The DMH--Vacaville Psychiatric Program Clinical Psychology Internship Program (DMH--VPP) is a two-year full-time training program. The first year provides training to pre-doctoral psychology interns. Psychology interns who complete the first year of training at DMH-VPP are eligible to apply for the second year of post-doctoral fellowship. The emphasis of training is on the comprehensive psychological assessment of psychiatrically hospitalized criminal offenders, and includes training in personality, neuropsychological, suicide risk and violence risk assessment measures. The psychology training program has been in place since 1995, was accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2000, and is currently accredited through 2010. Training begins the first week in September and ends the last week in August.

Goals:

To prepare Psychology Interns for Post-Doctoral training in a psychiatric forensic setting .
To prepare Post-Doctoral Fellows to practice psychology in a psychiatric forensic setting.

Objectives:

Objectives are accomplished through the following means:

Internship Eligibility Requirements

1. Enrollment in an APA accredited doctoral program in psychology;
2. Completion of at least two years of graduate training in clinical psychology;
3. Successful completion of comprehensive examinations at their educational institution;
4. Completion of dissertation proposal.

There are currently there are 14 full-time and 1 three-quarter time psychologists on the staff.  All staff psychologists are licensed or in the licensure process.  All staff psychologists have multiple years of experience working as a psychologist in a correctional and/or forensic setting and have experience in the comprehensive psychological assessment of criminal offenders.

The application deadline for the 2009-2010 training year is November 14, 2008.  Interview notification is December 12, 2008.  Interviews are conducted in January.  Notification of selection is made during Universal Matching (first week in February).  Training begins the first week in September and ends the last week in August.  Regardless of selection status, placement is contingent upon successful completion of medical examination, drug screening examination, and security clearance.

Applicants must send a completed APPIC application as well as State Employment Application and a Supplemental application.  Salary funding is through civil service appointment.  Salary for Pre-Doctoral Interns is $3395/month and $3717/month for Post-doctoral Fellows.  There are no unpaid positions.  Psychology Interns/Fellows have the same holiday, sick leave and vacation time as other state employees.  Internship offers are made in accordance with APA/APPIC procedures. 

Applications should be mailed to:

The Vacaville Psychiatric Program (VPP) is a part-time one year forensic placement working with inmate-patients inside a prison, California Medical Facility in Vacaville. Due to the demands and challenges of the treatment setting and the patient population, the program is open only to second year students in mental health concentrations of study, and a formal multi-phase selection process is used to screen candidates on the basis of knowledge, judgment, and motivation.

The Psychiatric Social Work Service is comprised of 15 full time Psychiatric Social Workers representing two treatment programs, the Acute Psychiatric Program and the Intermediate/Day Treatment Program. Interns are assigned a Field Instructor who coordinates their placement which includes experience in both programs. The ideology of the program is based upon the establishment and maintenance of a high level of functional rapport with the school of social work, and depends upon the school to assume an active role in the intern selection process, and throughout the entire placement. Due to the scope of this relationship, an agreement currently exists only with the University of California at Berkeley, although other universities may be added as resources in the future, as VPP resources allow.

The internship program is designed to provide the intern with supervised and supportive experience in the several areas of clinical practice. The emphasis is on developing:

• An understanding of forensic mental health system as it pertains to incarcerated individuals. This includes the characteristics of the patient population served, the elements of the penal system, and the opportunities and limitations for provision of effective social work services within that context.
• An appreciation and understanding of the complex and evolving concept of risk management in this high violence potential population. This includes risk issues and considerations within the treatment setting, and as they pertain to the community, and society as a whole.
• The ability to conduct clinical evaluations using a psychosocial perspective, and to compile comprehensive social history evaluations using data from a variety of sources including the clinical interview, culminating in a diagnostic impression using the DSM.
• The ability to function within an interdisciplinary team concept, including incorporating relevant and effective patient advocacy skills, and functional integration of the psychosocial perspective in treatment planning and delivery.
• Therapeutic skills in interviewing, brief therapeutic contacts, and formal group and individual therapy.
• Discharge planning and coordination within the forensic context, with an understanding of relevant resources and risk issues.
• An understanding of the organized Service as a mechanism for maintaining professional identity, scope of practice, assuring clinical competency, and fostering ongoing skill development.

Social work interns are employed under a financial contact between the University and the VPP.

This may provide a competitive monetary stipend, although there are no associated benefits such as sick time, vacation, or paid holidays.

Applicants should make their interests known through their field placement coordinators within a reasonable time period so as to allow time for the selection process, background screening as required by the Department of Corrections, and formal appointment by the beginning of the academic year. Prospective applicants may also contact the VPP for more information:

Richard Miller, LCSW
Office of Program Review
Vacaville Psychiatric Program
P.O. Box 2297 Vacaville, CA 95696-2297
Phone: (707) 448-6821
Fax: (707) 446-0730