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APA-Approved Predoctoral Internship Training Program
in
Professional Psychology
Psychological Services
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
Psychological Services
in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools offers a predoctoral psychology
internship program in professional psychology for eligible doctoral
candidates in school psychology and child clinical psychology. For the
2006-07 school year, we will have five intern positions available in
two tracks: general (4) and pediatric neuropsychology (1). The internship
is fully accredited by the American
Psychological Association (APA , Committee on Accreditation, 750
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242; Phone: 202.336.-5979 ) and
is a member of the Association
of Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Internship Centers (APPIC).
Internship Tracks: Goals of the Program Both tracks have at least seven common goals and objectives:
To accomplish these goals within a practitioner-scientist training model and a developmental model of supervision, interns are exposed to an increasingly complex set of duties. Beginning in the summer with an orientation to the intern program and the department's services to the school district, interns participate in other didactic activities including professional reading on relevant topics and best practices, discussing ethical and legal issues, and reviewing local, state, and federal regulations for special education. Interns then participate in observational or vicarious learning through observations of psychoeducational assessments, counseling sessions, student support teams, and eligibility meetings related to the educational placement of and behavioral interventions for students with various learning and emotional disabilities. At the next level, interns deliver services on their own with the direct supervision of staff psychologists or the interns may co-lead professional activities with assigned supervisors. The supervisors observe the interns administering tests, consulting with teachers and parents, and counseling groups and individuals. When the supervisor is assured of the competency of the intern's skills, the supervision becomes more indirect through consultation and ongoing discussions of the intern's concerns.
Weekly Seminars Since the internship is viewed as a learning experience, there is a balance between training and service delivery throughout the year. As part of the training program, Psychological Services staff as well as professionals in the community provides weekly seminars on a variety of topics to further enhance professional growth and practical skills of interns. Topics include neuropsychological assessment, crisis intervention procedures and techniques, assistive technology, family therapy, cultural diversity issues, and functional behavioral assessment. The intern is assigned periodic readings on professional issues and engages in discussions on such topics during seminars as well as group and individual supervision. These topical discussions are integrated with their assigned cases and professional work. Interns also participate in regular staff development meetings and are given opportunities to attend local, state, and national conferences and workshops.
Services and Assignments Typically, all interns are assigned one elementary school for which they are responsible for all the service delivery in addition to working in the citywide Preschool Assessment Center and the gifted education programs. The pediatric neuropsychology intern will spend approximately one and one-half days a week working in the Neuropsychology Center. General track interns are given additional assignments based on the intern's specific interests, the internship's training goals, and the needs of the school district. These various assignments are described in more detail below.
Research
What are some of the experiences and assignments like?
Elementary School Assignment All interns (regardless of track) are assigned an elementary school placement. At the assigned elementary school, interns provide comprehensive psychological services to both regular education and special education students under supervision of their primary supervisors. Interns serve on the school's student support team, which assists in developing educational and behavioral interventions for students within the general education program. Consultation in the regular education program may involve observation, evaluation of the instructional environment, classroom management, recommending effective teaching strategies, and referring students for further intervention with the 504 team or the special education committee. Interns observe these team meetings at the beginning of the year and then throughout the year, discuss with their primary supervisor appropriate recommendations and when to refer for further intervention. Interns also serve on the school's special education committee that refers students for comprehensive evaluations, reviews assessment results, and determines appropriate special education placement and educational recommendations. Interns complete the psychological portion of the comprehensive assessment, which may include IQ testing, achievement testing, behavioral assessment, personality assessment, observation, and other case-specific assessment. Under supervision, interns select and administer tests and interpret and write up test results into formal psychological reports. Interns may also participate in developing individual education plans, especially if counseling or therapy is provided as a related service. Interns provide counseling and therapy for students who are having emotional adjustment problems or more severe emotional disorders that are impacting educational and personal/social functioning. Therapy cases are discussed on a weekly basis both with the interns' primary supervisor and in group supervision. Interns also provide crisis counseling and crisis intervention, consultation with parents, teachers, and staff, and staff in-services. In addition, parent training or family therapy opportunities may also be provided. Typically, the assigned elementary school has a full range of special education classes (inclusion, resource, self-contained) that serve students with specific learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, speech and language impairments, or mental retardation (educable, trainable, severe and profound). The assigned school may also have programs for students with other disabilities such as hearing or visual impairment, orthopedic impairment, traumatic brain injury, communication disorders or developmental delays.
Preschool Assessment Center (PAC) All interns are responsible for an average of one assessment per week in the PAC. Typically, interns perform two assessments in one day and alternate their weeks in the center. The assessments are conducted in an arena format, with a psychologist, speech/language pathologist, and developmental specialist working together to assess the child. The PAC also conducts screenings and assessment within a diagnostic classroom housed at Corporate Landing Elementary. Preschoolers are observed and assessed as they participate in activities and perform tasks in the classroom over a few weeks. Interns begin their summer by observing several assessments. They are presented with an introduction to the assessment instruments and practice administration. When competence in test administration is demonstrated, the interns are brought into the assessment process and observed by the preschool psychologists who provide supervision on test interpretation and writing of reports. Interns also present their results at regularly scheduled eligibility meetings.
The Neuropsychology Center All interns attend seminars describing various acquired neurological deficits and how these deficits affect academic functioning, a review of the neuropsychological assessment process, and exposure to the various measures used through this service. There are opportunities to observe these assessments. Those interns who arrive with previous experience, coursework, and/or a strong interest in neuropsychology have the opportunity to be trained in various measures and remediation techniques, participate in neuropsychological assessments, write reports, and attend eligibility meetings. There are also opportunities to participate in neuropsychology postdoctoral rounds and intern seminars at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.
Alternative Education Placements Interns in the general track may also be assigned a variety of specialized experiences based on their own interests and training goals as well as the needs of the school system. Experiences with students with more severe disabilities can be arranged for the intern throughout the year if programs that serve these students are not in the intern's assigned schools. The school system participates in a day treatment program with the city's Comprehensive Mental Health agency and joint programs with the Southeastern Cooperative Education Program (SECEP) that provide services for students with autism, pervasive developmental disorders, and severe aggressive and assaultive behaviors. This experience may include observation, assessment, diagnosis, case management, or limited treatment.
Gifted Education Program
All interns have the opportunity to work with students in the gifted education program. Virginia Beach City Public Schools operates two gifted magnet schools at the elementary and middle school levels (Gifted Program), Old Donation Center and Kemps Landing Magnet School, as well as a mathematics and science center at Ocean Lakes High School and an international baccalaureate program at Princess Anne High School. The district also participates in the Governor's School for the Arts in Norfolk and provides gifted and talented resource classes at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels. All the interns participate in gifted eligibility meetings that occur approximately four times a year and are assigned a limited number of assessment cases to assist in eligibility decisions. Those interns who have more interests in this area can elect to have gifted education as an ongoing assignment during the year. Those interns are expected to conduct individual assessments and attend student support team and special education committee meetings at the magnet schools. They are given opportunities to provide teacher/staff consultation on issues related to assessment, gifted and special education identification, instructional strategies, classroom management, mental health as well as other areas. Interns would also provide individual and group counseling/therapy for students related to special education, anger management, adjustment, depression, and other identified concerns. Opportunities are available for parent consultation, parent training, family therapy, and crisis intervention. Also, experiences with program evaluation, developing alternative identification procedures, providing technical assistance to staff, and data analysis are provided.
Supervision Weekly two-hour group supervision sessions are held for interns and other interested staff. The interns' primary supervisors take turns facilitating the group supervision sessions on a weekly basis. This provides an opportunity for all primary supervisors to work with all the interns and provides the interns with different perspectives on assessment and therapy issues. All supervisors are encouraged to attend these group sessions. During these sessions, issues related to particular cases, professional practice, ethics, etc. are discussed. Videotapes and audiotapes of therapy sessions are reviewed and critiqued. Suggestions and recommendations are offered by both interns and supervisors. Theoretical orientation issues and corresponding interventions, current supportive research and alternative approaches are discussed and debated. All primary supervisors meet as a group at least once a month to discuss the interns' progress, discuss any concerns, determine if any adjustments in schedule or types of experiences need to be made, and share what experiences are being provided and how supervision is provided. Usually, each primary supervisor completes formal evaluations at the end of each semester (or more frequently, if problems are noted and corrective action is needed) and submitted to the director of training and to the intern's university supervisor. The specific goals and objectives, suggested activities, and level of supervision provided are presented in the following table. Interns are expected to reach an overall competence level in the major areas of professional practice (ethical practice, assessment and report writing, counseling/therapy, consultation, diagnostic skills, appreciation of diversity, application of research) by the end of the internship program. It is assumed that all interns will continue to be supervised during their post-doctoral year following internship training.
Internship Training Goals and Objectives
  What does a typical weekly schedule look like?
A typical weekly schedule may look like this:
The directors of training, primary supervisors, and interns collaborate in establishing a schedule that addresses the interns' educational needs, the assignments and experiences chosen to meet those needs, and the unique characteristics of the sites assigned. Adaptability, flexibility, and time management issues are discussed and addressed when individual schedules are established and regularly monitored by the supervisors. Interns work regular staff hours from 8 AM to 4:30 PM with a half-hour for lunch and maintain the same holiday schedule as other 12-month staff members. All interns sign a special services contract with Human Resources, receive an annual stipend of $18,000 plus health benefits, and are considered employees of the school system assigned to Psychological Services as "pre-doctoral residents in professional psychology". As staff members, they are assigned office space and clerical support equivalent to other full-time professional staff. This includes an office cubicle, computer (desktop or laptop), internet and intranet access, personal assessment kits (WISC-IV, WIAT-II, Roberts, BASC, VMI, Vineland), stopwatch, audiotape recorder, and access to a library of assessment instruments, counseling materials, and computer scoring software. All five interns have their cubicles in the same room with four other staff members that provide opportunities for peer interaction, support, and socialization among the interns and other staff. Interns attend and participate in monthly staff meetings with the entire professional staff. Both supervisors and other staff members often present weekly seminars for the interns and other interested staff. This allows for regular, structured opportunities for the interns to interact with each other and other staff members. Psychological Services is housed in the Laskin Road Annex (an elementary school building converted to administrative offices) and occupies seven rooms. The Neuropsychology Center and the Preschool Assessment Center have rooms with a one-way mirror and an auditory monitor, which is used for testing, therapy, and observation. Audiological Services has provided equipment for "bug-in-the-ear" type supervision in which the therapist (intern) wears an auditory receiver in the ear and the supervisor has a microphone to make comments to the therapist that cannot be heard by the clients. Videotape equipment is also used to record therapy sessions. There are opportunities for interns interested in supervision to supervise first and second year graduate students from a local APA-approved clinical psychology program. Psychological Services provides a site for practicum experiences in intellectual assessment, personality assessment, and psychotherapy.
Program Faculty Clifford V. Hatt, Ed.D., ABPP, NCSP, Director of Training and Supervisor, Psychological Services; Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Ed.D., University of Northern Colorado, 1981. Professional interests : supervision, assessment (cognitive, behavioral, personality, achievement), child, adolescent, and family psychotherapy; program evaluation, ethical issues, learning disabilities, ADHD. Professional affiliations : American Psychological Association; National Association of School Psychologists, Virginia Psychological Association (past president), Virginia Academy of School Psychologists (past president); Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists; Member and Chair, Virginia State Board of Psychology (1995-99; 2000-04); Fellow and Diplomate, American Board of Medical Psychotherapists; Diplomate in School Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology; Director, American Board of School Psychology (2008-2011); Fellow, American Academy of School Psychology; Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Nancy J. Como-Lesko, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Training; Primary Intern Supervisor, Pediatric Clinical Neuropsychologist; Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Ph.D., St. John's University, 1990. Professional Interests : Neuro-oncology, acquired neurological disorders, chronic illness and related treatment issues. Professional affiliations : American Psychological Association, National Academy of Neuropsychology. Pamela F. Oksman, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Training; Primary Intern Supervisor, School Psychologist; Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Ph.D., University of Maryland, 1983. Professional interests: attention deficit disorder; behavioral problems; consultation; anxiety disorders in latency-aged females; system-wide interventions; learning problems. Professional affiliations: National Association of School Psychologists (Virginia state delegate); Virginia Psychological Association; Virginia Academy of School Psychologists (past president); Member and Chair, Virginia State Board of Psychology (1986-1994); Member, Virginia Board of Health Professions (1990-1994). Training Faculty and Site Supervisors: Andrea P. Arcona, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, 2001. Professional interests: assessment of and intervention with children with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder; neuropsychological assessment; and assessment and intervention with preschoolers. Sott M. Bell, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Psy.D., Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, 2002. Professional interests: childhood depressive and anxiety disorders; children from separation and divorce. Professional affiliations: American Psychological Association; National Register of Health Service Providers. Beth T. Clingenpeel, Ed.D., NCSP, Licensed School Psychologist-Limited; Ed.D., University of Virginia, 2001. Professional Interests: preschool assessment, ecological approach to prevention, assessment, and intervention; social-emotional development; parent-child attachment; developmental literacy; response-to-intervention; early childhood classroom ecology. Professional affiliations: National Association of School Psychologists, Virginia Academy of School Psychologists. William J. Duane, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Primary Intern Supervisor; Ph.D., Washington University, 1973. Professional interests: inpatient psychiatric services (program development, administration/supervision, direct services including individual, marital, and group psychotherapy); stress management, pain management; ethical issues; late adolescent and adult populations. Professional affiliations: American Psychological Association; American Pain Society; Association for the Advancement of Psychology; Tidewater Academy of Clinical Psychologists; Virginia Psychological Association; Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists. Kelli R. Good, Ph.D. , Licensed School Psychologist-Limited, Resident in Clinical Psychology. M.A., 1995, Ph.D. 2001, University of South Carolina. Professional interests: preschool assessment; parent training; group, individual and family therapy; emotional and behavioral disorders; ecological approach to prevention, assessment, and intervention; conflict resolution. Professional affiliations: American Psychological Association, National Association of School Psychologists, Virginia Psychological Association, Virginia Academy of School Psychologists. Karen M. Jackson, M.S., NCSP , Licensed School Psychologist-Limited. M.S., Southern Connecticut State University, 1988. Professional interests: preschool assessment, parent training and intervention, alternative service delivery, multicultural diversity issues. Professional affiliations: National Association of School Psychologists. Cheryll G. Martin, M.A. , Licensed School Psychologist-Limited. M.A., St. Lawrence University, 1977. Professional interests: individual and group counseling, consultation, conflict resolution, crisis intervention, organizational issues, minority issues. Professional affiliations: National Association of School Psychologists, National Education Association, Virginia Education Association, Virginia Beach Education Association. Cassandra R. Newsom, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Primary Intern Supervisor; Psy.D., Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology, 2002. Professional interests: pediatric neuropsychology, autistic spectrum disorders, assessment of low incidence disorders, and adaptive assessment. Professional Affiliations: American Psychological Association (Division 40: Clinical Neuropsychology). Mark G. Wehrlin , Psy.D. , Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Primary Intern Supervisor; Psy.D., Virginia Consortium Program for Professional Psychology, 1992. Professional interests: ADHD, play therapy, community consultation and program development, assessment (cognitive, personality, achievement), child and adolescent therapy, sexual abuse and sexual offending, supervision. Professional affiliations: American Psychological Association.
Previous and Current Interns 2007-2008 Autumn Califano – Nova Southeastern University – Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track: Autism focus) Ann Creilson – Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology – Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track: Gifted and Therapy focus) Kyongboon Kwon – University of Georgia – Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track: Research focus) Naomi Perlman – George Mason University – Ph.D. In Clinical Psychology (General Track: Gifted focus) Nathan Roehrig – Indiana State University – Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track: Gifted focus) Regilda Anne Romero – Pacific Graduate School of Psychology – Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (Pediatric Neuropsychology Track) 2006-2007 Taya Branton – University of South Carolina – Ph.D. in Clinical-Community Psychology (General Track: Deaf Education focus) Anna Crane – Ohio University – Ph.D. in Clinical Child Psychology (General Track: Gifted and Alternative Education focus) Linda Nugent – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track: Neuropsychology focus) Jennifer Rickert – University at Albany, State University of New York – Psy.D. in School Psychology (General Track: Gifted and Alternative Education focus) Samuel Sweet – DePaul University – Ph.D. in Clinical Child Psychology (Neuropsychology Track) 2005-2006 Suzanne Farley - University of North Carolina-Greensboro - Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track: Gifted
Education focus)
Charlotte Jones - Texas A&M University - Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track: Alternative Education focus) Alexandra Kutz - University of Texas-Austin - Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track: Neuropsychology, Gifted Education, Alternative Education) Emily Strassner - University of Texas-Austin - Ph.D. in School Psychology (Neuropsychology Track: Gifted Education) Crista Wetherington - University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill - Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track: Neuropsychology, Gifted Education) 2004-2005 Tamara Baldwin - The Chicago School of Professional Psychology - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track, Alternative Education focus) Anabela DaSilva Smith - University of Rhode Island - Ph.D. in School Psychology (Pediatric Neuropsychology Track) Gina Jackson - University of Florida - Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track, Gifted Education focus) William Lindstrom - University of Georgia - Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track, Neuropsychology focus) Michelle McElligott - Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track, Gifted Education focus) Jason Nelson - Indiana University - Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track, Gifted Education focus) 2003-2004 Gwendolyn Gerner - Loyola College in Maryland - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track, Neuropsychology focus) Tyra Ripley - Arizona School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University / Phoenix - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (Gifted Track) Natalie Slider - Louisiana State University - Ph.D. in School Psychology (Gifted Track) Kevin Smythe - James Madison University - Psy.D. in Combined Psychology (Clinical, Counseling, and School - Child & Family) (General Track) Gabrielle Thompson - Loyola College in Maryland - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track, Neuropsychology focus) Monica Wolfe - Texas A&M University - Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track, Neuropsychology focus) 2002-2003 Lisa M. Gerrard - University of North Carolina at Greensboro - Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track) David P. Gureasko-Moore - Lehigh University - Ph.D. in School Psychology (Gifted Track) Sammi P. Gureasko-Moore - Lehigh University - Ph.D. in School Psychology (Public Health Track) Michelle A. Jagodzinski - Indiana State University - Ph.D. in School Psychology (Gifted Track) Elizabeth A. Stief - Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track, Neuropsychology focus) 2001-2002 Scott Bell - Forest Institute of Professional Psychology - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track) Emma Jurrens - Indiana State University - Ph.D. in School Psychology (Gifted Track) Tara McKee - University of Connecticut - Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track) Timothy Sterzik - Illinois School of Professional Psychology -Chicago Campus - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (Gifted Track) Kelli England Will - Virginia Polytechnic and State University - Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (Public Health Track) 2000-2001 Kurt Metz - University of Kentucky - Ph.D. in School Psychology (Gifted Track) Cassandra Newsom - Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (General Track, Neuropsychology focus) Jon Thompson - University of Indianapolis - Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology - Child/Adolescent Specialty (Gifted Track, Neuropsychology focus) Matt Turner - University of Kentucky - Ph.D. in School Psychology (General Track) 1999-2000 Andrea Arcona - Virginia Commonwealth University - Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology Kevin Kelly - Lehigh University - Ph.D. in School Psychology 1998-1999 Cindy Finn - Magill University- Ph.D. in School Psychology Susan League - University of South Carolina - Ph.D. in School Psychology 1997-1998 Yvonne Jacobs - University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Ph.D. in School Psychology 1996-1997 Soni Bansilal - University of Alabama - Ph.D. in School Psychology Kelli Good - University of South Carolina - Ph.D. in School Psychology Christi Hutto - University of South Carolina - Ph.D. in School Psychology 1995-1996 Carol Matheson - Pennsylvania State University - Ph.D. in School Psychology Allison Morgan - University of Georgia - Ph.D. in School Psychology 1994-1995 Diane Foley - University of Maryland - Ph.D. in School Psychology Ann Weaver - University of Kansas - Ph.D. in School Psychology
How do I apply?
The materials should be sent to: Dr. Cliff Hatt, Internship Training Director, Psychological Services, Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Laskin Road Annex, 1413 Laskin Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23451. Further questions? |
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| Last Modified on August 8, 2007 |
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