Clinical Forensic Internship Training Program

Clinical Forensic Internship Training Program

Funder: Saint Peter's Healthcare System Inc (NJ, US)

Overview:
The Dorothy B. Hersh Child Protection Center (DBH-CPC) offers a pre-doctoral internship training program for psychology doctoral students. The program provides supervised direct service training in pediatric and clinical child psychology to prepare interns for entry-level psychology practice.

Program Details

• Host Organization: Dorothy B. Hersh Child Protection Center, associated with Saint Peter's University Hospital
• Program Type: Pre-doctoral psychology internship
• Duration: One academic year
• Time Commitment: 40 hours per week
• Geographic Scope: Serves seven diverse counties in central New Jersey

Program Focus

• Evaluation and treatment of children and families affected by child abuse
• Medical, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse
• Trauma-focused treatment and assessment
• Forensic evaluation training
• Clinical child psychology skills development

Services & Training Provided

• Supervised direct service in assessment, case conceptualization, and psychotherapy
• Weekly individual supervision (minimum 2 hours per week)
• Weekly group supervision
• Weekly didactic presentations on topics including:
- Cultural diversity - Assessment of risk - Treatment modalities - Vicarious trauma - Legal process and child maltreatment legislation
• Participation in weekly pediatric grand rounds
• "Finding Words New Jersey" week-long forensic interview training
• Opportunities to attend relevant conferences and trainings
• Caseload of approximately 15-20 hours of direct patient services weekly
• Approximately 6 weekly therapy clients per intern
• Exposure to Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
• Research opportunities available

Supervision & Learning Environment

• Supervision provided throughout training year
• Individual therapy supervision (pre-service, concurrent, and post-service)
• Access to trained licensed psychologists at all times
• Welcoming learning environment
• Case presentation requirements (minimum 2 presentations during internship)

Cultural Diversity Training

• Training on diverse populations served (race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status)
• Individual and group supervision focused on cultural competency
• Required case presentations addressing cultural impact on maltreatment and therapy

Mission

To provide outstanding clinical opportunities for doctoral psychology students to understand the dynamics of child maltreatment and apply knowledge in evaluative and treatment services to families within the community. DBH-CPC is one of four legislatively supported regional diagnostic and treatment centers for child maltreatment and family violence in New Jersey.

Contact Information

• Dorothy B. Hersh Child Protection Center
• Saint Peter's University Hospital
• 254 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
• Phone: 732-745-8600