• Program and Training Model
• Profession-wide Competencies
• Mission and Goals
• Evaluation and Supervision
• Seminar Series and Continuing Education
• Research/Program Evaluation
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Profession-wide Competencies

Each intern, regardless of the training track chosen, is provided with core training experiences that ensure broad and general preparation for professional practice. Across these experiences, culturally sensitive and empirically supported practices are emphasized.

Assessment

Interns receive supervised experience in psychological assessment.  Interns will receive training in functional behavior assessment. Areas of general competency include: articulating the referral question; selection of instruments or approach; test administration and scoring; interpretation of results; integration of results (e.g., clinical formulation); generation of useful recommendations; providing verbal feedback to clients, parents and staff; and writing clear and useful reports. Interns also will be expected to show competence in both cultural formulations and multiaxial diagnosis. The exit criterion consists of demonstrating a level of skill consistent with independent or minimally supervised practice across one or more comprehensive evaluations.

Intervention

Devereux encourages a behavioral/cognitive-behavioral orientation in which assessment links to the selection of empirically supported best practices. Training and supervision is available in a wide range of interventions, including cognitive-behavioral, behavior analytic, ecological-behavioral and systems. Each intern may have the opportunity to experience individual and group psychotherapies, as well as family intervention, depending on training track. Crisis intervention is also available at several training sites. Interns are expected to meet competency in this area by implementing one or more of the following: (a) individual therapy, (b) group therapy (skills training groups), (c) family-based interventions and (d) case consultations (systems-level consultation may be substituted).

Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisicplinary Skills

Interns are engaged in frequent consultation with staff from different disciplines, family members, and staff members from outside agencies involved with a particular case. Interns will be expected to employ strategies of problem identification, problem analysis, collaborative plan development and formative evaluation. In addition, each intern will be expected to produce useful documentation related to these activities. Depending on the service setting, this may include consultation reports or chart documentation.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

As the primary therapist, interns are integrally involved in planning and coordinating services for their assigned clients at many of our training sites. In the process, interns must learn to successfully work with a variety of professionals representing a diversity of agencies (including Devereux), while assuming responsibility for reporting on, and ensuring cooperation with, the client's course of treatment. Interns will be expected to present information at multidisciplinary team meetings, chair multidisciplinary team meetings, develop discharge and aftercare plans, and manage collateral (e.g., agency, court) contacts.

Applied Research/Program Evaluation

Each intern is expected to complete one research or treatment outcome study during the internship. Interns are encouraged to participate in an existing research study in collaboration with another member of the training site or to develop a new project. As an alternative to an experimental design, interns may choose to participate in a treatment outcome study on a topic that is germane to the program and will aid Devereux’s treatment outcome initiative. Interns will present their research/treatment outcome findings at a formal presentation to peers and other clinical staff. See Research/Program Evaluation

Individual and Cultural Diversity

Interns will be given training and supervision on issues of cultural and individual diversity. Cultural dynamics are not only relevant, but crucial to the understanding of the client and in planning overall treatment. Such issues will be addressed in supervision in an ongoing process. Each intern will attend at least six hours of formal didactic training in the intern seminar series focusing on the culturally competent practice of behavioral healthcare. This training will be supplemented by presentations at the annual Jean Beard Symposium, workshops sponsored by the Devereux diversity initiative, outside training, and program-based workshops. Each intern is expected to demonstrate cultural competence in the services provided to his/her assigned clients. In addition to demonstrating the above competencies in ongoing clinical work, each intern will make at least one case presentation to the other interns and training faculty and, as part of that presentation, must address issues of diversity.

Supervision

Devereux recognizes that quality supervision is essential to our internship training program. Each intern is assigned a primary supervising psychologist who acts as his or her mentor during the year. The primary supervisor is a licensed, doctoral-level psychologist who will provide a minimum of two hours of individual, face-to-face supervision weekly. Interns also receive a minimum of two additional hours of supervision each week from supplemental supervisors. The primary and supplemental supervisors complement each other and ensure intensive supervision that fosters professional and personal growth. In addition, interns meet on a regular basis with the director of training. Additional group supervision is provided on seminar days. See Evaluation and Mentoring

Professional Values and Attitudes

The intern will receive feedback regarding the development of his or her overall professional behavior. This will include demonstrating competency in dependability, decision-making ability, time management, ability to interact with co-workers and other individuals in a respectful, positive, customer-focused manner, as well as knowledge of standards and regulations pertinent to the treatment program.

Ethical and Legal Standards

Interns are expected to become knowledgeable and competent in ethical and legal standards that surround the profession of Health Service Psychology. To this end, interns will receive didactic training and supervision around ethical and legal issues, including resolution and decision-making practices. This includes an ethics symposium designed to address common ethical dilemmas faced by clinicians organization-wide. Each intern is provided feedback on his or her ability to adhere to ethical standards, demonstrate knowledge of standards and regulations, recognize ethical dilemmas, and apply ethical and decision-making processes to resolve these dilemmas.