Job Abstract

Hourly Rate: $21 per hour

Internship reserved for preselected Practicum Students.

The Pacific Clinics Psychology Practicum Program provides experiential training from a broad, generalist perspective with the goal of developing basic competency to provide mental health services in community-based settings.

The practicum program provides a model of evidence-based practice in therapy and evaluation, that includes elements of the disciplined inquiry and local clinical scientist models. Over the year practicum students solidify their theoretical formulations and learn to examine the applicability of empirically supported assessment and treatments to the local multicultural target populations served by the agency. Practicum students are challenged and trained in critical thinking, assessment/evaluation, interviewing, and observation skills.

Accordingly, Practicum Students need to develop a range of skills, attitudes, ethics, values, sensitivities, and compassion that will make them useful and protective of the people they serve in our community. The Practicum Student experience is designed to teach, model, provide experience, and verify professional psychology competencies.

STUDENT WIL LEARN AND BE EXPOSED TO:

• A variety of pathologies from our socio-economically diverse and multi-cultural catchment area.
• A variety of treatment modalities that could include traditional individual psychotherapy, family therapy, and social skills training, as well as apply Evidence- Based- Treatment (EBP) such as Seeking Safety or Aggression Replacement Training (ART).
• Case assignments that match the training needs, interests, and competency level of the practicum student.
• A broad training experience which, combined with a rich mixture of supervision, case conferences, and multidisciplinary team treatment, provides an excellent atmosphere for skill development and professional growth.
• Supervisors who have a variety of theoretical orientations including cognitive behavioral, psychodynamic, trans-theoretical, etc. The agency follows a psychosocial rehabilitation model for recovery.
• Students may provide individual therapy, initial assessments, comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, psycho-educational groups, and case specific outcome measures.

PRACTICUM PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES/REQUIREMENTS:

• Ensures at least 40% of trainee’s time is spent providing face-to-face psychological service.
• Training hours are scheduled between 15-24 hours per week based on affiliation agreement.
• Provides a minimum of 1 hour of individual face-to-face supervision per week with a clinician who is licensed.
• Provides a minimum of 1 hour per week of didactic training,
• May offer a “supervision of supervision” training experience throughout their training and receive one hour of supervision from a psychology intern or psychological associate.
• Provides opportunities to review audiotape or videotape at least 2 times per evaluation period.
• Provides direct/live supervision at least one time per evaluation period

SERVICE DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conducts family-centered, strengths-based, culturally competent individualized intakes, assessment, and/or comprehensive diagnostic evaluations gathering information from family, consumer, significant other and involved agencies in the office or in the field as appropriate; Includes healthcare, substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, employment or housing, as appropriate, in treatment plans.
• Completes Service and Coordination Plans, progress notes and other DMH required documentation and billing within two to three business days of service delivery and meets the standards of the Department of Mental Health Short/Doyle Medi-Cal, Pacific Clinics and its funding sources.
• Provides rehabilitative services to clients and/or their families which might include assistance in restoring or maintaining a client’s functional skills, daily living skills, social skills, and linking up to needed community services and support resources.
• Provides outreach, advocacy, and rehabilitative services needed for ongoing cases and in crisis intervention.
• Provides case management, which might include obtaining client information, identifying needs and problems, linking clients and their families to appropriate resources.
• Provides services in the community or in the field consistent with program and funding source contractual requirements.
• Works with the treatment team to provide appropriate coordinated care services to clients and their families.
• Models Pacific Clinics’ approach, mission and core values in all communication and correspondence.

ORGANIZATIONSL RELATIONSHIP/INTERACTIONS:

• Initiate and maintain professional interactions and communication with Clinic’s employees and/or others.

• Displays sensitivity to the cultural and linguistic needs of the clients and families served.
• Interacts well with other internal programs, clinical/support staff and with external sources such as school or community personnel as applicable.
• Interacts with other internal programs, clinical/support staff and external sources such as school or community personnel as applicable.
• Communicates effectively in a culturally competent and diverse consumer population and promotes favorable interaction with managers, co-workers and others.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Enrolled in PhD or PsyD psychology graduate institutions that are accredited by the American Psychological Association. Dependent upon region, participates in and adheres to the Uniform Notification Procedures of:
• Northern CA: (BAPIC) Bay Area Practicum Information Collaborative
• Southern CA: (SCAPTP) Southern California Association of Psychology Training Programs

Students must minimally have passed their first practicum and successfully passed legal and ethical issues as well as a course in psychopathology. It is helpful if they are in either a child/adolescent or adult focused interventions course.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Demonstrated experience and ability to relate to a culturally diverse clientele and staff.
• Familiar with Windows operating system, MS WORDS, EXCEL, email, etc. able to compose correspondence/notes and type up correspondence/notes using correct format and grammar.
• Must possess a valid California driver's license and maintain an insurable driving record under the Clinics' liability policy.