The Providence Medical Group – Primary Care Behavioral Health Internship is a part of Providence St. Joseph Healthcare Services (PSJH). PSJH is a not-for-profit Catholic multi-system network of hospitals, care centers, health plans, primary care clinics, home health care, and affiliated services guided by a mission of caring that the Sisters of Providence began in the West nearly 160 years ago. The aims of the psychology internship program fit well within the holistic notion of healing communicated by the PSJH core values of compassion, dignity, justice, excellence, and integrity.
The doctoral internship program was initiated in 2011 and became APA accredited in 2015 as the Providence Medical Group (PMG) and George Fox University (GFU) Internship Consortium. The internship has grown to its current state through the close partnership between both PMG and GFU. GFU historically hosted and supported didactic related components of the internship but - over time - PMG assumed responsibility for all domains of training. Due to this transition in roles, PMG and GFU chose to dissolve the consortium and PMG applied for independent accreditation. On September 20, 2023, the Providence Medical Group Primary Care Behavioral Health Internship received APA accreditation for an independent training program.
The internship training program is administered through the Department of Psychology within Providence Medical Group. The Department of Psychology is headed by the Behavioral Health Chief Executive, Robin Henderson, PsyD who is responsible for oversight of behavioral health integration services in the PMG clinics throughout Oregon. Jesse Chase, Psy.D is the Training Director for PMG and is responsible for the overall administration, provision of supervision/training, selection, placement, and curriculum for psychology interns.
Interns are placed in PMG primary care clinics ranging from the greater Portland metropolitan area down to rural primary care clinics in Willamette Valley wine country. The administrative, staffing, and operational structure of the clinics are all similar. The patient populations are representative of the general population of the communities where they are located and represent a wide demographic and diagnostic range. Consistent with the Providence Health System mission, PMG clinics place an emphasis on caring for the poor and vulnerable in their communities. PMG clinics serve patients with Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance as well as patients without healthcare insurance coverage. The services provided by interns afford them the opportunity to develop specialized assessment, intervention, and consultation skills in integrated care settings. Interns are considered valued members of the multidisciplinary care team.
The intention of the internship is to equip interns to be generalist clinicians with competence in behavioral health integration, including aspects unique to working with diverse populations in healthcare settings. Didactics focus on the nine competency areas established by APA, and application of clinical skills will take place onsite within a PMG location.
In a typical week, interns spend four 8-hour days at their Providence Medical Group training clinic with an on-site supervisor and the practicum student they will supervise. During clinic days, they work in-person from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Virtual work is completed within the medical clinic unless there is an emergency. At their home clinic, interns will see patients one-on-one, with family/caregivers, and occasionally group settings. They will also engage in interdisciplinary consultations, and collaborate with PCPs, and attend clinic meetings (such as team huddles, all caregiver meetings, PCC meetings, etc.). On Wednesdays, interns spend a full day together at a centrally located Providence facility. Their time will be dedicated to didactics, group supervision, supervision of supervision, program development, research consultation, and professional development.
An approximation of an intern's weekly training activities is shown below.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:
Wednesday
Interns receive a salary of $43,888 annually. Interns are additionally granted 40 hours of professional leave to attend scheduled CME activities, dissertation activities, and attend their graduation. They are paid bi-monthly from their salary, offered health insurance, and receive 23 sick/PTO days for the year.
Holidays observed by Providence are New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Martin Luther King Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day. These holidays are included in the 23 days of time off.
Medical, dental, vision and other insurance will be available for variable costs based on desired coverage levels.
Providence Medical Group maintains an extensive library of psychological testing materials. The internship makes these materials available to interns, as required to complete psychological assessments and program development projects. Interns are additionally well supported by Providence administrative staff as needed throughout their internship year.
Other supplies and benefits are available, including library resources, tuition financial reimbursements, and Providence Health “ChooseWell” discounts and benefits. Reimbursement funds are available for tuition/education such as for EPPP exam prep course, study materials, and exam fees. Interns are provided a free year of membership with the Oregon Psychological Association, as well as the Collaborative Family Health Care Association, and are encouraged to attend association conferences/trainings. If interested, there is room to submit posters to these conferences as well.
