Harris County Juvenile Probation Department Pre-Doctoral Internship

Internship Program Description

The Harris County Juvenile Probation Department (HCJPD) will accept at least two full-time interns for an APPIC-accredited, twelve-month internship, which begins approximately August 1^st and ends July 31^st.  The potential applicant must currently be enrolled in a doctoral program in psychology (clinical, counseling, forensic, or educational psychology).  During the course of the year, interns will be required to complete a minimum of 1800 clock hours to be used towards licensure.  At least 25 percent of time will be devoted to direct services.  The internship is primarily assessment oriented; however, interns also conduct individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and consultation services. Upon completion of the internship year, interns will be granted a certificate of completion signifying that all requirements have been met.

MISSION AND INTERNSHIP GOALS

The mission of the internship program is to assist interns in developing proficiency in the provision of psychological services to juveniles in the justice system in a manner consistent with APA Ethical Standards. Our ultimate goal is to assist the intern in learning how to act competently, respectfully, ethically, and empathically in the delivery of mental health services while being ever cognizant of the cultural and individual diversity of the clients being served.  This necessarily includes an understanding of issues related to multiculturalism, underserved populations, and juvenile delinquency, as well as an awareness of professional issues and ethical standards.

The HCJPD Pre-Doctoral Internship employs a scientist-practitioner model of training, which emphasizes the integration of scientific inquiry in clinical thinking and decision making based on existing research on adolescent development and juvenile forensic issues.  Training is accomplished through interaction with a diverse client population, psychological assessment, individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, individual supervision, case consultations, didactic instruction, consultation with other forensic and mental health professionals, research, and self-study. The HCJPD’s training program provides the intern with the opportunity to integrate diagnosis and application of community and therapeutic interventions, with a focus on acknowledging and incorporating clients’ individual differences and specific needs.  Additionally, clinical research is also encouraged and supported by formal opportunities to discuss current research in the areas of juvenile delinquency, child psychopathology, and clinical assessment.   

Interns will receive supervised experience in psychological assessments designed to identify mental health problems, and make treatment recommendations.  Supervision is provided for diagnosis, treatment planning, case management, and therapy issues with juveniles experiencing a wide variety of disorders.  In addition to developing clinical skills, this internship site seeks to assist the intern in the development of a professional identity.  To that end, interns are encouraged to participate in educational seminars and conferences, and are afforded the opportunity to provide training of professionals working in the juvenile justice system.

Internship Training Model

Guided by the scientist-practitioner model of training, the internship year is seen as an opportunity for interns to further their integration of psychological theory and knowledge of research through clinical application. The internship’s training model emphasizes six core areas of professional competency: 1) assessment, 2) intervention, 3) application of clinical research to practice, 4) treatment planning and goals, 5) quality of care and 6) the development of a working relationship with a multidisciplinary team.  

The training model holds that goals and competencies are individually developed between an intern and their supervisor at the outset of the year.  These goals and competencies are further enhanced through didactic training and goal-focused supervision.  The overriding objective is to assist the intern in developing clinical skills and analytical thinking that will aid the intern in progressing from a student, to a capable, autonomously functioning clinician.  Upon completion of the internship, the intern should be able to critically evaluate and apply relevant theoretical and empirical literature to various clinical populations.

Training Milieus

The client population at HCJPD is comprised of juveniles with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, and diagnoses. Recipients of mental health services are primarily children ages 10 to 17 years and in some cases, their parents. Training is available in crisis intervention with youth and parents, individual and group therapy with juveniles, psychological assessment of juveniles, and consultation with various juvenile justice staff.

The primary site will be the Juvenile Justice Center which houses approximately 250 youth.  However, services provided by interns may be conducted at a number of different sites in Houston, allowing collaboration with probation and detention center staff, attorneys, psychiatrists, and mental health providers.  The sites include the Juvenile Forensic Unit, the Psychological and Social Services Department, Burnett Bayland Reception Center, and the Harris County Psychiatric Center. Detailed information about the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department is available at: www.hcjpd.org.  

Psychological Evaluations

Conducting psychological evaluations is the primary focus of the internship. Interns will conduct both full psychological assessments and brief psychological screenings during their training year. Examples of psychological evaluations to be completed include court ordered evaluations, certification evaluations to determine if a youth will be certified to stand trial as an adult, and psychological screenings to help determine appropriate placement and treatment goals. Clients are referred for assessment due to concerns raised by mental health providers, probation staff, attorneys, and judges.

These evaluations will enable interns to develop proficiency in diagnostic skills, writing forensic and psychological reports, and making pertinent treatment and placement recommendations.  A wide variety of assessment instruments including intellectual, achievement, objective, and projective measures are available for use at the HCJPD.  Interns are encouraged to enhance their knowledge of the many instruments available to them. A Ph.D. psychologist provides supervision directly related to psychological evaluations each week.

Crisis Intervention

Interns will have an opportunity to learn how to provide crisis intervention with juveniles in detention, and occasionally with juveniles and their parents who are living in the community. Crises requiring intervention primarily pertain to juveniles and their parents’ emotional responses to the child’s detention, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, violence/conflict among juveniles in detention, and exacerbation of existing mental health problems.

Psychotherapy

Interns will conduct brief psychotherapy at the Juvenile Justice Center and Burnett Bayland Reception Center, a juvenile post-adjudication facility.  Interns will be trained to provide brief individual therapy with juveniles to address emotional and behavioral needs. In addition, the intern will lead weekly therapy groups with the youth that may focus on a myriad of issues such as decision making and problem solving skills, appropriate expression of emotion, processing of emotions related to detention and legal problems, exposure to crime and violence, substance abuse problems, and sexual behavior problems.  The intern may also have the opportunity to conduct family therapy, which would focus on the youth’s return to the home, communication skills, appropriate boundaries, or helping the family meet each other’s supportive needs.

Consultation

As either the primary clinician for a client or a psychological evaluator, interns have the opportunity to consult with family members, schools, probation officers, medical personnel, attorneys, and other mental health staff regarding examinees. Through consultation, the intern is able to discuss the clinical presentation of the client and is often able to gain more information to make appropriate decisions related to treatment. Interns often provide feedback about testing results to family members, attorneys, and juvenile probation officers. Reports are sent directly to the juvenile courts and are used to inform decisions about placement after adjudication. Additionally, consultation with Texas Department of Family Protective and Regulatory Services caseworkers occurs on an as-needed basis in reference to reports of child abuse and neglect. 

Didactics

Interns participate in weekly case consultation with other interns and staff members.  One to two hours per week is devoted to discussing case concerns and case-related issues. As part of our scientist-practitioner approach, the HCJPD Forensic staff participate in weekly journal hour meetings to present and discuss relevant research. This time allows us to keep abreast of recent research in the area of adolescent development, delinquency, and recidivism. Additionally, on- and off-site seminars are available for training in a wide range of clinical and forensic issues. Some examples of topics presented at these seminars include the assessment and treatment of substance abuse in adolescents, treatment of conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, crisis intervention techniques, understanding sex offenders, gang training, autism spectrum disorders, impact of trauma on children and adolescents, and professionals testifying in court.  In addition, interns are invited to attend grand round talks offered by the Baylor College of Medicine, as well as trainings provided by the Children’s Assessment Center, the Memorial Hermann Hospital System, and the Houston Independent School District.

Clinical Supervision Provided by Interns

Depending upon the number of practicum students at HCJPD and their specific program requirements, interns will be afforded the opportunity to supervise master’s level psychology practicum students from schools such as the University of Houston, Prairie View University, Houston Baptist University, and Sam Houston State University.  Interns may provide one to two hours of face-to-face supervision per week to practicum students. 

Clinical Supervision for Interns

Supervision is a major emphasis of the internship program at HCJPD.  Supervision is the primary form of training and evaluation for the development of skill proficiency.  Supervision is intended to provide both depth and breadth in clinical application, research, and assessment. All supervision is provided face-to-face and consists of a minimum of two hours of individual supervision and one hour of case consultation/group supervision with other interns and practicum students each week.

Four full-time licensed psychologists provide primary supervision for interns:

Uche F. Chibueze, Psy.D. Staff Psychologist, Juvenile Forensic Unit, received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Texas School of Professional Psychology in 2009. She also has a Masters Degree in Community Counseling from Baylor University. She completed her pre-doctoral and post-doctoral internships with the Juvenile Forensic Unit. She is also employed as an adjunct professor for the University of Houston, University of Phoenix, and South University. She has conducted research that explored the impact of the acculturation process on African immigrant families and also created one of the first clinical measures geared specifically for the African immigrant population. In addition, she has provided presentations on mental health issues affecting the Black population for the American Psychological Association and Texas Psychological Association annual conferences.

Nicole B. Dorsey, Ph.D. Internship Director/Staff Psychologist, Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, received her doctoral degree from Ohio University in 2000.  She completed her internship at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.  She previously worked at the Children’s Crisis Care Center, an agency working with children who have been removed from the home by the Department of Family and Protective Services due to allegations of physical abuse or neglect.  She has also worked for the Children’s Assessment Center, providing services to children and their families who have experienced sexual abuse.  She has experience testifying in court as both a fact witness and as an expert witness.  

John A. Webb, Ph.D.  Staff Psychologist, Juvenile Forensic Unit, received his doctoral degree from the University of Houston in 1985. He has training in both Social and Clinical psychology. His research interests include substance abuse prevention, psychological correlates of cancer, and psychological factors related to adjustment among immigrants and refugees. His most recent research articles have examined gender differences in alcohol use among adolescents.

Dianne Wood, Ph.D.  Staff Psychologist, Juvenile Forensic Unit, received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from California School of Professional Psychology - Fresno in 1992. She completed her internship at California Men’s Colony at San Luis Obispo, California and previously worked at Kerrville State Hospital. She also served on the Texas State Institutional Review Board for Manifest Dangerousness. She has been trained and specializes in the area of forensic psychology since graduate school. Her interests include psychopathy and sexual offender assessment and treatment.

Additional Staff

Diana Quintana, Ph.D. is the Deputy Director of Health Services and Matt Shelton, Ph.D. is the Senior Psychologist for HCJPD. Dr. Quintana and Dr. Shelton were both formerly Staff Psychologists in the Forensic Unit and continue to play an active role in the internship program through direct consultation with interns and providing and coordinating training experiences throughout the agency.   

Mary Martinez, M.A. is the Forensic Unit director and she is also available for clinical and assessment supervision.  Olivia McGill, Ph.D., is our Mental Health Court clinician and may work with an intern when a juvenile is referred to this program.  In addition, HCJPD houses several Masters-level and contract clinical staff who provide psychological services to the clients in the juvenile justice system with whom the intern may interact.

 Intern Year

Interns can expect to be busy during their internship year at the HCJPD; however there is also an appreciation for quality of life.  This internship seeks to provide an excellent training environment while still allowing time for the intern to explore their other personal endeavors. Interns’ estimate of the hours they spend per week on clinical activities can vary, but typically fall between 40 to 45 hours per week.  It is important to note that some of the clinical work provided by the interns might occur in the early evenings and having personal transportation is necessary.

The internship year is divided into three rotations; two forensic testing rotations and one clinical treatment rotation. Each rotation lasts four months. During the two forensic testing rotations the intern will primarily conduct a variety of psychological evaluations and will be stationed at the Juvenile Forensic Unit. The intern will have a different licensed psychologist supervisor during each four month rotation. The third rotation will be more treatment focused, providing brief therapy and crisis intervention services through our Psychological and Social Services Department to the youth who are currently placed in our county detention center.  In addition, there is the possibility that the intern will provide therapeutic services throughout the year to the youth who are residing in one of the county’s post-adjudication facilities, Burnett-Bayland Reception Center.  The intern will provide individual therapy and group psychotherapy, as well as consult with detention officers, educational staff, caseworkers, and the psychiatrist to help coordinate adequate treatment and treatment goals for the juvenile.

Applicant Qualifications

Qualified applicants must currently be enrolled in a doctoral program in psychology and have completed all pre-doctoral coursework, including Ethics, and Clinical and Cognitive Assessment.  Additionally, prior practicum placements involving direct experience with therapy and assessment are required.  Of particular importance are strong writing and clinical interviewing skills.  Preferred applicants will have clinical experiences and interests that have focused on working with adolescents and working in a forensic setting; however, these experiences are not required.   

Stipend and Benefits

Compensation for the one year, full-time internship is at least $20,000.  Health insurance is not available for interns.  Interns are provided with up to ten days for vacation and/or illness, as well as five days for dissertation or professional development activities, and nine holidays throughout the year.  Interns are also invited to participate in various Juvenile Probation Department activities including the annual Christmas party, luncheons, and volunteer opportunities.

Checklist of Required Application and Supporting Materials

___ Complete APPIC application available at: http://www.appic.org

___ Curriculum Vitae with current telephone number

___ Three letters of recommendation

___ An official graduate transcript

___ Two complete psychological assessment reports with interpretations (supplemental

            materials to be submitted through APPIC)

___ Receipt of application by November 18, 2011

The application and supplemental materials should be submitted through AAPI online.  Documentation that is mailed directly to this department will not be accepted.

Contact Dr. Nicole Dorsey with questions via email (nicole.dorsey@hcjpd.hctx.net) or phone her at:  713-222-4257.

Selection and Interview Process

Applicant materials will be reviewed upon receipt.  The applicant will not be notified that his or her application has been received, unless it is an incomplete application.  However, applicants may contact Dr. Dorsey with any questions regarding the status of their application.  A subgroup of applicants will be invited for interviews by December 15^th.  Individual interviews will be conducted in January.  In person interviews are strongly encouraged; however phone interviews are also acceptable.

This internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.  All pre-doctoral interns will be determined through the APPIC match.  Additionally, the HCJPD is an equal opportunity employer and encourages minorities and persons of diverse backgrounds of all types to apply to the psychology internship program.

This internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.  Additionally, the HCJPD is an equal opportunity employer and encourages minorities and persons of diverse backgrounds of all types to apply to the psychology internship program.