Psychology Internship Program Receives $1.3 Million Grant

September 30, 2019

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler’s Psychology Internship Program has received a $1.3 million Graduate Psychology Education Program grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The three-year grant will provide the doctoral psychology interns and post-doctoral resident expanded opportunities to train and provide integrated behavioral health, Opioid Use Disorder and other Substance Use Disorder prevention and treatment services.

The program has already begun implementation of major components of the HRSA grant across multiple locations. At UT Health Science Center at Tyler, the psychology interns and the postdoctoral resident are currently conducting pain management therapy and psychological evaluations for patients prescribed or seeking long-term treatment with opioid medications. In addition, the psychology interns are also providing inpatient and outpatient chemical dependency services at UT Health East Texas Behavioral Health Center. Moreover, the program is currently exploring opportunities for telehealth services within the region.

The 2,000 hour, one-year doctoral internship includes health service psychology (clinical) training with an emphasis on the interface between psychology and medicine. The internship program provides opportunities to interface at many levels in a medical setting. Interns learn to collaborate with physicians, physicians-in-training, nurses, dietitians, pharmacy students and other consultants. They play a vital role in the care of patients with both mental health and physical health needs. As frequently as possible, the experiences are longitudinal to allow interns to develop longer-term professional relationships with treatment team members and patients. With a mental health provider to citizen ratio of 1:25,000, East Texas suffers from a significant shortage of mental health resources. Many patients seen by the psychology interns have never seen a mental health professional before.

The program is under the leadership of the Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Jeffery Matthews, MD, Kathryn Wortz, PhD, program director, and Crystal Frazier, PsyD, MPA, fellowship training director. Additionally, the program is assisted by Ronica Harper, program coordinator, Jeffrey Wherry, PhD, professor of child and adolescent psychology, Andrew Schmitt, PhD, professor of neuropsychology, and supporting faculty throughout the region. The program is comprised of 10 psychology interns and one postdoctoral resident.