The Texas Telehealth Internship Consortium (TTIC) is a 2000-hour doctoral internship in health service psychology that is a collaboration between the Texas A&M University Telehealth Institute and the Baylor Scott & White Warriors Research Institute. This internship seeks intern who have completed formal academic coursework at a degree-granting program in professional psychology (clinical, counseling, school). While graduate students who complete the internship will be equipped to work in many contexts, this training experience will emphasize the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to work in rural and underserved areas where there is a high need for health service psychologists. Interns will also be uniquely equipped to provide services to first responders. Additionally, this training program is focused on equipping graduate students to work across the lifespan, on maximizing the strengths of telehealth and technology to increase access to care, and on providing evidence-based treatments. Trainees will have the opportunity to provide treatment to individuals presenting with a wide variety of presenting concerns including trauma, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and relationship concerns.
The Texas A&M University Telehealth Institute will serve as the anchor site for the Texas Telehealth Internship Consortium. Interns are expected to reside in Bryan/College Station, Texas during their time as interns and be physically present in the Telehealth Institute during regular office hours. Interns will travel to Warriors Research Institute in Waco, Texas 1-2 days per month.
Vision
The Texas A&M University Telehealth Institute and the Baylor Scott & White Warriors Research Institute are forerunners in providing innovative, low-cost ways for Texans to access mental health care with telehealth initiatives that pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic. While the two organizations have treated distinct client populations, they share similar values and training objectives. Given this shared longstanding experience, a partnership was established to increase the breadth and scope of professional development opportunities and to increase community impact. Additionally, the staff at the Telehealth Institute and Warriors Research Institute have diverse areas of expertise in first line treatments and a partnership allows trainees to gain access to clinical supervisors with a wider range of experiences and expertise.
Leadership
- Internship Training Director (Telehealth Institute): Jason Hindman, Ph.D. ABPP
- Internship Training Director (Warriors Research Institute): Elizabeth Coe, Psy.D.
- Telehealth Institute Executive Director: Carly McCord, Ph.D.
- Warriors Research Institute Director: Suzy Bird Gulliver, Ph.D.
Training Activities
Client contact: Interns will have the opportunity to provide up to 26 hours/week of virtually-delivered care to clients across the life span, including individuals, couples, families. Interns may also have the opportunity to provide group therapy. Interns at the Texas Telehealth Internship Consortium will provide clinical service within both the Telehealth Institute (providing community mental health care via telehealth to rural communities) and Warriors Research Institute (providing treatment via telehealth to first responders and military veterans). Interns will have the opportunity to learn and apply several evidence-based approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), solution focused therapy (SFT), motivational interviewing (MI), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), the Unified Protocol (UP), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), trauma focused-cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), narrative therapy, and Prolonged Exposure (PE). Interns will also be trained on how to manage intake appointments, how to coordinate care across disciplines, how to appropriately document/chart clinical work, and how to manage crisis/safety situations.
Provision of Supervision: During the fall semester of the internship, interns will provide clinical supervision to a practicum counselor at Warriors Research Institute. During the spring semester of the internship, interns will provide clinical supervision to a practicum counselor at the Telehealth Institute. Each week, this role will be supported with 1 hour of supervision preparation time and 1 hour of group “supervision of supervision.”
Supplemental Activities: Intern Orientation, Weekly didactic seminars, Case Presentations, Community partner outreach, Operation Boarder Health Preparedness, 1-2 day intensive trainings on evidence based therapies, Staff meetings, Military simulation training at Fort Cavazos
Supervision Received: Interns receive four hours of clinical supervision each week: two hours of individual primary supervision from a licensed psychologist, one hour of intern support, and one hour of supervision of supervision. In addition to these designated supervision times, an “open door policy” is highly valued at the Texas Telehealth Internship Consortium. Interns are encouraged to consult with any professional staff member regardless of supervision assignment.
