AIDS Care Group (ACG) treats the whole person, bringing together medical and psychological services in a team-based approach to effectively care for individuals with chronic conditions.  We have a few main services within our agency:

• A Ryan White provider, dedicated to medical, dental, psychological, case management services to patients living with HIV and providing Pre-Exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to partners and family members.
• The Center for Integrative Medicine - A designated Center of Excellence by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, dedicated to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for patients recovering from opioid use disorder, including medical and psychological services.
• A state-designated STD testing site (testing and treatment, free and confidential for the community).
• Hepatitis C Community outreach (including rehabilitation centers, halfway houses, prison) and medical/psychological treatment.
• Mosaic Medical - medical and psychological services for LGBTQ individuals, works in collaboration with Prysm Youth Center to provide space for meetings.
• Eddystone Speciality Pharmacy 

ACG trains doctoral interns in clinical psychology.  Interns are trained first and foremost as clinical psychologists with the skills to provide psychotherapy to a wide array of underserved and vulnerable populations.  We have a few target populations that we serve, notably individuals recovering from opioid use disorder within our Medication-Assisted Treatment Program, individuals living with HIV, and those who identify as LGBTQ.  We additionally provide short-term therapy for individuals being treated for Hepatitis C.  Individual psychotherapy is the primary treatment modality with the internship program, with training in group psychotherapy as well.  Interns work in an outpatient setting, utilizing a long-term model of psychotherapy. 

ACG's internship program focuses its training on an integrative medical model of practice, meeting the unique needs of individuals dealing with chronic and co-occurring conditions.  In addition to treating a variety of psychological diagnoses, interns gain practic working on an interdisciplinary team, working within a medical setting, and completing intake evaluations to determine the level of care and motivation for treatment for new patients.  The therapeutic techniques utilized will focus on recovery-oriented psychotherapy, including motivational interviewing and relapse-prevention, but students will be encouraged to use integrative approaches when warranted, utilizing other evidence-based treatments depending on client needs, presenting problems, diversity issues, and other client-related factors. 

Other opportunities for training at the clinic include weekly care coordination meetings with medical providers, weekly group supervision of group psychotherapy, weekly didactic sessions led by psychologists and visiting speakers, an opportunity to present a didactic session, weekly peer supervision led by postdoctoral residents, and two hours per week of individual supervision with a licensed psychologist.  Interns will be involved in training and consultation with other professionals.  In addition, opportunities to engage in psychological assessment are available.

This internship provides the opportunity for the trainee to expand on and build skills in health psychology and psychotherapy for a challenging population while expanding knowledge into new areas and while developing skills required for independent practice.

The internship slot may require evening hours (until 7 or 8 pm) no more than two nights per week, depending on the area of clinical interest and best fit within our programs. 

Administrative, Clerical, and Technical Support

The ACG offices are located in a variety of buildings in both Chester, PA, and Sharon Hill, PA, outside of Philadelphia.  The buildings of relevance for interns are:

• 907 Chester Pike, Sharon Hill, PA.  Medical/Dental offices.  Includes reception area, waiting room, and two meeting spaces, one of which has a kitchenette and daily lunch served for patients.  Wheelchair accessible.
• 921 Chester Pike, Sharon Hill, PA.  Four psychology offices, the Director of Integrative Medicine's office, psychology library, and location of administrative staff and waiting room.
• 126 Kenney ave, Saron Hill, PA.  Two psychology offices, one of which is utilized by an art therapist for individuals and groups.  Small kitchenette.
• 904 Chester Pike, Sharon Hill, PA.  Four psychology offices, one of which is used for groups as well.  Sunroom, which is used for meetings and groups.  A large waiting room and kitchen.  Lunch is served daily.
• 940 Chester Pike, Sharon Hill, PA.  Medical provider office, which is used for care coordination meetings, tow exam rooms, a phlebotomy lab, a medication administration room, a reception office with locked file cabinets, and site of the administrative hub for one program. A waiting room and wheelchair accessible.
• 2201 Providence Ave, Chester, Pa.  A waiting area, two psychology offices, a reception office with locked file cabinets, exam rooms, phlebotomy stations, administrative offices.  Wheelchair accessible.

Depending on location, the buildings have both street and designated parking lots available for staff and are located along public transit bus routes.  Some of our buildings, but not all, are wheelchair accessible.  All buildings have at least one bathroom, most have multiple.  Coffee and water are available in every building.  Every building is locked, requiring a proximity card (which we provide) to enter; patients must be granted access by administrative staff.

Each building has a reception area staffed by full-time administrative employees, with the exception of the offices at Kenney Ave, which have a waiting room space but no additional support staff.  Licensed psychologists are positioned throughout each site to provide ample support and crisis response if needed.  All staff is trained in crisis response, notable CPR and the use of naloxone in the case of an overdose.  Staff is additionally trained in de-escalation skills.  We have a staff person designated to provide security on campus. 

Our sites are equipped with internet, phones, fax, printers, copy machines, as well as locked file cabinets for patient records.  We primarily utilize an electronic medical record for the majority of documentation and patient paperwork.  We have designated staff to provide technical support and coordinate agency assets.

Staff employed by this agency include: physicians, physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, dentist, dental assistants, psychologist, art therapist, postdoctoral residents, interns from various programs, reception and administrative staff, case managers, a human resource director, pharmacist, pharmacy directors, pharmacy techs, drivers, outreach staff to prisons and community, and additional supportive and administrative staff.

All interns and staff share office space, with an assigned office or meeting space provided at all times.  All interns are provided an agency-owned laptop and cellular phone for work-related duties.  We have video cameras and secure USB drives available for training purposes as needed by the doctoral program.  We do not have psychological assessment materials available but can provide supervisor support and office space for assessments.

COVID-19 Considerations

Due to the current health crisis, the psychology department at AIDS Care Group is operating via telehealth only. No in-person therapy sessions are permitted. AIDS Care Group is closely following federal and local guidelines in order to make an informed decision on when to resume in-person operation.  Once a decision has been made to resume in-person operation, ACG will follow CDC guidelines and those of our state health department to ensure the safety of our employees and interns. At that time, ACG will provide necessary PPE to its employees and interns.

Criminal Convictions and Peaceful Protests

AIDS Care Group has a robust human resources onboarding process. Background checks include SSN trace, national criminal database, sex offender search, domestic watch list, statewide criminal record search, and 7-year county criminal record search. Interns are also required to complete a child abuse search. A 10-panel drug test is also conducted. 

BNR’s mission is to develop and facilitate daily skills performance for individuals whose functional autonomy has been compromised by acquired neurological disorders. BNR recognizes and respects the needs, desires and the rights of those whom we serve, their families, and those agencies providing financial support. BNR serves individuals with a wide range of needs in several program locations, as well as individuals who live in their own homes in the community. BNR provides supports for living and services for individuals served in community residential, vocational, and outpatient programs. 

BNR’s Transdisciplinary Teams focus on functional skills development that enables the persons served to actualize the greatest degree of autonomy, dignity and quality of living. BNR provides a full range of transdisciplinary services including Cognitive Rehabilitation, Health and Nutrition Services, Physical Rehabilitation, Occupational Therapy, Supported Employment Services, Neuropsychological Services, Structured Day Services, Communication Services, Life Skills, Recreational Services and Case Management. 

BNR serves people who have experienced brain injury, who also may experience a full range of life problems now made even more difficult by cognitive and physical impairments. This includes people injured in car crashes, work accidents, falls, assaults, soldiers injured in war, as well as injuries to the brain that occur as a result of stroke, tumor, seizure disorder, anoxia, or electrocution. These causes of brain injury may result in mild, moderate, or severe disabilities. Some of people served live in their own homes in the community and some live in Beechwood’s 12 Community Residences. BNR serves roughly 100 residential participants while serving roughly 35 outpatient participants. Life problems include dealing with emotional problems, such as anxiety and depression, interpersonal difficulties, such as spousal, peer, and family relationship problems, as well as difficulties with being successful in work or school. Thus, the trainee will get a well-rounded training and experience, not just in neuropsychological assessment and intervention, but in how to intervene clinically in any area of life functioning, using a neuro-rehabilitation based, systems approach.  

The Neuropsychology Internship Training Program is housed within the BNR Clinical Department. The Clinical Department includes Neuropsychology, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology and Cognitive Rehabilitation services. Beechwood offers one, full-time training Intern position, that includes training on site 4 days per week and training at the Consortium one day per week.  

Neuropsychology trainees have the opportunity to develop assessment and intervention skills within a context that hinges upon the transdisciplinary approach. Training activities include neuropsychological assessment, neurocognitive assessment, providing feedback to those after providing such assessments, cognitive rehabilitation therapy, brain injury counseling and education, cognitive behavioral therapy, and structured day program groups. These skills may be developed in BNR’s Community Residential, Clubhouse Structured Day, Outpatient, or Vocational programs. Additional training occurs through participation in weekly Clinical Department Meetings and weekly Neuropsychology Section Meetings. Didactic training at BNR will focus on brain-behavior relationships and cognitive rehabilitation, and didactic training is also offered one day a week through the Consortium. Opportunities exist to learn from the entire BNR team, including Neuropsychologists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists, Cognitive Rehabilitative Therapists, Vocational Specialists, Care Coordinators, Recreational Therapists, Life Skills Trainers, Medical Director, Neurologist, Psychiatrist, and Physiatrist. There are opportunities to learn from a wide variety of medical rehabilitation specialists and allied health professionals using a transdisciplinary model. Opportunities also exist for developing pediatric skills in a school based brain injury classroom in BNR’s Connect NeuroEd Program.

Administrative, Clerical, and Technical Support:

Each intern is provided with either individual office space and/or shares an office with a Staff Neuropsychologist. Beechwood NeuroRehab has a Main Campus, Community Group Homes, Apartments, and outpatient services. Space and equipment is provided to conduct professional services at each different site. The main building, the Stabler Center, has an office with a one-way mirror allowing supervisor(s) to observe when a trainee is conducting interventions and assessments. Each intern undergoes Orientation Training with the Parent Organization, WOODS, as well as an Orientation geared specifically to Beechwood NeuroRehab.  After training is completed with the Parent Organization, interns and trainees are given identification badges, a computer email address, and each trainee/intern is included in the Clinical Department’s Group email list.  All interns/trainees have access to the same computer, software, internet, and research resources available to Staff Neuropsychologists. Each intern/trainee has access to clerical supplies, but most chose to use their own laptops or the computers found in the offices they occupy. Interns/trainees are able to gain knowledge of Adaptive Prosthetic Equipment through the other branches of the Clinical Department and our Assistive Technology Department. The site provides any and all clerical and mechanical supports required so each intern/trainee is treated no differently than an employee, with the exception they do not have direct access to billing technology or support.

COVID-19 Considerations

During the COVID-19 pandemic, interns are considered essential personnel and we are asking that in-person services are conducted. PPE will be provided as needed. Outside of the pandemic, interns are on-site Monday-Thursday and hours are flexible/negotiable. Interns will have a Beechwood phone number/extension/voice mailbox and a Beechwood email account. Interns are strongly encouraged to utilize the benefit time to which they are entitled, and are strongly encouraged to model and practice reasonable self-care. Interns receive weekly individual supervision (2 hours/week) with a licensed psychologist. 

Beechwood Neuro Rehab mandates that interns are able to provide proof of receiving the COVID vaccine prior to their start date. 

Beechwood Neuro Rehab has a strict safety protocol for all in-person services, including the requirement of mask-wearing, distancing, and thorough cleaning after each session. PPE is provided for in-person sessions, including masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies. 

Criminal Convictions and Peaceful Protests

Before interns start at Beechwood Neuro Rehab, they must provide all relevant clearances (criminal background check, FBI clearances, and PA Child Abuse clearance) and human resources-related paperwork. Early in the internship, the intern must attend Beechwood’s orientation and First Aid/CPR training. Interns will be required to successfully pass a drug test before the start of their internship. Applicants whose criminal background and/or FBI clearance indicate that an Intern has been convicted of a crime will have their clearance reviewed by human resources to determine if the internship can proceed ; however, those applicants who have exercised their constitutional right to engage in peaceful protests which may have resulted in a conviction may be eligible for placement at BNR.

Growth Opportunity Center services include:

• Individual, couples, and family counseling for all ages
• Psychological and Psycho-educational evaluations
• School-based support services and consultation
• ADHD assessment and services
• Medication evaluations and management by staff psychiatrists
• Autism Spectrum Disorder evaluation and treatment team
• Social Skills training groups
• College Counseling (varies by year)
• Opportunities to create and run groups to serve the needs of the population such as DBT-informed groups, mindfulness groups, adolescent groups, etc.

The internship experience is designed to provide a full range of psychological services to the community. By the end of the internship, the student will be prepared for independent practice as a psychologist. The responsibilities of a doctoral intern may include the following: psychoeducational evaluations, diagnostic assessments, consultation, coordination of assessment services (e.g. conducting telephone intakes and assignment of cases), supervision of practicum students, counseling for college student populations in the college setting (we currently have contracts with a local college), and developing and forming psychoeducational groups (e.g., social skills, DBT-Informed, resiliency, mindfulness). The intern will be supported to develop an area of interest or expertise that may serve as a starting point for a specialized area of practice. About 16 hours per week will be spent on psychological assessments and psychoeducational evaluations, 8-10 hours in individual adult and child, and family therapy, and 6-8 hours in supervision, consultation, and program development and superivsion of assessment practicum students. 

The GOC intern will have opportunities to attend peer supervision groups, didactic training, and to consult and interact with the entire GOC team of psychologists, psychiatrists, and master's level therapists. The applicant should be highly motivated for practice development, should be comfortable with independence, and must be a self-starter. Because at least half-time is spent on psychological and psychoeducational evaluations, the intern must have strong writing skills, be highly organized, and be able to perform without external deadlines.

If interested, the intern will also have the opportunity to be a part of a newly developing trauma assessment program. The program's mission is to provide trauma informed and culturally sensitive psychological and neuropsychological evaluations for individuals with a history of trauma. Possible intern responsiblities or opportunities would include: receiving trauma training, conducting comprehensive psychological/neuropsychological batteries from a trauma informed and culturally competent lens, networking with local health care providers, engaging in professional and public outreach, marketing to help grow the referral base, and engaging in trauma research.

The internship slot requires weekend or evening hours.

Administrative, Clerical, and Technical Support

GOC is a large outpatient behavioral health facility. Its main site, where the interns work, has 27 offices. The interns have an office that has a large table for testing, a computer with software for scoring many tests and rating scales, and a file cabinet.  It also has an observation mirror which is used for training purposes. The interns will have additional office space to conduct individual and family therapy, but space may not be consistent, and the interns must be comfortable with changing offices frequently. GOC has a well-stocked testing closet with the most commonly used cognitive, achievement, memory, information processing, and personality tests. There is also a multitude of rating scales and checklists to help in assessing and diagnosing behavioral, neuropsychological, and mental health disorders. Each student has a voicemail extension and has access to office supplies and a file cabinet in a locked file room. Although the office staff is primarily a billing staff and not secretarial, they are able to support the students by answering common questions and helping them access patient information in the computer system.

Considerations During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Peaceful Protests, and Criminal Convictions

Interns at Growth Opportunity Center are NOT considered essential employees. Thus, working virtually is acceptable in accordance with PA State Guidelines. All interviews for the 2021-2022 training year will be conducted virtually. Applicants whose criminal background checks reveal a convicted felony will not be considered; however, those applicants who have exercised their constitutional right to engage in peaceful protests which may have resulted in an arrest or conviction will still be eligible for interviews.

The client/patient population is primarily traditional college-aged students, along with graduate students and non-traditional students. Individuals present with a wide range of adjustment disorders, plus autism spectrum disorders and various psychiatric challenges such as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and other mood disorders. Therapy is generally short-term with the option to extend treatment at the discretion of the Director.

Interns training at this site will complete their assessment requirements through the CHC Psychological Services Clinic. 

Administrative, Clerical, and Technical Support

The counseling office is located in a two-story house at the front of the campus and has its own entrance independent of the main university entrance. It is accessible by steps or ramp.  The office has an administrative specialist who is responsible for the management of all office functions and procedures. Technical support is supplied by the Office of Information Technology, and the physical space is maintained by Facilities Management.

Basic office equipment is available in each counseling room for research and internet use. All computers are formatted for Medicat, the electronic health records program for client files.  Specific training materials are supplied upon request, and there is a library of professional books and journals that may be accessed by any staff member.

Considerations During COVID-19 Pandemic, Peaceful Protests, and Criminal Convictions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, interns at Rider University Counseling are required to complete their clinical hours virtually on-site a minimum of 2 days/week. This requirement follows the NJ State Board of Psychology policy which states that unlicensed trainees must conduct telehealth services in the state of New Jersey. All interviews for the 2021-2022 training year will be conducted virtually. Applicants whose criminal background checks reveal a convicted felony will not be considered; however, those applicants who have exercised their constitutional right to engage in peaceful protests which may have resulted in an arrest or conviction will still be eligible for interviews.