site? No
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: 11/01/2025 11:59 PM EST
A Virtual Interview are: Required
Interview notification date: 12/01/2025
Tentative interview date: 12/18/2025, 12/19/2025
Interview process description:

The training director will notify applicants by December 1st if they are selected to interview for the program. We will conduct all interviews via video-conferencing (e.g., Teams, Zoom). Applicants will meet with the chief psychologist and training director. Applicants will also have an opportunity to meet other department staff (i.e, board-certified behavior analysts, registered behavior technicians). Interviews will be scheduled for mid-December through early January.

 
How to obtain application info: Visit Website
Preferred method of contacting the program: Email the Program
We have matched with interns from these programs:
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):
Minimum Number of AAPI Assessment Hours (if applicable):
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): No
Minimum Number of Years of Grad Training Required (if applicable):
Accepted / Not-Accepted Program Types
Clinical Psychology Accepted
Counseling Psychology
School Psychology Accepted
APA-Accredited Accepted
CPA-Accredited
PCSAS-Accredited
Non-Accredited Accepted
Ph.D Degree Accepted
Psy.D. Degree Accepted
Ed.D. Degree
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: Interns must submit copies of all high school and post-secondary (e.g., colleges & universities) diplomas and undergo a national background check, drug screening, and tuberculosis testing before internship. Background checks consist of the following personal identifiers: name, social security number, date of birth, and state-issued identification (e.g., driver’s license, non-driver’s license identification). Potential interns must complete pre-employment drug screening and a tuberculosis (TB) skin test.
Program Description

The Arc of Central Alabama is a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) agency that serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc of Central Alabama doctoral internship program operates within the Behavior Support Department of the agency. The program offers interns training experience providing psychological services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their residences (i.e., group homes) and in the community via two major rotations and one minor rotation.

BEHAVIOR SUPPORT (MAJOR ROTATION)
 
Interns have the opportunity to provide applied behavior analytic services to individuals who reside in group homes in Jefferson County and individuals who attend the day program at The Arc’s main campus. Interns will provide direct services in clusters of group homes in the western part of Birmingham and in Centerpoint, Alabama, approximately twenty minutes north of The Arc’s main campus. Approximately 50 individuals reside across the group homes interns serve, providing extensive experience with individuals with various skills and presenting problems. Individuals who require Behavior Support services often present with intense externalizing behavior such as aggression toward others, property destruction, pica, self-injury, or elopement. Interns and clinical supervisors collaborate to develop behavior support plans to address presenting concerns. Interns build rapport with and train direct support staff in residential homes and the day program to implement Behavior Support Plans with fidelity to reduce the likelihood of challenging behavior and teach individuals functionally equivalent, adaptive replacement behavior (e.g., functional communication, engagement in leisure activities). Opportunities are available for interns to conduct Functional Behavior Assessments, develop Behavior Support Plans, teach functional communication, train staff to implement behavior reduction and skill acquisition programs, participate in support team meetings, and engage in interdisciplinary collaboration with psychiatry, nursing, and case management.
 
PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES CLINIC (MAJOR ROTATION)
 
Interns provide adapted behavioral therapy to individuals served by The Arc who do not currently receive behavioral therapy in the community. Opportunities to conduct brief psychological evaluations, especially for aging individuals who exhibit signs of cognitive decline, are also available as a part of this rotation. Common presenting concerns for individuals who receive behavioral therapy include anxiety, depression, a history of trauma, and interpersonal difficulties with peers, staff, or their employers. Interns and clinical supervisors collaborate to select appropriate evidence-based treatments depending on individuals’ presenting concerns and adapt treatments to individuals’ cognitive and behavioral skills. Individuals who receive behavioral therapy are typically verbally fluent people diagnosed with mild to moderate intellectual disability. Many of these individuals have a co-occurring diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder or an anxiety disorder. Interns are expected to initially engage in co-therapy with their supervisor and transition to independently managing one to two behavioral therapy cases by mid-year in this rotation.
 
BEHAVIORAL CONSULTATION (MINOR ROTATION)
 
Interns provide behavioral consultation services for individuals served by The Arc of Walker County, a partner organization to The Arc of Central Alabama. The county seat of Walker County and main location of service provision is Jasper, Alabama, approximately forty-five minutes northwest of The Arc of Central Alabama’s main campus. Behavioral consultation services are provided both on-site in Walker County and via telehealth. Similar to services provided to individuals in Jefferson County, individuals who require behavioral consultation often present with intense externalizing behavior such as aggression toward others, property destruction, pica, self-injury, or elopement. Interns and clinical supervisors collaborate to either develop behavior support plans for individuals in Walker County who require a plan or collaborate with Walker County staff to revise and modify existing Behavior Support Plans already in effect. Interns build rapport with and train direct support staff in residential homes to implement Behavior Support Plans with fidelity to reduce the likelihood of challenging behavior and teach individuals functionally equivalent, adaptive replacement behavior (e.g., functional communication, engagement in leisure activities). Opportunities are available for interns to conduct Functional Behavior Assessments, develop Behavior Support Plans, and provide ongoing behavioral consultation to staff in Walker County to supplement on-site, direct training.

Internship Training Opportunities

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

(training opportunities continued)

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

(training opportunities continued)

Experience
Health Psychology:
Women's Health:
HIV/AIDS:
Eating Disorders:
Sexual Disorders:
Sports Psychology:
Rehabilitation Psychology:
Physical Disabilities: Experience (21% to 30%)
Learning Disabilities: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Developmental Disabilities: Major Area of Study (50% or Greater)
Assessment:
Neuropsychology-Adult:
Neuropsychology-Child:
Serious Mental Illness:
Anxiety Disorders: Experience (21% to 30%)
Trauma/PTSD: Experience (21% to 30%)
Sexual Abuse: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Substance Use Disorders:
Forensics/Corrections:
Sexual Offenders:
Geropsychology: Experience (21% to 30%)
Pediatrics:
School: Exposure (1% to 20%)
Counseling:
Vocational/Career Development:
Multicultural Therapy:
Feminist Therapy:
Religion/Spirituality:
Empirically-Supported Treatments:
Public Policy/Advocacy:
Program Development/Evaluation:
Supervision:
Research:
Administration:
Integrated health care - primary:
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.arcofcentralalabama.org/  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
Number of Completed Applications:
Number of applicants invited for interviews:
Total number of interns:
Total number of interns from APA/CPA accredited programs:
Total number of interns from Ph.D. programs:
Total number of interns from Psy.D. programs:
Total number of interns from Ed.D. programs:
Number of interns that come from a Clinical Psychology program
Number of interns that come from a Counseling Psychology program
Number of interns that come from a School Psychology program
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)
2022-2023 2023-2024
Academic teaching:
Community mental health center: 0 0
Consortium: 0 0
University Counseling Center: 0 0
Hospital/Medical Center: 0 0
Veterans Affairs Health Care System: 0 0
Psychiatric facility: 0 0
Correctional facility: 0 0
Health Maintenance Organization: 0 0
School district/system: 0 0
Independent practice setting: 0 0
Other (Academic Psychology Department): 0 0
Link to Program's Trainee Admissions, Support, and Outcome Data:
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