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Adaptive
Health Care

Doctoral Internship – East Bay Medical Center (Oakland and Richmond Campuses)

Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center
Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center

Oakland is a bustling, diverse metropolitan city 10 miles from San Francisco, and adjacent to Berkeley. It offers the best of both worlds – the cultural opportunities of an urban environment and uniquely beautiful natural parks and open spaces. The climate is temperate with mild winters and abundant sunshine. The East Bay Regional Parks around Oakland encompass 59 parks with more than 91,000 acres for hiking, running, swimming, and other outdoor activities. Nearby Jack London Square offers fine dining and shopping and Piedmont Avenue, which is within walking distance of the medical center, also boasts numerous restaurants and stores. The city hosts a Farmer’s Market on 9th Street every Friday.

The Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center is the flagship facility of the entire Northern California Kaiser Permanente system. The Permanente Foundation opened its first hospital in Oakland in 1942. A new hospital of 346 beds was constructed in 2009, with three nearby office buildings providing outpatient services. All facilities are located in the central portion of the city and accessible by public transportation. Kaiser Permanente Oakland provides primary care to 32% of the surrounding population and tertiary care to three million health plan members in Northern California. It is a regional referral center for specialty services, such as genetics, spine surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, and transgender care.

The Psychiatry department serves a large urban and suburban community, extending from Richmond, Pinole, and Albany to the city of Alameda and San Leandro, with Oakland and Berkeley in between. Our patient population reflects the unique ethnic and cultural diversity of the region with members identifying as African American, Asian, Caucasian, Latinx, and other. Common languages spoken include Spanish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Our membership also includes Medicare/Medi-Cal enrollees, who comprise 11% of the population cared for in our service area. Oakland and its surrounding cities are home to one of the largest sexual and gender diverse populations in the US. Kaiser Permanente Oakland Psychiatry has been a mental health training site since the 1980s.

Program Curriculum

Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity

We are committed to nurturing and integrating diversity training into all aspects of our doctoral internship by:

  • Providing interns with opportunities to work with diverse patients who represent various aspects of diversity, including age, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, values, and lifestyle
  • Placing a high value on interns’ willingness to engage in self-reflection and learning and supporting the exploration of attitudes, beliefs, and therapeutic postures that could have a negative impact on clinical interactions
  • Maintaining a consistent focus in clinical supervision on expanding interns’ multicultural awareness and competence in the provision of psychotherapeutic services and by providing guidance, suggestions, and resources on topics related to diversity
  • Providing formal in-person or online training on diversity topics such as discovering and mitigating unconscious bias, respecting every voice, and cultivating a sense of inclusion and belonging in the workplace

Didactic Training and Seminars

Each doctoral intern will have (over the course of the year) 100 hours of didactic training. This will be a mixture of organizational required trainings, training specifically on health care terminology and language, medical grand rounds (adult and pediatric), professional development (including residency application processes), application of diversity training, and use of professional resources in treatment.

Regularly scheduled weekly didactic seminars are organized and administered by the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) Mental Health Training Program. Interns are required to attend the two-hour weekly seminar, which focuses on aspects of clinical practice that the interns may not regularly encounter.

Diversity issues are always integrated into seminar presentations. Seminar topics include Frontiers in Trauma Treatment; Advanced Risk Assessment; Updates in Substance Abuse Research & Treatment; Advancements in Psychopharmacology; Cognitive Processing Therapy; Technology and Mental Health; Trans/Nonbinary Mental Health; Building a Better Brain through Exercise, Nutrition, Sleep and Stress Management; and Self-Compassion.

The KPNC Mental Health Training Program also sponsors professional training courses for continuing professional development. These courses and presentations are offered at select times during the year for all KPNC mental health trainees and medical center staff. The KPNC Mental Health Training Program brings in national experts and keynote speakers on a variety of cutting-edge topics in mental health treatment and research. Interns are expected to attend all MHTP Speaker Series seminars. Current seminar schedules and a list of speakers and topics can be found on the KPNC Mental Health Training Programs website. In addition, many of these lectures are recorded and available on this website under the Continuing Education Seminar Library.

Meetings and Case Consultation

Doctoral interns may be expected to attend team staff meetings and case consultation. During these meetings, interns will practice creating a working hypothesis for a diagnosis and treatment plan, as well as learn how to incorporate Feedback Informed Care (FIC) and symptom management in their treatment planning. Additionally, doctoral interns will learn how to align their patient’s cultural background into their treatment plan.

Doctoral interns will be allocated time off to take the EPPP should they wish to do so.

Supervision

All doctoral interns are supervised by licensed psychologists and are assigned to a primary and secondary supervisor. These two clinical supervisors meet with their assigned intern one hour per week for individual face-to-face supervision, for a total of two hours of individual supervision per week. The primary and secondary supervisor in each training rotation is responsible for supervising the direct delivery of clinical services. The primary supervisor takes the lead role in developing the intern’s learning plan, monitoring their progress, and evaluating their training schedule. The primary supervisor is also responsible for supervising the intern’s clinical work and completing quarterly evaluations after gathering input from the other delegated supervisors and staff who have worked with the intern.

Doctoral interns are also provided with weekly clinical group supervision and group supervision for psychological assessment. During clinical group supervision, interns learn how to conceptualize treatment plans and frame interventions through a cultural framework that considers age, gender identity, race and ethnicity, family systems, socioeconomic status, work and school history, and other cultural factors. Interns also gain experience presenting clinical cases, as well as giving and receiving peer feedback. These feedback interactions help interns to develop both collegial and supervisory aspects of their professional identities as psychologists. Assessment group supervision provides support for interns gaining proficiency conducting psychological evaluations. During assessment group supervision, interns have an opportunity to discuss several aspects of the assessment process, including how to interpret test results, formulate clinical impressions, and plan patient feedback.

Community Partnership Program

Reflecting Kaiser Permanente’s core commitment to mental health and wellness in our communities, each doctoral intern will spend at least 32 hours during their training year on a Community Partnership Project that focuses on improving mental health in the local community beyond Kaiser Permanente patient membership.

The goal of this project is to provide outreach to underserved populations in the community to promote healthy behaviors. Anchors for this project include developing alliances with individuals and/or systems to improve the lives of those served; providing education and training based on the empirical literature; collecting, analyzing, and presenting relevant outcome data to partnership stakeholders.

The scope and focus of the projects are site specific, reflecting the unique opportunities available in each community to develop meaningful partnerships. Projects are developed in conjunction with the site training director and can take a wide range of forms. Many Community Partnership Projects entail psychoeducational programs at local high schools or community centers, with emphasis in such areas as mindfulness, stress reduction, parenting education, anger management, or communication trainings. Other projects have involved staff consultation at county or non-profit agencies (e.g., homeless shelters, community mental health clinics, prisons, etc.).

Psychological Assessment

All doctoral interns are expected to complete at least 100 hours of assessment batteries during the internship year which includes a structured interview, test administration, scoring and interpretation, report writing, and feedback. Referral questions for testing may be psychodiagnostic or cognitive assessments. Our clinical population will expose doctoral interns to a wide variety of referrals with the vast majority (if not exclusively) being ADHD cases.

Research Training

Each doctoral intern is required to participate in a demonstration of applied research skill sets. All doctoral interns may be required to present to a Grand Rounds at the medical center (topic developed in conjunction with the program and typically based on the intern’s dissertation) and may be required to submit research of a psychological nature (and if accepted to present) at a state, regional, or national psychology-oriented meeting. All doctoral interns are required to attend a regionally sponsored “Journal Club” in which they will research a topic of clinical interest to the group and present findings. Some residents may be offered an opportunity to participate in a research project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clinical Service Opportunities

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

  • We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track.
  • We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions.
  • Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in.
  • Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment.
  • We are using a virtual interview format for the 2024/2025 training year.

Tracks and Rotations

Adult Crisis and Acute Care – Adult ADHD Testing – Includes Hospital Exposure Oakland Location

The intern in this placement serves in the adult crisis service (with exposure to the adult units in the tertiary medical care hospital), and 1 shift per week in the ADHD testing services for adult patients in the clinic. The adult crisis team meets with patients within the Department of Psychiatry as well as the emergency department. It handles a range of emergency situations, offering rapid risk assessment, brief-intervention psychotherapy, consultations, and developing tailored treatment plans for patients in urgent needs. Please note that interns in this placement are required to work with medically compromised and physically ill patients and must always work on site.

ADHD assessment in this position involves a structured clinical interview and rating scales and may occasionally in-office follow ups with tests like the CPT. This is a high-volume program with an intensive focus on differential diagnosis, but very few opportunities for formal testing or traditional psychological assessment are available. Students interested in more formal testing experience may not find this aspect of the position sufficient for their professional development goals.

Successful interns will need to be able to work in fast paced environments with a focus on immediate interventions and not long-term work with patients.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

* We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track

* We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions

* Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

* Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year *

The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Child Crisis and Acute Care – with Child ADHD Testing – Includes Hospital Exposure Oakland Location

The intern in this placement serves in the child crisis service (with exposure to the child units in the tertiary medical care hospital), and 1 shift per week in the ADHD testing services for adult patients in the clinic. Successful applicants should have interest and abilities to see both children and adults. Limited exposure to patients in the emergency department may be provided. Please note that interns in this placement are required to work with medically compromised and physically ill patients and must always work on site.

ADHD assessment in this position involves a structured clinical interview and rating scales and may occasionally in-office follow ups with tests like the CPT. This is a high-volume program with an intensive focus on differential diagnosis, but very few opportunities for formal testing or traditional psychological assessment are available. Students interested in more formal testing experience may not find this aspect of the position sufficient for their professional development goals.

Successful interns will need to be able to work in fast paced environments with a focus on immediate interventions and not long-term work with patients.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

* We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track

* We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions

* Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

* Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year

*The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Adult ADHD and Neurodevelopmental Assessment Testing Oakland Location

The intern will conduct initial evaluations and psychological assessments for adults with suspected neurodevelopmental conditions, specifically ADHD with exposure to adult autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and co-occurring conditions. This position will include training conducting diagnostic assessments

Preference is given to interns who have prior experience with ADHD or ASD assessment/treatment with children or adults.

Experience and strong interest in ASD assessment and/or treatment in either children or adults is preferred.

Please note that this is not designed to be a full-time neuropsychology internship. It is specifically designed to build fundamental skills sets in psychological testing and assessment with adults in two very specific areas. Persons wanting exposure to a broad range of psychopathologies or to full and extended batteries or who want an internship to create skills required for a full time a neuropsychological assessment training program should carefully consider this position and determine if the position will match their interests and training goals.

Adult Services -- Generalist Track – (3 people) – Oakland Location

Two interns serve in the adult services team providing generalist clinical care to a diverse patient population presenting with a wide variety of diagnoses, symptom severity, and racial and cultural identities. Supervisors are experienced generalists with additional expertise in trauma, anxiety, and/or OCD. Interns who thrive in this role enjoy working in a fast-paced environment. Individual therapy caseloads grow gradually at the beginning of the year and expand continuously throughout the year as new patients are seen every week. In addition to psychotherapy, interns in this rotation conduct adult ADHD testing one half day per week, primarily using clinical interviews. Due to the time demands of providing psychotherapy and adult ADHD testing, additional or alternative assessment opportunities are not available. Interns in this rotation work only with adults.

ADHD assessment in this position involves a structured clinical interview and rating scales; interns who do more than a half day on this rotation also do in-office follow ups with tests like the CPT. This is a high[1]volume program with an intensive focus on differential diagnosis, but very few opportunities for formal testing or traditional psychological assessment are available. Students interested in more formal testing experience may not find this aspect of the position sufficient for their professional development goals.

Successful interns will need to be able to work in fast paced environments with a focus on immediate interventions and short-term work with patients.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

* We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track

* We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions

* Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

* Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year

*The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Child Generalist in Richmond Clinic

The intern in this position will be assigned to the Richmond Psychiatry Child Team and will be working with a general youth service caseload. Interns in this position will conduct multiple groups over the course of the training year, provide brief individual and family therapy, and will conduct ADHD assessments throughout the year. The intern in this position will need to be comfortable working with both young children and adolescents and feel comfortable working with parents. Depending on experience, skills, and interest, limited opportunities may be available at the discretion of the program and leadership for exposure to specialty programs such as Intensive Outpatient, Crisis Stabilization, Gender Care, ASD, or emergency department evaluations with the Crisis Response Team.

ADHD testing in this position uses a clinical interview format as well as collection and review of rating forms. In some cases, administration of computerized testing is utilized. Opportunities for other testing and assessment experience may be provided at the discretion of the program and leadership based on availability and the skills of each intern in these positions.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

* We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track

* We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions

* Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

* Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year

*The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Child Generalist in Oakland Clinic – 2 Positions

The intern in this position will be assigned to the Oakland Psychiatry Child Team and will be working with a general youth service caseload. Interns in this position will conduct multiple groups over the course of the training year, provide brief individual and family therapy, and will participate in the ADHD assessment program throughout the year. The intern in this position will need to be comfortable working with both young children and adolescents and feel comfortable working with parents from multicultural and diverse economic backgrounds. Depending on experience, skills, and interest, limited opportunities may be available at the discretion of the program and leadership for exposure to specialty programs such as Intensive Outpatient, Crisis Stabilization, Gender Care, ASD, OCD or emergency department evaluations with the Crisis Response Team.

ADHD testing in this position uses a clinical interview format as well as collection and review of rating forms. In some cases, administration of computerized testing is utilized. Opportunities for other testing and assessment experience may be provided at the discretion of the program and leadership based on availability and the skills of each intern in these positions.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

* We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track

* We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions

* Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

* Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year

*The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Pediatric Behavioral Medicine– Oakland Location

The pediatric behavioral medicine intern works closely with primary care pediatricians to help connect children, adolescents, and families to mental health services that are an appropriate fit for their needs. This intern conducts exam-room consultations and intake evaluations with youth and families with a variety of clinical concerns, including mood and anxiety disorders, OCD, tics, ASD, ADHD, trauma, eating disorders, elimination disorders, and behavioral problems. Additionally, the pediatric BMS intern helps support individuals and families coping with a range of medical conditions. This intern has the opportunity to provide short-term treatment that primarily involves behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions. The intern also has the opportunity to co-facilitate various psychotherapy groups, such as parenting support groups. Additionally, this intern is involved in pediatric neuropsychology, ADHD, and ASD testing rotations two afternoons of the week.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

* We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track

* We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions

* Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

* Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year *The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Gender Transitions (MST) – Oakland Location

One intern will be placed with the “The Multi-Specialty Transitions (MST) Department” at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center which is a regional hub for gender-affirming medical care in Northern CA. The clinic’s mental health model is rooted in self-determination and informed consent, and providers on this team support patients holistically as they pursue gender affirming medical care. The mental health service in the clinic also closely collaborates with medical providers to offer a range of services that support patients’ emotional and psychological well-being. These services are affirmative, sex-positive, respectful and culturally sensitive.

The clinic team consists of mental health providers as well as clinicians from surgery, internal medicine, gynecology, social work, and nursing, who work together to provide comprehensive healthcare for Kaiser Permanente members needing gender-affirming health care services.

A mental health clinician in this role has the opportunity to provide the following services:

  • Conduct informing sessions for gender affirming medical care including hormones and surgeries
  • Provide ongoing support for patients as they prepare for and recover from gender affirming surgeries
  • Facilitate support groups
  • Short term psychotherapy
  • Present mental health and wellness material at surgical education classes
  • Provide support for youth and families navigating decisions related to medical and social transition
  • Coordinate care across an interdisciplinary team of providers
  • Develop patient education material and resources

An ideal candidate for this position has a working knowledge of transgender and non-binary identities, is rooted in social justice frameworks, and understands the historical gatekeeping role that mental health providers have played in trans health and are willing to interrogate their own subjectivities in clinical encounters with patients.

Interns do one half day per week in the ADHD clinic working with patients with ADHD.

ADHD assessment in this position involves a structured clinical interview and rating scales; interns who do more than a half day on this rotation also do in-office follow ups with tests like the CPT. This is a high-volume program with an intensive focus on differential diagnosis, but very few opportunities for formal testing or traditional psychological assessment are available. Students interested in more formal testing experience may not find this aspect of the position sufficient for their professional development goals.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

* We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track

* We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions

* Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

* Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year

*The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Adult Behavioral Medicine (General Services) – Oakland Location

The intern in this position will be placed in the behavioral medicine service, located within Kaiser’s primary care facilities. Prior behavioral medicine experience is preferred, but not required. The position is primarily spent in face-to-face patient care. Appointments are 30 minutes every 2-3 weeks, offering 6 sessions at a time (with flexibility based on need of the patient), in line with the behavioral consultation model of mental health.

Intern will gain breath of experience in assessing and treating many different mild to moderate psychological presentations, including but not limited to psychological stress from a medical condition, chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety disorders, specific phobia, depression, and grief, among other presentations. The intern’s case load can be adjusted based on their clinical interests. There is opportunity to run group therapy including ACT for chronic illnesses and CBT for Health Anxiety. Supervisor modalities are primarily 3rd wave therapies, such as CBT, mindfulness-based CBT, behavioral therapy, and ACT. Intern will learn rapid assessment for a large breadth of lower acuity psychological disorders while providing behavioral and cognitive interventions. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary care and consultation with the behavioral medicine team.

Interns do one half day per week in the ADHD clinic working with patients with ADHD.

ADHD assessment in this position involves a structured clinical interview and rating scales; interns who do more than a half day on this rotation also do in-office follow ups with tests like the CPT. This is a high-volume program with an intensive focus on differential diagnosis, but very few opportunities for formal testing or traditional psychological assessment are available. Students interested in more formal testing experience may not find this aspect of the position sufficient for their professional development goals.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

* We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track

* We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions

* Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

* Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year

*The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Addiction Medicine Recovery Services (AMRS) – Oakland Location

Kaiser Permanente Oakland Addiction Medicine and Recovery Services (AMRS) is an outpatient treatment program providing recovery services for adults and adolescents with substance use disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. We work closely with the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) team as well as Kaiser Permanente’s nearby hospital emergency department and medical offices. Services include:

Adult Programming

  • Day Treatment (a highly structured intensive outpatient treatment providing patients with 20 hours per week of recovery-based treatment for 3 weeks)
  • Assessment and Referral to Residential Recovery Services
  • Psychoeducation and Relapse Prevention
  • Continuing and Long-Term Recovery
  • Harm Reduction and Controlled Use Support
  • Dual Diagnosis

Adolescent Programming

  • Abstinence-based programs
  • Family Therapy and Psychoeducation

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)

  • Detoxification and Withdrawal
  • Anti-craving (Naltrexone, Campral, Antabuse, Buprenorphine)
  • General Psychiatric Medication Support

AMRS doctoral interns receive training, supervision, and clinical experience in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of substance use and co-occurring disorders. Professionally, in addition to supervision, trainees are involved in clinical consultation meetings to round on patients in the entire department, can participate in work groups aimed at coordinating and improving programs currently running, and curriculum development. Trainees also attend staff meetings as part of the general professional community here at Oakland AMRS.

For students applying to any position in the Kaiser Oakland Psychology Internship, please do the following:

* We will only offer interviews for people who indicate an interest in a specific track

* We will not use an expressed interest in multiple tracks in any ranking decisions

* Make sure that in the APPI you mark all positions you are interested in working in

* * Ensure that your cover letter clearly and specifically lays out why you are interested in a specific training experience AND your background that makes you a good fit for the position as well as why you are interested in working in an integrated health care and HMO model environment rather than a private practice or other environment

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year

*The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Adult Services -- Generalist Track –Richmond Location

Kaiser Permanente Department of Psychiatry is seeking one highly motivated and culturally competent Predoctoral Intern to join the Adult Services Team in the Generalist Track at the Richmond Medical Center. This internship provides an exceptional opportunity to gain comprehensive experience across a range of psychiatric services within a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment committed to culturally responsive, equitable, and inclusive care. The Generalist Track is designed to offer broad exposure to Supervisors are experienced generalists with additional expertise in trauma, anxiety, and/or OCD. Interns who thrive in this role enjoy working in a fast-paced environment. Individual therapy caseloads grow gradually at the beginning of the year expand continuously throughout the year as new patients are seen every week various psychiatric populations, clinical settings, and therapeutic modalities, fostering the development of well-rounded, compassionate, and culturally aware mental health professionals. Successful interns will need to be able to work in fast paced environments with a focus on immediate interventions and not long-term work with patients.

Group facilitation opportunities are available based on the intern’s interest and schedule. In addition to psychotherapy, interns in this rotation conduct adult ADHD testing one half day per week, primarily using clinical interviews. Due to the time demands of providing psychotherapy and adult ADHD testing, additional or alternative assessment opportunities are not available. Interns in this rotation work only with adults.

Clinical Services:

Provide individual, group, and family therapy to a diverse patient population, focusing on delivering culturally responsive care that respects and honors each patient’s unique cultural background, identity, and lived experiences.

Conduct comprehensive diagnostic assessments, risk assessments, and treatment planning, integrating a culturally informed perspective to ensure care is relevant and effective for all patients.

Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers to deliver integrated, patient-centered care that prioritizes cultural humility and inclusivity.

Possibility to facilitate therapeutic groups that address the unique needs and challenges of diverse cultural communities, aiming to improve mental health literacy and coping skills in a culturally sensitive manner.

Engage in crisis intervention, safety planning, and case management, focusing on understanding the cultural context of each patient’s situation.

Training and Development:

Participate in weekly individual and group supervision, case conferences, and didactic seminars designed to enhance clinical skills, cultural competence, and professional development.

Gain experience in evidence-based practices, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and other therapeutic modalities, with a strong emphasis on adapting these practices to be culturally responsive and relevant.

Collaborative Care:

Work closely with primary care providers, specialty care teams, and external agencies to coordinate care and ensure continuity of services, with a commitment to cultural humility and respect for all patients.

Participate in interdisciplinary case discussions and treatment team meetings to develop comprehensive, culturally informed care plans that address the holistic needs of patients.

Research and Evaluation:

Engage in program evaluation and quality improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing service delivery, patient outcomes, and cultural responsiveness in care.

Participate in ongoing research projects within the department, with opportunities to contribute to publications and presentations that advance knowledge and practice in culturally responsive mental health care.

ADHD Clinic:

Interns will spend one day per week in the ADHD clinic, conducting evaluations using structured clinical interviews, rating scales, and other assessment tools. This experience offers focused training in the differential diagnosis of ADHD, with an emphasis on understanding how cultural factors may influence symptom presentation and diagnosis.

* We are using a virtual interview process format for the 2025/2026 training year

*The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership. ADHD assessment in this position involves a structured clinical interview and rating scales; interns who do more than a half day on this rotation also do in-office follow ups with tests like the CPT. This is a high[1]volume program with an intensive focus on differential diagnosis, but very few opportunities for formal testing or traditional psychological assessment are available. Students interested in more formal testing experience may not find this aspect of the position sufficient for their professional development goals.

*Successful interns will need to be able to work in fast paced environments with a focus on immediate interventions and not long-term work with patients.

*The program is in a large medical center and requires all interns to meet vaccine requirements and well as being able to work on site at any time at the sole discretion of the program and leadership.

Schedule

Monday – Friday 8 AM to 8 PM (exact hours vary by day and rotation, with most being 830-530 M-F)

Direct Patient Care:  20 hours
Non-Direct Patient Care: 5 hours+
Individual Supervision: 2 hours
Group Supervision: 2 hours
Community Benefits Project: ~1 hour
Research Competency Requirements: ~1 hour
Didactic Experiences: 2 hours

Program Graduates

2021-2022 Cohort

Graduate University/Institute Track/Specialty Rotation Current Position, Specialty & Location
Helen Iat Chio Chan The Wright Institute Hospital Rotations Postdoctoral Residency, Adult Testing and Assessment Services, Kaiser Permanente Oakland
Erin Chatten Midwestern University Eating Disorder
Michael Creekpaum Palo Alto University Adult Services/Group,(Generalist) Postdoctoral Residency, Adult, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara
Beatriz Garcia The Wright Institute Adult BMS/ PSY/ CPY/OBGYN Postdoctoral Residency, OBGYN Adult Behavioral Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Oakland
Daniel Gabay Alliant International University Fast Treat GI/ Behavioral Medicine Postdoctoral Residency, Adult Services Department (Service Provision with Physical Illness), Kaiser Permanente Oakland
Alex Townsend Lotz-Nigh The Wright Institute MST & PSY
Brian McKenzie Alliant International University IOP Postdoctoral Residency, Adult, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara
Zeynep Ozpolat Pepperdine University Ped Beh Med, PBS & PSY &CPY
Daniel Snyder Palo Alto University Hosp/Adult/Crisis, PSY & CPY Postdoctoral Residency, Hospital and Crisis Services, Kaiser Permanente Oakland
Tiphanie Sutton Stanford University Rotation Hosp Test, CPY & PSY
Lindsey White University of Massachusetts Boston (Counseling Psychology) Hospital Adult Crisis
Bradley Wolf The Wright Institute Rotations Hospital Testing Postdoctoral Residency, Child & Family Services (Generalist), Kaiser Permanente Oakland
Benjamin Greenberg Palo Alto University Adult BMS/ PSY/ CPY/OBGYN

Accreditation

  • Accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA)
  • Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association 750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 / Phone: (202) 336-5979 / E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org / Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Location

Oakland Mental Health Department
275 W. MacArthur Blvd
Oakland, CA 94611

Richmond Medical Center
901 Nevin Ave, Building 2, Floor 3
Richmond, CA 94801

Training Director

F. Myron Hays, PhD, ABPP
Training Director
myron.hays@kp.org
510-752-1075


Meet the Training Team

Membership

Member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC)

Additional Resources

Internship Admission, Support and Initial Placement Data

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