Department of Civil Service

Description:

Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center (MHFPC) is a secure forensic hospital operated by the NYS Office of Mental Health. The hospital provides a comprehensive program of evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation for patients admitted by court order. These admissions are consequent to judicial findings of "incompetent to stand trial" or "not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect." The hospital consists of 18 units, two of which are coed, and provides services to approximately 280 patients. Patients with serious medical issues are housed in our Acute Care Unit and patients with acute behavioral problems are housed in our Special Services Unit. In addition, MHFPC recently created a Behavior Change Unit for patients with sexual abuse offenses.
The Psychology Department is part of the interdisciplinary treatment team and provides individual and group therapy, in addition to conducting assessments of patients in a number of specialized areas. The Licensed Psychologists are responsible for completing Forensic Examinations in order to determine if a patient is dangerously mentally ill and requires services in a secure setting, as well as providing expert testimony in court. Additional evaluations that are undertaken by the department include intelligence testing, personality assessment and other assessments such as examinations for feigning symptoms and possible dementia interfering with being found fit to stand trial.
Students accepted into our externship program would be required to attend the same core training that is mandated for all staff members in the hospital. We would expect a work commitment of a minimum of two days per week and Mondays must be one of those days, as that is the day for Extern Seminars. The externship year can coincide with their school semester.
The externs would have an opportunity to be part of an interdisciplinary team, consisting of a psychiatrist, nurse, social worker, psychologist, and direct care staff, attending morning rounds and treatment planning. Externs will be responsible for providing individual therapy for 2-3 patients, co-leading at least 2 treatment groups, and conducting 1-3 psychological assessment, depending on the student's needs. In addition, the extern would have the opportunity of conducting risk assessments utilizing the HCR-20v3 under direct supervision. All students will make one case presentation to fellow externs and the psychology department prior to the end of the year. In addition, externs will have the opportunity to participate in hospital grand rounds and other on-site training and training seminars twice per month on topics such as, malingering, risk assessment, DBT, court proceedings, forensic process, among other treatment theories. The extern would have supervision by an assigned psychologist for one hour per week, one hour of group supervision, and assessment supervision when assigned an assessment case. Additional supervision would be provided depending on the responsibilities assigned. The extern would be afforded the opportunity to observe forensic assessments and court proceedings.

Skills:

Prior exper. with assessment and therapy

Strong writing and organizational skills

Internship Areas: Human Services