Recent Externship Sites and Clinical Supervisors

University of Mississippi Medical Center

Clinical Supervisors:

1. Dr. Julie A. Schumacher-Coffey – Professor, Vice Chair of Education, Department of Psychology and Human Behavior

2. Dr. Monica Sutton – Associate Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics

3. Dr. Scott Coffey – Professor and Vice Chair for Research Director of Division of Psychology

4. Dr. Dustin Sarver – Associate Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics

5. Dr. Sarah Cunningham – Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Psychology and Human Behavior

Externship Responsibilities:

1. Work with patients whose diagnoses include borderline personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, chemical sensitivity, social phobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder using several different treatment modalities including: an Emotion Regulation manualized therapy, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT);

2. Co-lead a weekly DBT skills training group and participate in weekly DBT team meetings. UMC recently created a Behavioral Specialty Clinic, where I see patients and collaborate with staff members and residents of the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior;

3. Assist with several research projects dealing with the efficacy of Behavioral Activation in asthma and urticaria patients with depression, emotion regulation avoidance strategies of persons with PTSD, the use of self-harm as an emotion regulation strategy and the use of mindfulness and acceptance-based treatments in decreasing the symptoms of asthma and urticaria.

4. Assist with research that focuses on identifying and validating warning signs (e.g., acute substance use and interpersonal life events) for recent suicide attempts among psychiatric inpatients, as well as the interrelations among serotonergic genes, facets of impulsivity (using behavioral tasks), and suicide attempts;

5. Administer, scored, interpreted and provided feedback to parents of children with empirically-supported instruments specialized for this population (e.g., Bayley-III, K-BIT-2, WISC-IV);

6. Utilize empirically supported treatments (cognitive-behavioral therapy and behavioral therapy);

7. Participate in a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates medical, psychological and social components was used to evaluate each child’s medical well-being, cognitive ability, and psychosocial issues;

8. Participate in individual supervision, comprehensive integrative treatment planning tailored to the individual and his or her family, consulting with a multidisciplinary team and participating in weekly individual and group supervision;

9. Co-facilitating two therapy/intervention groups for patients diagnosed with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder and High Functioning Autism/Asperger’s Disorder (4 sessions co-facilitated for each group);

10. Conducted comprehensive psychological tests to assess cognitive functioning, attention and hyperactivity symptoms, and memory deficits among pediatric cancer population;

11. Prepared integrated assessment reports and provided intervention/treatment plans to caregivers;

12. Conduct psychological evaluations in a community-based residential substance abuse treatment program (Harbor House);

13. Provide evidence-based treatments of mood and anxiety disorders;

14. Provide treatment for PTSD using prolonged exposure

15. Utilize motivational interviewing to improve treatment retention and treatment outcomes with substance use disorder and dual disorders;

16. Lead behavioral activation and dialectical behavior therapy skills groups.

 

Central Mississippi Correctional Facility

Clinical Supervisors:

1. Dr. Sandy Adams – Regional Mental Health Director

2. Dr. Allysa Killebrew – Staff Psychologist

Externship Responsibilities:

1. Responsible for maintaining and adhering to all MDOC policies and procedures as you are considered an employee of MDOC;

2. Externs are expected to have strong knowledge of DSM-5 diagnosis criteria, in particular, Adjustment Disorder, Substance Abuse Disorder(s), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, as well as personality disorders. Additionally, externs are expected to facilitate individual therapy (utilizing appropriate evidenced based therapies) for individuals referred by MDOC case managers, mental health staff, or sick calls placed by the offender;

3. Conduct weekly group therapy sessions, the following groups are currently being conducted by doctoral externship students: Dialectical Behavior Therapy for female offenders and Re-Entry Preparedness for youthful offenders. In addition to conducting individual and group therapy, externs are required to make weekly rounds with offenders placed on suicide precaution and psychological observations located in the segregation housing units;

4. Make weekly rounds in maximum security segregation unit which houses severally mentally ill offenders. Rounds for both of the units entail conducting individual therapy as well as psychoeducation;

5. Attend weekly multidisciplinary treatment team meetings for youthful offenders and monthly mental health team meetings.

Mississippi State Hospital

Clinical Supervisors:

1. Dr. Jennifer Giambrone – Staff Psychologist

2. Dr. Joseph Griebler – Training Director of APA-accredited Predoctoral Internship

3. Dr. Amanda Gugliano – Staff Psychologist

4. Dr. Vicki Prosser – Staff Psychologist

Externship Responsibilities:

Students can participate in any of the following nine rotations where, in general, patient care services are divided into receiving/acute, intermediate care/IDD, and continued care treatment units.  Within each of these settings, the specific activities assigned to each practicum student may differ widely across rotations, and in consideration of each student’s prior clinical experiences.

1. Acute Adult Psychiatry Rotation: The male and female receiving units meet the acute psychiatric needs of incoming patients 18 years old through adulthood, who have been involuntarily committed to Mississippi State Hospital through the court system.  Individuals receiving care through these services are typically evaluated, treated, and stabilized within 30-60 days, and most return to their homes or community placement following discharge.
2. Assessment Rotation: Appropriately trained practicum students may have the opportunity to be part of the MSH Assessment Team.  Prior to consideration for this rotation, students might require additional time/training, passing assessment-related proficiency exams, conducting a mock interview, and completing a written report to ensure competency.  Students have an opportunity to develop their skills in properly addressing referral questions, administering/scoring/interpreting psychological tests, and to develop appropriate recommendations based on assessment findings.  Students would also receive training in presenting these findings and recommendations to members of the treatment team and the patient.
3. Chemical Dependency Services Rotation: CD services consists of two inpatient treatment buildings which house up to 37 female clients and 43 male clients.  All individuals receiving treatment through CD services have primary alcohol and/or substance-related diagnoses, although a significant degree of attention is also given to co-occurring factors and symptoms.  As such, treatment is also provided for those clients who meet criteria for secondary psychiatric diagnoses (mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, etc.). The team uses a variety of means to provide individual and group counseling, consultation and additive therapeutic intervention as necessary, although the foundation of the program is grounded in a hybrid DBT-12 step philosophy.  Child and Adolescent Services Rotation: Oak Circle Center (OCC) is a 60-bed child and adolescent unit.  OCC provides evaluation, stabilization, and treatment for patients who range in age from 4 to 17 years, with an average length of stay of 100 days.  Patients present with a variety of symptoms and functional levels.  All patients participate in a unit level system which includes point cards and token economy behavior programs.  Patients attend the fully-accredited Lakeside School program, located near OCC on MSH grounds.
4. Geropsychology: Jaquith Nursing Home (JNH) is a 379-bed long-term care facility consisting of 9 homes which are divided into five separately licensed units with Joint Commission accreditation.  The program at JNH serves individuals with chronic medical conditions, moderate to severe TBI and anoxic brain injury, and cognitive impairment due to progressive dementia, vascular dementia, and Alzheimer’s dementia.  Many nursing home residents have Comorbid Axis I diagnoses and severe mental illness.  There are two special care units for individuals requiring more intensive supervision and assistance due to decreased cognitive functioning and increased need for positive behavior support.
5. Medical Psychiatry Rotation: This unit provides diagnostic evaluation and treatment services to psychiatrically-impaired adults who also experience significant medical and/or cognitive impairment (average age = 62 years).  These patients display moderate to severe levels of psychopathology and corresponding functional disabilities that reflect impairment in social functioning, activities of daily living, economic self-sufficiency, and/or the capacity for self-direction.  The average length of stay on this unit is 90 days.
6. Continued Treatment Service (CTS) Rotation: The CTS units are designed to meet the needs of patients with chronic mental illness.  Such patients require a highly structured environment and therapeutic programming, and treatment is generally focused on assisting these individuals as they prepare for a transfer to a community placement or facility.
7. Forensic Services Rotation: The Forensic Services Unit is a 35-bed, maximum-security inpatient unit, which provides pre-trial and post-conviction inpatient and outpatient forensic mental health evaluations on adult criminal defendants for Mississippi Circuit Courts in all 82 counties across the state.  The Forensic Services also provides long-term treatment for defendants who are acquitted Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, those who are found Not Competent and Not Restorable, and other non-forensic civilly committed patients who are in need of a more secure environment.  As the only state-operated inpatient forensic service in Mississippi, the staff conducts a number of different types of criminal forensic evaluations, including competence to stand trial, competence to waive or assert constitutional rights (including competence to waive Miranda rights), criminal responsibility, capital sentencing/mitigation, competence to assist in post-conviction appeals, competence to be executed (rarely), and pre-trial and post-conviction evaluation of individuals with intellectual disabilities who are capital murder defendants.
8. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Rotation: Practicum students who wish to gain additional experience serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities may do so through a rotation at Hudspeth Regional Center (HRC), which is located adjacent to Mississippi State Hospital.  The Center is a licensed Intermediate Care Program for persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).  Approximately 285 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities reside at HRC.  In addition, approximately 1400 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities receive an array of services through the HRC’s Community Services Division.  All services and programs are based on the interdisciplinary team approach to program development and implementation.

G. V. Montgomery VAMC

Clinical Supervisors:

1. Dr. Amee Epler – Staff Psychologist, Primary Care Mental Health Operations Manager, Primary Care Mental Health Integration

Externship Responsibilities:

1. Assist in developing/designing the VAMC study, Treatment Engagement for Alcohol use Following Motivational Interviewing: A study of Veterans discharge from Inpatient Detoxification (TEAM Vet);

2. Organize TEAM Vet appointments with Veterans, assist in consent process and aid Veterans during the study;

3. Implement brief MI Veterans;

4. Review medical chart;

5. Conducted extensive literature reviews;

6. Completed on Internal Review Board applications for the VAMC, TEAM-Vet study;

7. Analyze data using various types of statistical software;

8, Developed topics and ideas for professional papers;

9. Conduct brief motivational interviewing sessions with Veterans.