Psy.D. Program in Clinical Psychology Internship Training Handbook
Accredited by the American Psychological Association For information regarding the accreditation of our program Please consult: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation 750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202)336-5979 http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation Revised August 2012 2
Table of Contents I. Internship Training Handbook...4 II. Eligibility...5 III. Professional Liability Insurance...5 IV. Student Responsibilities...5 V. Confidentiality...6 VI. Professional, Ethical, and Legal Conduct...6 VII. Sexual Harassment...7 VIII. Multiple Relationships...7 IX Internship Defined...7 X. Internship Requirements...8 XI. Internship Match Process...9 XII. Change of Internship...9 XIII. Completion of Training...10 XIV. Problem Resolution...10 3
I. Internship Training Handbook The Internship Training Handbook is the companion to the Practicum Training Handbook. Students applying for internship should be familiar with the policies and procedures outlined in both handbooks and in the Program Policies Handbook. The Internship Training Handbook is available to all students enrolled in the Psy.D. program. The purpose of this handbook is to provide information necessary for students to successfully satisfy and complete the predoctoral internship training requirements that have been established by the Psy.D. program at the University of La Verne and the California Board of Psychology. The instructions and procedures in this Handbook are based on the laws and regulations of the most recent California Board of Psychology rules and regulations. The Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT is in continual contact with the Board of Psychology, and students will receive any changes and/or amendments to the present rules and regulations pertaining to the training component of the Psy.D. program. The handbook will provide pertinent information regarding the Psy.D Program s requirements and expectations concerning clinical training, clinical supervision, and professional development. Internship supervisors are encouraged to comply with the requirements and procedures which are defined and discussed in this handbook, along with any amendments that are forwarded to the agency at a later date. The Psy.D. program adheres to the guidelines and regulations specified by the organization (APA, APPIC, CAPIC) by which students have matched for internship placement. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the requirements of these external organizations. This handbook is meant to augment the policies of those organizations. It is not meant to replace those policies. Students are expected to abide by the policies of their internship placement site and the member organization (APA, APPIC or CAPIC) of that internship site. 4
II. Eligibility In order to be eligible to apply for internship, students must have first been advanced to Doctoral candidacy. This policy may not be appealed. The Predoctoral Internship is meant to be completed during students last year in the program. III. Professional Liability Insurance Students are required to purchase/renew professional liability insurance before beginning their internship placement. The program recommends the APAIT maximum coverage policy of $1,000,000/3,000,000 at a cost of $35.00 annually. Students may purchase this insurance at this link (http://www.apait.org/apait/). IV. Student Responsibilities Each student is expected to know and follow the contents of the guidelines contained in this handbook. Should an issue arise that is not covered in the handbook the student should consult with the Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT. Failure to follow the guidelines as set forth in this handbook may affect the student s progress through the program. More specifically, students are responsible for the following: A. To be accountable for their legal, ethical, and professional conduct at La Verne and at their internship training agencies. B. To advise the Program Chair/DCT when placement conditions differ from those contracted for by the agency, the student, and the school, or which interfere with proper training. Examples of such conditions may include the following: 1. Supervision that does not meet with the terms of the affiliation and/or other contractual agreements. 2. Insufficient training opportunities (i.e., in-services, case conferences, client load, supervision); 3. Any agency changes (i.e., financial or administrative problems, changes in personnel, loss of accreditation) that may adversely affect the professional standards and/or clinical or administrative functioning of the agency; 4. Any form of exploitation, which includes sexual harassment, workload, or any and all inappropriate requests, such as tasks that are unrelated to the training of a clinical psychologist; 5. Discriminatory practices based on race, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or physical disability. V. Confidentiality 5
Any communication between a student and the Program Chair/Director of Clinical Training, and Clinical Training Committee faculty regarding training issues is not viewed as confidential. However, the welfare and training of the student as well as the needs of the profession, the public, and the university will be taken into consideration when determining how to use any shared information. The student may participate in discussions regarding the dissemination of information. The supervision experience is generally considered open for discussion between supervisors and the PC/DCT. Supervisors will be instructed to use their discretion regarding the form and content of what they communicate, and students may request that certain personal information be treated as confidential by supervisors. However, each supervisor must consider whether the disclosure of information will be beneficial to the training of the student, as well as to the good of the public. It is recommended that the student and supervisor discuss these issues prior to the disclosure of sensitive information to the PC/DCT. Internship evaluations of students are only available to the Psychology faculty, and are to be treated similarly to course evaluations. Disclosure of information is to be done solely on a need to know basis, and any other release of information requires the student s request and consent. As a function of the selection process, internship placement agencies have the right to contact former supervisors at previous placement agencies (i.e. practicum placements, work placements, etc) It is broadly assumed that the student s listing of these placement agencies on their applications and vitae constitutes a tacit release of information VI. Professional, Ethical, and Legal Conduct Students are responsible for behaving in a professional, ethical, and legal manner at their internship placements. To fulfill this requirement, students are expected to be familiar with the APA Code of Ethics and the California Laws and Regulations Relating to the Practice of Psychology. Students may not engage in any unprofessional, unethical, or illegal practices at their internship sites even if such practices are condoned, expected, or encouraged by agency supervisors and/or staff. Students must promptly notify their supervisors of any such practices that they observe at the agency by staff or other trainees. The Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT must be notified immediately regarding these issues. In cases where the supervisor is suspected of unprofessional, unethical, or illegal practices, the student must notify the Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT immediately. Students who feel they would be in jeopardy or punished for reporting unprofessional, unethical, or illegal behavior to the agency itself, must report these concerns to the Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT immediately. VII. Sexual Harassment 6
Students are advised that sexual harassment is a violation of federal law and may violate the civil and criminal laws of the State of California. The following behavior may constitute sexual harassment: lewd remarks, whistles, or personal reference to one s anatomy; unwanted physical contact such as patting, pinching, or constant brushing against a person s body; subtle or overt pressure for sexual favors; persistent and offensive sexual jokes and comments. VIII. Multiple Relationships Students must avoid multiple relationships including those stated below. Infractions will be considered inappropriate to their status as trainees and appropriate action will be taken. Students may not have held a paid or unpaid staff position within the previous year at any agency where they are placed for internship unless they are given a different experience. Further, they may not hold such a position during the time they are in training there without the approval of the PC/DCT. Students who are unclear about their status as trainee or staff member should discuss this issue with the PC/DCT. Students may not be supervised by the following: 1. Anyone for whom they have served as a paid psychological assistant 2. Student s current or past psychotherapist 3. Anyone with whom they have, or have had in the past a business relationship with outside the agency. 4. Anyone with whom they have, or have had in the past a sexual relationship or an emotional relationship 5. A relative It is imperative that each student consults with the PC/DCT in any and all relationships where there is a lack of clarity. IX. Internship Defined The internship is an organized training program which provides a planned, integrated sequence of clinical and didactic experiences with the goal of providing sufficient training and supervision so that the intern, may, upon completion, function responsibly as a professional psychologist, and to be qualified for post doctoral training or their first professional position. The internship takes place at an organized service delivery site that has training as one of its missions, has a clearly identified training component, has identified supervisory personnel and has other predoctoral interns. The primary focus of the internship must be training, not the provision of services, and the training supervisors must have sufficient time to carry out the supervision. The purpose of the internship is the extension of previous professional and academic training. It will provide, but 7
now at a level of greater expertise, for the integration of scientific, professional and ethical knowledge, attitudes and skills basic to the practice of professional psychology. According to the National Conference on Internship Training (American Psychologist, 1989, 44 pp. 60 65), the following core experiences constitute the characteristics of a Predoctoral Internship: 1. A variety of methods of assessment/diagnosis across a variety of problems and diverse populations; 2. A variety of methods of intervention/treatment across a variety of problems and diverse populations; 3. Experience with culturally and ethnically diverse populations including, but not limited to delivery of direct services; 4. Research and/or its applications; 5. Application of empirical skills and critical thinking to professional practice; 6. Consideration of professional, legal and ethical issues; 7. Introduction to supervision and management of psychological services. Students will achieve competence in the above areas through supervision, formal seminars and training activities, professional interactions with other psychologists and psychological interns, and through direct service. X. Internship Requirements A pre-doctoral psychology internship must extend over nine-months, at the least, for each year of the placement. Starting dates may vary from one internship site to another with the most common start dates being July 1, August 1 or September 1. Likewise, ending dates will vary depending upon the length of the internship. Full-time placements are defined as a one (1) year program. Students are expected to spend a minimum of 35 hours and no more than 40 per week in full-time internship activities over at least a nine month time period. Half-time placements are defined as a two (2) year program. Students are expected to spend a minimum of 20 hours and no more than 24 hours per week in half-time internship activities over at least a nine month period per year. Students are reminded that they must complete a minimum of 1500 predoctoral internship hours (regardless of whether they complete a 1 year full-time internship or 1 year half-time internship) in order to meet the Psy.D. program s requirements and the requirements as set forth by the California Board of Psychology. Students may be required by their site to complete more than 1500 hours. Psy.D. students are required to fulfill their contract by honoring the length of their contract with the agency. Students will remain in their internship placement settings for the duration of their 8
specified contract length, even if thy complete their total number of specified hours before the end of the contract year. It should be noted that professional psychology practice does not conform to the usual academic calendar of classes, vacations, and examinations. Therefore, students may be expected to meet with clients during interterm and holidays. Schedules are coordinated with the Internship Site Training Director and on-site supervisors, and resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the agency and the student. Students completing a 1 year full-time internship must register for Psy 680a/b. Students completing a 2 year half-time internship must register for Psy 681a/b. XI. Internship Match Process The Psy.D. program currently permits students to apply to APA-accredited, APPIC-member, or CAPIC member internships. Students may not apply to internships outside of these agencies. The program reminds students that not all APPIC member internships are APA accredited, and CAPIC member internships are not APA accredited. The program cautions students that completing a non APA-accredited internship might limit their ability to secure licensure and future occupational opportunities. Application to APA-accredited internships and APPIC member internships is made through the APPIC match process. The Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT works closely with eligible intern applicants to ensure as smooth an application process as possible. Students should familiarize themselves with the match process as described by APPIC: http://appic.org/ Application to CAPIC member internships is made through the CAPIC match process. The Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT works closely with eligible intern applicants to ensure as smooth an application process as possible. Students should familiarize themselves with the match process as described by CAPIC: http://www.capic.net/ XII. Change of Internship Internship matches are considered binding and changes in internship during the year are highly unusual and strongly discouraged. At times, however, a student may wish to leave an internship placement for a variety of reasons. In such instances, students must abide by the policies established by the relevant organization by which they placed for internship (APPIC or CAPIC). Similarly, at times an internship might wish to dismiss a student for a variety of reasons. Any requests for change of placement that is initiated by the agency will be investigated by the Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT to determine the reason for the request and to assist the student with dealing with separation from the agency if necessary. While it is the agency s right to terminate a student, when necessary, because of serious ethical/performance difficulties, it is expected that agencies considering termination of a student will immediately contact the Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT to provide information and consult on any pending dismissal from training. XIII. Completion of Training 9
Completion of internship training should occur on the date specified in the contract, except in cases in which a change is required, or extenuating circumstances exist. Students who have satisfied the number of hours required for graduation must complete the contracted hours in the Agreement, unless another agreement has been reached between all parties. Further, the Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT must be notified immediately of any intent to modify the completion date. Students who remain at agencies after their official date of completion of contracted training are no longer working under the auspices of ULV. Therefore, ULV is relieved of responsibility for problems that arise for the first time after the date of the official end of the contracted field training. XIV. Problem Resolution The following guidelines are designed to facilitate open communication about intern difficulties and effective problem-solving in response to them. 1. When significant problems arise that are resolvable and/or resolved at the internship site the Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT must be informed. 2. The Internship Training Director must communicate to the Psy.D. Program Chair/DCT in a timely manner when problems arise with an intern that are not readily resolvable at the internship site, that are recurrent, or that may lead to the institution of due process procedures or an alteration in the intern s program. The mode of communication will vary to suit the circumstance, but may include formal letters or emails, phone or conference calls, and on-site communication between them. This communication should include: (a) (b) (c) a clear statement of the problem, remediation plan, and expected outcomes needed to resolve the problem(s); what the internship program s response has been to date; and what role, if any, the internship program would like the graduate program to play in addressing the problem. The Internship Training Director should also request a copy of the graduate program s policies and procedures for identifying and dealing with problem trainees. This will assist in handling and documenting problems that arise in the internship, so as to facilitate graduate program s dealing with the trainee s difficulties. 3. Once communication about a problem is initiated, the graduate and internship programs must maintain ongoing contact until the problem is resolved. This contact will include discussions of the remediation plan and plan for monitoring and evaluating the intern s performance. 4. The intern may request and should receive copies of all formal communications regarding her or his performance. 10