Acceptance and Mindfulness-Based Partial Hospital Program – Rhode Island Hospital

Faculty Supervisor(s): Core Supervisors - Dana Morris, PhD (Primary), Hannah Herc, PhD, Cazzie Steinzor, PhD (faculty appointment pending), Rachel Depner, PhD; Additional Supervisors - Sarah Schmidhofer, MD, Christina Mele, PsyD, Joseph Donahue, PhD, Katherine Visser, PhD, Laura Fischer, PhD, Russ Marks, PhD, Alex Brake, PhD, Rachel Ojserkis, PhD, Helen Day, PhD (faculty appointment pending), Kristy Dalrymple, PhD

The Acceptance and Mindfulness-Based Partial Hospitalization Program at Rhode Island Hospital (RIH PHP) is a virtual program that serves adults aged 18 years and older who present with a range of psychological problems, including mood, anxiety, PTSD, and personality disorders.  The primary treatment model is based in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), although other empirically supported behavior therapies, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and ACT-enhanced exposure therapy, are also integrated as indicated.

The partial hospital runs from 8:00 AM to 2:00PM Monday through Friday, and the average length of stay for patients is 2-4 weeks.  Patients attend 3 groups per day, providing them with skills in: values and goals clarification; greater acceptance towards difficult feelings and thoughts while engaging in meaningful behaviors; improving interpersonal relationships; and increasing mindfulness and other coping behaviors.  Two of the three groups are 45-minute-long skills groups, and the third group (interpersonal therapy) is 90 minutes.  Patients also receive individual therapy and medication management sessions on an almost daily basis.  Individual therapy sessions are approximately 30 minutes each. The program includes four treatment tracks: (1) general track, (2) trauma/PTSD, (3) young adult issues, and (4) borderline personality disorder/emotion regulation difficulties. Residents rotate through the general track. This rotation is focused on residents mastering providing ACT as a generalist.

Alcohol and Drug Treatment Services Program - Butler Hospital

Faculty Supervisor(s): Deb Herman, PhD & Morganne Kraines, PhD

The Alcohol and Drug Partial Hospital Program (ADP) is a treatment program for people who have already completed detoxification.  It is located in the Day Hospital and involves the treatment of a maximum of 25 patients.  Patients attend Monday through Friday from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., depending on individual needs and group participation.  The program involves daily group behavior therapy that focuses on a functional analysis of drinking and drug use and associated problem behaviors, implementation of self-control procedures, relapse prevention strategies, cognitive-behavioral group meetings, and family education.  Patients receive individual counseling with a therapist and meet with a psychiatrist each day.  The program also includes goal setting meetings, introduction to 12-step programs, and individualized discharge planning. The average patient stay is 5-10 days.

Collaborative Addiction Recovery Services - Providence VA Medical Center

Faculty Supervisor(s): Jayne Kurkjian, PhD (primary), Robert Tilton, PsyD, & Corinne Bart, PhD 

The Collaborative Addiction Recovery Services (CARS) rotation at the Providence VA Medical Center is designed to allow the clinical psychology resident to develop skills in the psychological assessment and treatment of substance use disorders with a focus on acquisition of group therapy skills, taking into account the special needs for holistic, integrated care in this population. 

Organized within the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service of the Providence VA Medical Center, CARS is a multifaceted program that provides, via its interdisciplinary treatment team, services that encompass the entire continuum of care in the treatment of addictive behaviors. CARS either directly provides or has access (via in-house referral, referral to other VAMCs in the region, or referral to private sector treatment resources) to the following services: comprehensive intake assessment, treatment planning and case disposition; CARS Consultation-Liaison Clinic (servicing the medical/surgical areas of the Medical Center); outpatient motivational drop-in group; inpatient detoxification; inpatient substance abuse rehabilitation; CARS Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program; evidence-based individual and cognitive behavioral group outpatient psychotherapy including CBT groups for Relapse Prevention, Anger Management Group, ACT Group, SUD/Depression Group and other groups focused on coping skills training; outpatient psychiatric and medication management services; Aftercare Group Program; and Opioid Treatment Program. Some services are offered via the VA's telehealth platform. 

Patients serviced by CARS present with a wide range of DSM-5 Substance-Related Disorders (usually severe and long-term in nature), often carry multiple DSM diagnoses, and typically have concomitant physical conditions that directly relate to their Substance-Related Disorder (e.g., chronic pain). CARS strives to provide addiction treatment that is well-integrated with patients' concurrent primary medical care (typically also provided in the Medical Center). 

Intensive Outpatient Program for OCD and Anxiety Disorders - Butler Hospital

Faculty Supervisor(s): Aaron Kaiser, PhD, Brandon Gaudiano, PhD, & Yael Schonbrun, PhD

The OCD and Anxiety Disorders Intensive Outpatient Program is a specialized program designed to help adults experiencing persistent obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), intense fears (phobias), panic disorder, health anxiety, and social anxiety. Grounded in an exposure-based CBT model of treatment, the program is geared towards patients who have not responded to traditional outpatient treatment. Treatment takes place Monday through Thursday (1:45pm – 5pm), over an average 7 week period. Patients in this program receive individual therapy, daily group therapy, as well as home-based ERP, family consultations, and expert psychiatric medication consultation. Clinical psychology residents will participate and receive supervision in all aspects of program procedures. At the Inpatient Assessment Center (IAC; Psychiatric Emergency Room), residents will observe and conduct intake evaluations and discuss disposition decisions with IAC clinicians. Treatment services are delivered in-person.

Inpatient and Family Therapy Program – Rhode Island Hospital

Faculty Supervisor(s):  Rebecca Troeger, PhD, Tanya Tran, PhD, Alison Goldblatt, PhD, Dana Rosen, PhD, Jeniimarie Febres, PhD, & Gabor Keitner, MD

The Inpatient and Family Therapy Program at Rhode Island Hospital provides intensive psychiatric treatment for outpatients and inpatients with a special emphasis on involving families in treatment and a biopsychosocial approach. Each inpatient is treated by a multidisciplinary team, which formulates a treatment plan that is tailored to the specific needs and problems of the patient. Treatment is multidimensional and may involve combinations of individual psychotherapy, group therapy, family therapy, and psychopharmacological treatments. Clinical psychology residents sit in on daily rounds with the treatment team, in addition to having their own caseload of individual patients and groups. On-site inpatient supervision is provided by Dr. Gabor Keitner, and individual therapy cases are supervised by Tanya Tran, PhD.  Residents also run groups on the inpatient unit, supervised by Dana Rosen, PhD.   One afternoon a week, clinical psychology residents also participate in the outpatient family therapy clinic in the Inpatient and Family Therapy Program.  Supervised by Alison Goldblatt, PhD, Jeniimarie Febres, PhD and Rebecca Troeger, PhD, the clinic uses the McMaster approach to assess and treat families and couples using an observation and co-therapy model.  Residents sit in on sessions and become more active in co-therapy as the rotation progresses. As part of clinical psychology residents’ experience on the inpatient unit, weekend coverage is included, which provides an opportunity to see a much broader range of patient problems. The frequency of the weekend coverage varies depending on how many medical students and clinical psychology residents there are (e.g. one in three weeks to one in six weeks).

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Day Hospital & Intensive Outpatient Programs – Women & Infants Hospital

Faculty Supervisor(s): Virtue Sankoh, PhD & Maggie Allen, PhD

The Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders rotation at Women and Infants Hospital is designed to introduce the clinical psychology resident to the recognition and treatment of perinatal psychiatric disorders.  To this end, the clinical psychology resident/fellow will function as a member of a multi-disciplinary treatment team in partial and intensive outpatient hospital settings.  Our mission is to provide timely, comprehensive and exceptional healthcare to birthing people suffering from psychiatric disorders during both pregnancy and the postpartum period. We also provide essential support to families in crisis during this time period. We currently offer two programs: partial hospital level of care for a wide range of perinatal psychiatric disorders called Day Hospital and a specialized Perinatal OCD and Anxiety Disorders Intensive Outpatient Program. These programs are designed to keep patient caregivers and their infants together during treatment so that 1) the critical bonding period between caregiver and baby is not disrupted, 2) breastfeeding among nursing caregivers in not interrupted and 3) we can directly observe how a caregiver’s illness affects interaction with their infant, in order to facilitate improved early relational patterns and impact attachment security overall. The resident will be involved in all aspects of the treatment, providing group therapy, carrying individual psychotherapy caseload, conducting intake evaluations, family meetings, and treatment planning. 

Trauma Recovery Services (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Rotation - Providence VA Medical Center

Faculty Supervisor(s): Lauren Reeves, PhD, Caroline Holman, PhD, & Julia Paulson, PhD

In the Trauma Recovery Services (TRS) rotation, the clinical psychology resident learns, through direct participation, how to manage individuals suffering from trauma-related disorders, including PTSD, as well as other acute psychiatric and substance abuse problems. The TRS clinic at the Providence VA Medical Center is an outpatient treatment program for Veterans suffering from PTSD symptoms related to their military service as well as non-military traumas. The program primarily serves Veterans from the war in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf Conflict, and Veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans receive a comprehensive diagnostic assessment and then engage in a treatment program with an emphasis on evidence-based interventions. Clinical psychology residents will participate and receive supervision in all aspects of program procedures. We offer individual psychotherapy, couples therapy (when cases are available), and group psychotherapy. Veterans in the program also present with many difficulties related to PTSD such as substance abuse and depression. Staff participate in several research projects and clinical psychology residents may have an opportunity to learn about ongoing research protocols. Additional involvement in research is completely optional and is discussed on an individual basis.

Acute Psychiatric Care (APC) Program Rotation - Butler Hospital

Faculty Supervisor(s): Ana Abrantes, PhD, Kathryn Fokas, PhD, Christopher Hughes, PhD, Yael Schonbrun, PhD, Patrick Schule, MD

The Acute Psychiatric Care (APC) rotation is comprised of multiple settings at Butler Hospital.  The APC rotation is focused on short-term psychological and psychiatric treatment of adults with significant mental health concerns. On the psychiatric inpatient unit, residents will attend team meetings and rounds, lead groups, conduct individual psychotherapy, complete safety plans with patients, and attend family meetings as applicable. At the Inpatient Evaluation Center (IEC; psychiatric emergency room), residents will observe and conduct intake evaluations and discuss disposition considerations with the attending physician and IEC clinicians. As part of this rotation, there will be an opportunity to attend Butler Hospital’s TMS Clinic to observe intakes and TMS sessions.