Dear 2024-25 internship applicant,
Thank you for taking the time to explore our internship in Health Service Psychology at Case Western Reserve University. As you browse our website for links to the training program and to University Health & Counseling Services (UH&CS), please take note of any questions that arise for you; I am ready to respond.
Our internship program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association. We have a set of dedicated training staff members who all prize our developmental and integrated training curriculum. We emphasize evidence-based practice in mental health, as well as multidisciplinary behavioral healthcare integration. We believe that mental health providers, both early career trainees and seasoned professionals, learn best in a mutually respectful environment. Toward that end, we seek to cultivate an atmosphere that promotes clinical competence, self-understanding, increasing professional autonomy, within- and across-discipline consultation, identity and purpose as a therapist, and professional integrity. UH&CS interns obtain experience with individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, brief assessment, clinical supervision, and mental health outreach and consultation.
I write this letter in August of 2023. Over the last 3.5 years, we have confronted multiple challenges, including a global health crisis, as well as a rise in various forms of prejudice-based violence, threats to our democracy, and new threats to global security. My clients, my colleagues, and my trainees have been emotionally impacted by all of these concerns. As an agency, UH&CS has had to rapidly respond by changing how we operate in unanticipated ways.
At the present time, we have successfully created a hybrid model of care in which we meet with some clients for in-person services, while taking advantage of virtual platforms for others. In collaboration with our Health Services and public health experts, we are also poised to adapt our model as needed. The quality of our training remains high, and trainees at our site will emerge with skills to prepare them for the evolving industry of mental healthcare. Here are some things that applicants should know about how we have evolved as an agency this year:
- We have recently co-located with University Health Services in a new space on campus, permitting us to further integrate our care delivery to students;
- We continually seek to improve our efforts to provide services to Clients of Color, transgender students, and other marginalized student populations;
- In recognition that many Psychology intern applicants had their practicum options altered during the pandemic, we are NOT strictly adhering to a standard of 500 intervention hours; for the 2024-25 cycle, we ARE considering candidates with fewer than 500 intervention hours during Phase I.
I am personally impressed by my colleagues at UH&CS who endeavor to satisfy the needs of our clients alongside our trainees. Ours is a nimble organization, and the presence of our trainees contributes greatly to our ability to adapt.
CWRU and UH&CS cherish our diversity; we are pledged to welcome, include, and support all individuals from all groups and identities. We strive to promote a campus culture where students, faculty, and staff flourish and prosper. UH&CS is dedicated to building a diverse team of professionals and pre-professionals who each offer expertise and desire to meet the healthcare needs of every student; we are curious and enthusiastic to learn how you might contribute to these goals with us.
In summary, UH&CS has a great deal to offer potential interns. Our campus is located very close to the southern shore of Lake Erie, and we are graced by nearby nature preserves and recreational parks. We are also close to very affordable neighborhoods, communities rich in history and culture, and abundant food, music, and arts venues. If UH&CS has sparked your interest, please feel free to contact me at adk76@case.edu with any questions about our training program or our application process.
Best wishes with your internship applications, interviews, and match results,
Andrew D. Katz, Ph.D.
Training Director
Questions about our program's accreditation status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
Voice: 202-336-5979
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation