The Mental Health Training Collaborative (MHTC) entered 2025 with momentum, and the year unfolded into one of our most transformative yet. More than 350 trainees—from pre‑master’s to postdoctoral levels—completed their training in the Mental Health Training Program and Counseling Centers, engaging in high quality didactic training, completing community volunteer projects and contributing directly to patient care. Their dedication, curiosity, and compassion shaped the heart of our work this year, reminding us why training the next generation of mental health professionals matters so deeply.
Expanding Our Training Landscape
One of the most significant developments of the year was the launch of the RAP Program, an ambitious initiative designed to ease supervision demands across our medical centers. With plans to hire over 40 licensed clinicians, the program is already reshaping how we support unlicensed staff transitioning into associate roles. It represents a thoughtful, strategic investment in both workforce development and patient care.
Our training programs also continued to grow in scope and reach. The Post‑Master’s Fellowship expanded its placement opportunities, and our APA‑accredited doctoral internship network welcomed three new sites on contingency: the Sacramento Valley Doctoral Internship Program, San Rafael Doctoral Internship Program and the Silicon Valley Doctoral Internship Consortium, which includes Fremont, San Jose, and Santa Clara. These additions strengthen our regional training infrastructure and deepen our commitment to accessible, high‑quality clinical education.
MHTC Launches Expanded Didactics and Specialty Training Offerings
In 2025, MHTC also launched a major expansion of its didactics and specialty training offerings, further strengthening the educational foundation for nearly 400 emerging mental health professionals across 21 Northern California medical centers and the Kaiser Permanente Counseling Center. Our cohorts—Pre‑Master’s Interns, Post‑Master’s Fellows, Doctoral Interns, and Postdoctoral Residents—represent a rich diversity of educational backgrounds and clinical experience.
This year’s enhancements built on the standardized curriculum introduced the previous year, adding greater depth, structure, and evidence‑based rigor. The expanded didactics curriculum now includes comprehensive series in:
- Foundations (e.g., Risk Assessment, Safety Planning, Mandated Reporting)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Unified Protocol (UP)
- Modular Approach to Therapy for Children (MATCH)
- Managing and Adapting Practice (MAP)
- Psychopharmacology
- Addiction Medicine Recovery Services
- Leadership
- Supplemental Adult & Pediatric Assessment
In addition to these core offerings, MHTP expanded its specialty training portfolio to include seven focused pathways:
- Bariatric Assessment Training
- Bilingual Spanish Training
- DBT Training
- Implementation Science
- Gender Health Competency Training
- Health Psychology Training
- Trauma Training, with three evidence‑based modalities:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
These expansions reflect MHTP’s commitment to preparing clinicians with the skills needed to meet the evolving needs of our communities. Curriculum development remains a collaborative effort led by clinical supervisors and program leadership, ensuring that training remains evidence‑based, developmentally appropriate, and aligned with accreditation standards. Ongoing improvements in data collection and evaluation further support our mission to deliver high‑quality, responsive training experiences.
Sharing Our Work on the National Stage
Throughout 2025, MHTC faculty, supervisors, and trainees continued to elevate Kaiser Permanente’s visibility on the national stage through high‑impact scholarly contributions. Their work reflects our commitment to advancing evidence‑based practice, strengthening clinical training, and addressing critical community health needs.
This year’s presentations spanned major national conferences—including APA, ABCT, CPA, and the GME SCOPE Annual Symposium—as well as A‑PRIME quarterly meetings. Collectively, these projects addressed trauma‑informed care, hybrid training models, culturally responsive treatment, chronic pain management, and the ethical integration of technology in clinical training.
Scholarly Activity Highlights
January 2025
- Group‑Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for PTSD Kathryn Wetzler, PsyD; Shay Loftus, PhD A‑PRIME Quarterly Meeting — January 17, 2025 Focused on improving care for an under‑treated mental health diagnosis.
May 2025
- Qualitative Reasons for Dropping Out of Cognitive Processing Therapy — Work in Progress Lydia McGaffe et al.; Amanda Devane, PhD; Ana Zdravkovic, PhD GME SCOPE Annual Symposium — May 1, 2025 Aimed at improving service delivery, engagement, and outcomes in trauma treatment.
- Ethnic Differences in the Efficacy and Utilization of Mental Health Treatment — Work in Progress Karen Ann Horr et al.; Aubyn Fulton, PhD; Galina Kovaleva; Ana Zdravkovic, PhD GME SCOPE Annual Symposium — May 1, 2025 Examined disparities in treatment utilization and identified at‑risk populations.
- Chronic Pain Management for Cancer Survivors — Work in Progress Madison Beloff, MA; Kathrin Braeuinger‑Weimer, PhD; Erica Rush, MA; Colin Goodwin, PsyD; Ana Zdravkovic, PhD GME SCOPE Annual Symposium — May 1, 2025 Strengthened evidence‑based approaches to survivorship care.
- Ethnic Differences in the Efficacy and Utilization of Mental Health Treatment Aubyn Fulton, PhD A‑PRIME Quarterly Meeting — May 7, 2025 Identified disparities in mental health treatment utilization and opportunities for improvement.
Mid‑Year 2025 Conferences
- Trauma‑Informed Perinatal Care: Addressing the Intersection of Prior Trauma and Pregnancy Joanne Lam, PsyD; Shalet Punnoose; Ahsan Rathore; Karan Dilawari; Rose Spinna; Tara Hedayati APA Conference — Denver (2025) Addressed the need for trauma‑informed perinatal care to improve maternal mental health and health equity.
- Enhancing CBT Competency with the Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale–Revised in a Telehealth Training Environment Scott Charlton, MFT; Shay T. Loftus, PhD; Ana Zdravkovic, PhD; Galina Kovaleva, PhD Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies — New Orleans (2025) Advanced training in evidence‑based therapy within virtual care settings.
- Enhancing Hybrid Models for Psychology Training Ana Zdravkovic, PhD; Supria Gill, PhD; Jennifer Thom, PhD; Ren Hong, PhD California Psychological Association — Long Beach (2025) Examined hybrid training models, telesupervision, and the role of AI as a supplemental learning tool.
October 2025
- Chronic Pain Management for Cancer Survivors Colin Goodwin, PsyD A‑PRIME Quarterly Meeting — October 22, 2025 Focused on improving quality of life and daily functioning for cancer survivors.
- Artificial Intelligence Usage in the Training and Development of Mental Health Clinicians Ren Hong, PhD A‑PRIME Quarterly Meeting — October 22, 2025, Explored ethical and effective integration of AI into clinical training.
Individual Recognition
At the CPA 2025 Conference, Glenda May, a graduate student at Palo Alto University and valued member of our training community, was recognized for her outstanding mentorship and advocacy for students from historically marginalized communities. She was also honored for her mental health education outreach in underserved local schools and her work supporting youth in Myanmar in reclaiming access to education. Her recognition reflects the values of equity, service, and global impact that guide our training mission.
Mentorship as a Cornerstone of Growth
The MHTP Mentorship Program continued to flourish in its seventh year, offering trainees a space for connection, guidance, and professional development beyond formal supervision. Nearly 400 mentor–mentee pairs have been matched since the program began—each relationship a testament to the power of community and shared learning.
This year, the program deepened its partnerships with local high schools in East and West Contra Costa County, offering both virtual and in‑person mentoring. These collaborations give young people early exposure to mental health careers and help cultivate a diverse, future‑ready workforce.
Inspiring the Next Generation Through KP Launch
Summer 2025 brought another successful year of the KP Launch Internship, a seven‑week immersive experience hosted across three MHTP hubs. Sixteen high school students and three college students joined us for a journey that blended clinical observation, training seminars, group supervision, and hands‑on projects supporting local clinics.
Interns—many exploring mental health careers for the first time—demonstrated remarkable curiosity, insight, and compassion. Their final presentations showcased not only what they learned but also the promise they hold as future leaders in mental health. The program’s success was made possible by the dedication of our clinical supervisors, trainees, and administrative partners, whose commitment to mentorship and education shines year after year.
Honoring Excellence in Clinical Supervision
Our clinical supervisors remain the backbone of our training programs, and in 2025, many continued to advance their expertise through rigorous certifications and specialized training. Their commitment to lifelong learning ensures that our trainees receive guidance grounded in the highest standards of clinical excellence.
This year, supervisors earned certifications in Unified Protocol, MAP, CAMFT specialties, EMDRIA credentials, Perinatal Mental Health (PMH‑C), ABCSW Board Certified Clinical Supervision, and Cognitive Processing Therapy.
We extend special recognition to Patrizia Meunier, LMFT, who became the first EMDRIA‑approved trainer in our program, and to Dr. Ana Zdravkovic, who achieved ABPP board certification in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. Their accomplishments exemplify the leadership and dedication that define our supervisory team.
Looking Forward
As we close the chapter on 2025, we do so with gratitude—for our trainees, our supervisors, our staff, and the communities we serve. This year reminded us that training is not just about developing skills; it is about nurturing curiosity, fostering resilience, and building a workforce capable of meeting the evolving needs of our communities.
MHTC remains committed to innovation, inclusion, and excellence in mental health training. We look forward to the year ahead and to continuing the work of preparing compassionate, skilled clinicians who will shape the future of mental health care.
