Psychology Externship Program
- Hospital Location
- Clinical Setting
- Clinical Services
- Extern and Practicum Student Expectations and Opportunities
- Externship Benefits
- Apply For Externship
Hospital Location
Catawba Hospital is located in Catawba, Virginia, a rural setting in the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia. Catawba is approximately 15 minutes from the city of Roanoke, a metropolitan area with a population of 93,000. Roanoke City lies within the Roanoke Valley, which includes many towns and the cities of Vinton and Salem, and has a combined population of 250,000. The Roanoke Valley houses two large malls, two civic arenas, a local zoo, several city and county Parks and Recreation Departments, numerous museums, a variety of seasonal festivals and continuous cultural events. Area state parks provide excellent facilities for hiking, swimming and camping. The Roanoke Valley houses the campuses of Roanoke College, Hollins University, Jefferson College of Health Sciences, National College of Business and Technology and Virginia Western Community College. Virginia Tech and Radford University are 45 minutes away.
Clinical Setting
Catawba Hospital is a facility operated under the auspices of the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services. Catawba Hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission. Our current census includes younger adults ages 18 to 64 and geriatric adults 65 and older. Patients are admitted to Catawba primarily for the care and treatment of psychiatric illnesses including, but not limited to Schizophrenic Disorders, Mood Disorders (Bipolar, Depression), Anxiety Disorders, Personality Disorders, maladaptive behaviors associated with varying degrees of mental retardation and other developmental disabilities.
Clinical Services
The Psychology Department is comprised of five full-time psychology staff members, including two doctoral level and three master's level clinicians, one of whom is a licensed professional counselor. We usually invite three externs/practicum students per semester to work with us in facilitating groups, providing individual therapy, participating on a treatment team, completing the necessary documentation, and providing testing of patients as needed.
Extern and Practicum Student Expectations and Opportunities
Externship Benefits
According to their education, competency, experience level, preferences, and training needs, externs/practicum students may conduct and integrate intakes and psychological assessments into treatment plans. This individual will learn to diagnose serious mental illnesses, and will be involved in the treatment team process, including case conceptualization and relevant documentation. In addition to facilitating groups and individual therapy, this individual will become competent in cognitive-behavioral approaches and the recovery model, in which the progress level of the patient is monitored through assessments of current functioning and collection of data.
We require a written contract between Catawba Hospital and your program, which provides liability coverage and a contact person. To be eligible to work at a Commonwealth facility, the extern/student is responsible to provide results of a recent PPD test and $37 for fingerprinting.
Housing may be available on the hospital campus. Three meals per day are available at nominal charge in the hospital dining room.
Apply for Externship
E-mail: mark.witherspoon@catawba.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov
Mailing Address for Externship Application:
Psychology Department Director
PO Box 200
Catawba, VA 24070
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Department of Mental Health Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, Commonwealth of Virginia
