Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory Entry

VA St. Louis Health Care System - Clinical Psychology Residency with an Emphasis in Geropsychology

VA St. Louis Health Care System
St. Louis, Missouri

Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training

This training experience is a planned and programmed sequence of training that aims to ensure preparation for advanced practice rather than one that is focused on providing supervised hours for licensure. Yes

This training experience ensures that training takes precedence over service delivery regarding the nature, content, volume, and quality of the postdoc’s activities. Yes

This training experience ensures that postdocs receive at least two hours of individual supervision per week for the duration oof the experience. Yes

This training experience is administered by a doctoral-level licensed psychologist who directs and organizes the training experience and its resources, is responsible for the selection of postdocs, and monitors and evaluates the goals and activities of the experience. Yes

This training experience has two or more doctoral-level licensed psychologists who have sufficient time to provide quality supervision and training.   Yes

This training experience includes regularly scheduled structured educational activities that help postdocs its defined goals. These activities may include didactics, seminars, case conferences, and/or research activities. Yes

This training experience has written Due Process and Grievance procedures. Yes

This training experience has the stable and necessary financial (e.g., stipend) and physical resources (e.g., computers, physical space) needed for effective training. Yes

Program Description: The Clinical Psychology Residency position with a focus in Geropsychology is designed with the goal of assisting residents in developing advanced competency in meeting the mental health need of Older Adults with diverse backgrounds. We offer a breadth of training experiences across a variety of clinical settings, with sufficient training experiences to support a goal of pursuing board certification in the specialty area of Geropsychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology. The resident can expect to develop skills necessary to offer consultation, assessment, and evidence-based treatment to a diverse older adult population across a breadth of interdisciplinary treatment settings. Possible treatment settings include inpatient, outpatient, video-telehealth, and in-home options. Currently, VA St. Louis Health Care System is a member of the Council of Professional Geropsychology Training Programs.

Clinical Services: The Clinical Psychology resident with a focus in Geropsychology will have opportunities to provide services as a member of multiple interprofessional teams, including treatment teams providing care in the Community Living Center (CLC, primarily a short-term medical rehabilitation setting), Mental Health - Aging Resources Team (MH-ART, an outpatient mental health clinic for older adults), inpatient Palliative Care consultation, outpatient Palliative Care, Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC), the ComPACT team (an integrated primary care team for medically complex patients), and the Interdisciplinary Dementia Evaluation Team in GeriPACT. Interdisciplinary teams may include nurses, physicians, chaplains, physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, dietitians, and pharmacists. Services provided may include, but are not limited to, the following: evidence-based individual, group, and family psychotherapy, environmental/behavioral modification, caregiver support, cognitive assessment, pain management services, and interdisciplinary consultation.

The resident may also be given the opportunity to gain exposure to other areas such as Inpatient Geropsychiatry, Psycho-oncology, Spinal Cord Injury, and Primary Care Mental Health Integration (brief assessments and interventions for older adults within a broader primary care setting). Also, the Geropsychology focus resident will be given the opportunity to explore involvement in the psychology community and greater VA community through participation on the Cultural Competency Committee (C3) to further DEI efforts, the Training Council to enhance the administration of training, and other committee and administrative opportunities as they are made available.

Training will occur at the Jefferson Barracks and John Cochran campuses in Saint Louis, with the possibility of telehealth work as well. In addition to providing clinical services, the resident will complete a scholarly activity with a special focus on Geropsychology. Trainees will have the opportunity to participate in the psychology residency didactic series, as well as the Geropsychology journal club, and other specialty didactics and training opportunities. The resident may also have opportunities to provide vertical supervision and present/teach during grand rounds and staff trainings.

https://https://www.va.gov/st-louis-health-care/work-with-us/internships-and-fellowships/psychology-training-programs/

Additional Information

Agency Type: VA Medical Center
APPIC Membership: Yes
APA Accredited: Yes
Emphasis or focus area: Geropsychology
Research Time: Less than 25%
Training Director: Lauren Mensie, Ph.D.
Contact Email: Lauren.Mensie2@va.gov
Contact Phone: 314-766-2983
Duration in Months: 12
Hours Per Week: 40
# of Licensed Supervisors: 10
Number of Positions: 1
Applications recieved last year: 7
Accepts Int'l Students
Stipend: $53,837
Will follow APPIC Selection Standards
Created Date: Wednesday, November 28 2018
Unfilled Positions: 0
Fringe Benefits: We offer 15 days of Authorized Absence for conference travel, research presentations, and VA interviews (with the review and approval of MH department leadership). The St. Louis Metro area offers the best of both city and outdoor recreational activities. During your training year you might take in the Festival of Nations, the Great Forest Park Balloon Race, go to the zoo or art museum for free, and visit the one-of-a-kind City Museum. St. Louis is also home to the St. Louis Cardinals MLB baseball team, the St. Louis Blues NHL hockey team, and St. Louis City SC MLS soccer team. The history of St. Louis offers rich opportunities for learning as well. The metropolitan area today was also the “metropolitan” area of the Mississippian American Indians who settled this area from the 15th -19th century. These tribal groups were mound builders and you can still visit UNESCO World Heritage Site Cahokia Mounds right across the river in Illinois. You can visit the St. Louis Old Courthouse where the Dred Scott trial was first held in 1847. You can see homes that were part of the Underground Railroad across the Mississippi in Alton, IL. There are several wineries south and west of St. Louis within easy access for a road trip, and if you would prefer to bike there, Missouri has the trails to do that, too! In fact, St. Louis is known for its confluence of 3 rivers which offers plenty of camping and hiking along national parks and recreation areas. There really is something for everyone in our community. Please see brochure for full listing of benefits.
Research opportunities: All residents are involved in a scholarly project over the course of residency that is presented to the Psychology Service at Grand Rounds. IRB-approved studies are typically not feasible within the limited time of a traditional residency. Occasionally residents are able to join other IRB-approved research projects if they are already in development but this is not common.
Application Instructions: Applications will be received and reviewed through APPA CAS.

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