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The Chicago area Christian Training Consortium is a participant in the Internship Matching Program with a match number of 16731. The Consortium obtained APA accreditation in 2002 and is also an APPIC member. The internship program adheres to all APA and APPIC standards and policies regarding intern selection, supervision and training. The following are the APPIC Internship Matching Program- Program Code Numbers for the 5 primary sites through the Chicago area Christian Training Consortium-Internship in Professional Psychology (Program #1673): Lydia Home Association 167312 (1 positions) Outreach Community Center 167313 (1 position) Cornerstone Counseling Center 167314 (1 position) Center for Rural Psychology 167315 (1 position) Lawndale Christian Health Ctr 167316 (1 position) APPIC site: http://www.appic.org/directory/program_cache/606.html CACTC Director: Sandra Johnston Kruse, Psy.D. Consortium Director Chicago Area Christian Training Consortium Outreach Community Counseling Center 336 Gunderson Dr., Suite B Carol Stream, IL 60188 T:630.871.2100 ext. 202 F:630.588.0824 sandra.j.kruse@wheaton.edu The Chicago area Christian Training Consortium - Internship in Professional Psychology is designed to provide training in a wide range of clinical skills and experiences essential to the practice of professional psychology. The Consortium is a collaborative effort of five mental health organizations, all of whom are providing mental health services in urban, suburban and rural contexts, and 1 graduate institution, an APA-accredited doctoral program in clinical psychology. The partner agencies working together are Outreach Community Ministries (Carol Stream, IL), Lydia Home Association (Chicago, IL), Cornerstone Counseling Center (Chicago, IL), The Center for Rural Psychology (Elburn, IL), Lawndale Christian Health Center (Chicago, IL), and the partner institution is Wheaton College Graduate School (Wheaton, IL). The internship program objectives are designed to provide comprehensive training to psychology interns in the areas of psychological assessment, diagnosis, intervention, ethics, consultation, and methods of scholarly inquiry, while simultaneously assisting them in the development of their professional identities. The program also encourages interns to grow in their understanding of human diversity and the social, political trends, both in society and within the discipline of psychology, which impact service provision. An essential aspect of the training includes exposure to diverse populations and treatment modalities, including individual, family and group therapy, psycho-educational groups, prevention programs, parent training, and a variety of consultation and/or community development opportunities in diverse contexts. One distinctive feature of the internship program includes opportunities for interns to explore ways to integrate issues of Christian faith and theology into clinical practice. This practice, in both conceptualization and intervention, seeks to uphold the dignity and uniqueness of each person, who is seen as multifaceted and having the potential for spiritual, intellectual, emotional and relational growth. Consistent with the mission of each consortia site, the Consortium internship program encourages integration of faith and practice, identifying a Christian worldview as the foundation for its professional activities. Predicated on this faith perspective, another distinctive of the Consortium is its commitment to train interns to work competently with persons who are traditionally underserved by mental health providers. In order to do this effectively, the Consortium internship program is geared to provide interns with numerous clinical and training opportunities to strengthen their skills in conceptualization and treatment with these groups. Interns are also encouraged to learn about the political and sociocultural factors in contemporary society and how they may impact service delivery to underserved groups. Interns learn both traditional and non-traditional approaches to treatment within a community context, in order to develop a wide range of treatment modalities to more effectively meet the needs of the clients and communities they serve. The Internship is a full-time, twelve-month program during which interns gain clinical experience in individual and group psychotherapy, family therapy, psychodiagnostic assessment, consultation and program development. All interns will maintain responsibilities at both their primary and secondary sites. The length and duration of secondary rotations may vary, depending on intern interest and program need. However, in most cases, interns will spend 4 days at their primary site and 1 day at their secondary rotation. Additional opportunities, such as facilitating groups in the local public schools, participating in court and legal procedures, program development, and conducting screenings in a medical setting, may also be available. The Consortium will accept 6-7 full time psychology interns (at least 1 at Lydia Home Association, 1 at OCM - Outreach Community Center, 1 at Cornerstone Counseling Center of Chicago and 1 at Center for Rural Psychology for primary rotations). One of these positions is a captive slot for a qualified student from Wheaton Graduate School. Successful completion of the internship typically involves a commitment of 40-50 hours per week, including 2-3 evenings per week. The Internship year begins on the 4th Monday of August and concludes one year later. Interns from doctoral programs in either clinical or counseling psychology are encouraged to apply. While students who are from APA-approved doctoral programs are preferred, the Consortium is most interested in training motivated students who have goals and interests congruent with the mission of the Consortium. Opportunities for employment positions post-internship are also available through some of the consortia sites. Stipend and Benefits: Interns receive a stipend of $19,000 and benefits which includes vacation and sick leave. Medical benefits are provided at all primary sites. Interns are considered full time employees at their primary site and are given the title of “pre-doctoral intern”. While all primary sites offer 2 weeks of vacation, paid holidays and medical benefits, further specific benefits may vary from site to site. Because interns are considered an employee of their primary site, stipends and benefits are paid directly from the intern's primary site. Please consult the consortium director with questions regarding benefits. Research: Given the importance of using research to inform service provision, the internship program provides opportunities for interns to be involved in research projects at various sites throughout the Consortium. For example, up to two Consortium interns per year can participate in the Culture and Ethnic Studies Initiative (CESI), a research and experiential group designed to explore issues of race and ethnicity. Members of the research team have been exploring issues of therapist cultural credibility and impact of immersion experiences on therapists' level of cultural competence. Future opportunities may also include providing treatment services and program evaluation of these services at a local medical clinic. These research opportunities are made available to interns in order to demonstrate the critical link between research and practice as well as to help interns further develop their applied research skills. |
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