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Cutting Edge
Treatment

Postdoctoral Residency – Oakland

Central Bay Consortium (Oakland and Richmond)

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 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, Latino/a 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 & Diversity

Our training program is committed to nurturing and integrating diversity training into all aspects of the residency by:
Providing residents with opportunities to work with patients who represent various aspects of diversity, including age, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, values, and lifestyle.

Placing a high value on residents’ willingness to engage in self-reflection, and supporting the exploration of attitudes, beliefs and therapeutic postures that could impact clinical interactions.
Maintaining a consistent focus in clinical supervision on expanding residents’ multicultural awareness and competence in the provision of psychotherapeutic services and providing guidance, training, and resources on topics such as mitigating unconscious bias, respecting every voice, and cultivating a sense of inclusion and belonging in the workplace.

Residents are encouraged to participate in the Regional Mental Health Training Program EID Committee’s advanced trainings on topics related to cultural sensitivity and competence along with a forum to reflect on and discuss their varied experiences in a safe environment.

Kaiser Permanente as an organization strives to create an inclusive workplace for our employees, deliver quality health care that is culturally responsive to our members and patients, and address the total health of the communities we serve. To optimize patient care and the appreciation of diversity at an organizational level, Kaiser Permanente has established the Institute of Culturally Competent Care as well as “Centers of Excellence,” which responds to specific health needs of certain populations.

Kaiser Permanente has been recognized for several years and was named Diversity Inc Top 50 Hall of Fame for recognition of our diversity and inclusion practices in hiring, retaining and promoting women, minorities, veterans, people with disabilities and people in the LGBTQ community.

Didactic Training

Regularly scheduled weekly didactic seminars, formerly held at the consortium level, are now organized, and administered regionally for all KP NorCal postdoctoral residents. Residents are required to attend a two-hour weekly virtual seminar, which focuses on developing competencies and expertise in clinical areas most relevant to their day-to-day work.

Our Regional Mental Health Training Program also sponsors seminars for continuing professional development. The seminars are offered at select times during the year for all KP mental health trainees and staff at Kaiser Northern California Medical Centers. We bring in local and national experts on a variety of cutting-edge topics in mental health treatment and research. Regional seminar dates and a list of speakers and topics can be found on the Regional Mental Health Training Programs website. In addition, many of the presentations are recorded and available under the continuing education lecture library webpage.

Seminars and Meetings

Residents attend various weekly team or departmental meetings depending on their track and rotation assignments. They may also attend Grand Rounds at the Medical Center.

Supervision

All residents are supervised by psychologists and are assigned to a primary supervisor, and a secondary supervisor. These clinical supervisors meet with their assigned resident one hour per week for individual face-to-face supervision. Thus, each resident has two hours of individual supervision per week.

The primary and secondary supervisor in each rotation is responsible for supervising the direct delivery of clinical services. The primary supervisor takes the lead role in developing the resident’s learning plan, monitoring their progress, and evaluating their training schedule. The primary supervisor is responsible for supervising the clinical work and completes the resident evaluation after gathering input from the other supervisors and staff who have worked with the resident.

Residents are also provided with two hours of group supervision per week to present cases. Residents learn how to address treating their patients through a cultural framework including age, gender identity, cultural factors, family construct, work and school. Group supervision allows for vicarious learning and modeling. In addition, residents gain experience presenting cases, as well as giving and receiving feedback. Such feedback experiences help them to develop both collegial and supervisory aspects of their professional identities as psychologists.

Community Partnership Program

Reflecting Kaiser Permanente’s core commitment to mental health and wellness in our communities, each resident 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 our Kaiser Permanente patient members. Projects may include presentations on mental health topics or career mentoring in such settings as colleges/schools, faith-based organizations, and other local organizations dedicated to assisting those in need.

The goal of this project is to provide outreach to underserved populations to promote health and advancement. Anchors for the 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; and presenting relevant outcomes data to partnership stakeholders. Residents will meet with the Community Partnership supervisor to assist with placement and the development of a project.

Psychological Assessment

Formal psychological testing opportunities may be offered depending on supervisor availability and approval of the primary supervisor, and training program director as well as resident interest, but are not required in most tracks.

Information on assessment which is integrated into the track experience can be found within the individual track descriptions. Appropriate supervision is provided.

Program Evaluation

Each resident is required to undertake a program evaluation project during their training year. The project is selected based upon the resident’s interests and skill set and should fall within the regular scope of departmental services.

It may involve collecting and analyzing data to improve administrative operations, or a quality improvement project aimed at improving or assessing a treatment program or process. Examples include developing and evaluating a treatment group, intake procedure or other new programming; evaluating factors associated with treatment outcomes; or a needs assessment of a service that may be enriched by psychological consultation. Residents meet with the program evaluation supervisor as a group regularly over the course of the training year to review progress on their projects.

Tracks and Rotations

Addiction Medicine and Recovery Services (AMRS)

The resident in this position will be placed in the addiction medicine service, located in a medical service within a large medical center. Adolescents as well as adults may be seen. The resident selected must have familiarity with medical terminology.

In addition, prior chemical dependency experience is preferred, as this is an advanced training program and remediation of basic chemical dependency concepts and rapid assessment is not offered. We expect the resident in this position to be flexible, as the tasks to be performed may change over the course of the year.

This position may involve after-hours call or pager work at some point during the training year. This position will require period work on weekends and holidays during the year.

Advanced competencies in working with patients in an integrated medical setting are emphasized.

We have been training psychologists on the intricacies of substance abuse treatment since 1995. Most of our staff have over 15 years of experience in the field. Our residents work side by side with psychiatrists, physicians, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and masters level therapists; all of which are experts in addiction medicine and substance abuse treatment. We are an outpatient clinic that offers many levels of substance abuse treatment including abstinence, harm reduction, and medication assisted treatment.

PLEASE NOTE: Residents are classified as essential employees under California regulations and Kaiser Permanente policy. As such, any resident may be required to work on site at any time and may be required to come in during a natural disaster or other event such as COVID19 at the sole discretion of the program. Vaccination is required as part of this position.

Adult Psychodiagnostics Assessment (Year 2)

The resident will conduct initial evaluations and psychological assessments for adults with suspected neurodevelopmental conditions, specifically autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, and co-occurring conditions. This position will include training conducting diagnostic assessments using gold-standard instruments as well as opportunities to co-facilitate group therapy for autistic adults and/or caregivers. There may also be opportunities for ASD program development and informal supervision of doctoral interns and others in assuring that the ADHD clinic runs successfully.

Preference is given to interns who have completed internship at Kaiser Oakland or who have prior experience with ASD assessment/treatment with children or adults. Resident will conduct testing on more difficult cases and build on prior skills learned during internship.

The resident in this position may be required to supervise practicum student(s). The resident may also be required to complete call shifts multiple times during the training year which may include weekends.

Advanced competencies in psychological assessment of adults are emphasized. Experience and strong interest in ASD assessment and/or treatment in either children or adults is preferred.

NOTE: This is a psychodiagnostics assessment program with an emphasis on neurodevelopmental conditions like ASD & ADHD, but it is not a neuropsychological assessment training program and as a defined one-year program would not meet full criteria for board certification in neuropsychology.

PLEASE NOTE: Residents are classified as essential employees under California regulations and Kaiser Permanente policy. As such, any resident may be required to work on site at any time and may be required to come in during a natural disaster or other event such as COVID19 at the sole discretion of the program. Vaccination is required as part of this position.

Crisis Intervention with Hospital Exposure

The person selected for this position will be responsible for seeing patients presenting to the outpatient clinic’s crisis services in Oakland (located in walking distance of the hospital), on the adult team. This position may involve after-hours call or pager work at some point during the training year.

The resident in this position is also placed in the general inpatient medical unit in a tertiary care facility. Adults are the only group regularly seen. The Oakland Hospital services a major medical center for the San Francisco East Bay region.

The resident in this position performs evaluations of patients in the inpatient units to determine interventions that will reduce morbidities upon discharge. The resident will also be aiding medical and psychiatry staff in determining which patients require a higher level of care, and which patients will need to be discharged to a facility for person with co-morbid psychiatric and/or medical problems.

Advanced competencies in psychological assessment using clinical interviewing of medically compromised patients and psychiatrically unstable patients are emphasized.

PLEASE NOTE: Residents are classified as essential employees under California regulations and Kaiser Permanente policy. As such, any resident may be required to work on site at any time and may be required to come in during a natural disaster or other event such as COVID19 at the sole discretion of the program. Vaccination is required as part of this position.

Pediatric Behavioral Medicine

The postdoctoral resident on the multidisciplinary child and family team receives training in general child and family clinic work as well as formal psychological assessment with children and adolescents. The resident spends all clinical time in clinical case working with children and families of children with medical disorders.

The pediatric behavioral medicine resident works closely with pediatricians in primary care and medical subspecialty areas to help support individuals and families coping with a range of psychiatric and/or medical conditions. The resident will have the opportunity to conduct CL (consultation/liaison) work with hospitalized pediatric patients. Additionally, the resident will be expected to carry an outpatient caseload working with youths w/complex medical and psychiatric presentations. The resident works closely with a multidisciplinary team of physicians, psychologists, social workers, nutritionists, and nurses in subspecialty areas such as diabetes and other medical specialties. The resident has the opportunity to co-facilitate various psychotherapy groups, such as a support group for parents of children with diabetes. The BMS resident will also have opportunity to supervise a doctoral intern during their training year.

The resident in this position may be required to supervise practicum student(s). The resident may also be required to complete call shifts multiple times during the training year which may include weekends. Advanced competencies in clinical work with children are emphasized.

PLEASE NOTE: Residents are classified as essential employees under California regulations and Kaiser Permanente policy. As such, any resident may be required to work on site at any time and may be required to come in during a natural disaster or other event such as COVID19 at the sole discretion of the program. Vaccination is required as part of this position.

Gender Transitions (MST)

One post-doctoral resident 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 California. 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 strive to be affirmative, sex-positive, respectful and culturally attuned.

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
  • Conduct 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
  • Supervise pre-doctoral intern

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

Students interested in formal testing experience may not find this aspect of the position sufficient for their professional development goals.

Advanced competencies in gender affirming care are stressed.

PLEASE NOTE: Residents are classified as essential employees under California regulations and Kaiser Permanente policy. As such, any resident may be required to work on site at any time and may be required to come in during a natural disaster or other event such as COVID19 at the sole discretion of the program. Vaccination is required as part of this position

Adult IOP and Clinical Case Management (CCM)

IOP is an outpatient crisis stabilization program designed to help our most vulnerable mental health patient population. The program has been successful in helping clinic patients avoid hospitalization and offering a step-down from a higher level of care to prevent quick return of symptoms and possible rehospitalization. The resident in this placement will actively participate in co-facilitating 3x/week process and psychoeducation groups, complete 2 IOP Intake Assessments each week and closely monitor and case manage a small caseload of IOP patients during their program stay. CCM manages cases where patients are suffering from severe and persistent mental disorders (SPMI). These are patients requiring longer term, intensive services to prevent hospitalization and maintain optimal functioning. The resident will carry cases and conduct groups in both programs.

Advanced competencies in working with people with SPMI are emphasized.

PLEASE NOTE: Residents are classified as essential employees under California regulations and Kaiser Permanente policy. As such, any resident may be required to work on site at any time and may be required to come in during a natural disaster or other event such as COVID19 at the sole discretion of the program. Vaccination is required as part of this position.

Schedule

  • Direct Patient Care: 25 hours
  • Non-Direct Patient Care: 5+ hours
  • Individual Supervision: 2 hours
  • Group Supervision: 2 hours
  • Community Partnership Project: ~1 Hour
  • Program Evaluation Project: ~1 hour
  • Didactic Experiences: 2 hours
  • Study time for the EPPP and CPLEE (state required law and ethics exam): Hours vary

Program Graduates

2022 Cohort

Graduate University/Institute Track/Specialty Rotation Current Position, Specialty & Location
Kimberly Bausback Palo Alto University Child and Family Testing
Barbara Kessell Alliant International University AMRS Psychological Assistant, Kaiser Permanente
Jordan Lee William James College Child and Family Generalist Psychological Assistant, Kaiser Permanente
Bette Maisel-White The Wright Institute AMRS Psychological Assistant, Kaiser Permanente
Annika Miyamoto University of San Francisco Hospital and Crisis After Hours Provider, Kaiser Permanente

Accreditation

  • Central Bay Consortium (Oakland, Richmond) 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

East Bay Medical Center – Oakland Campus
275 W. MacArthur Blvd
Oakland, CA 94611

East Bay Medical Center – Richmond Campus: Department of Psychiatry
901 Nevin Ave
Richmond, CA 94801

Training Director

F. Myron Hays, PhD, ABPP
Consortium Director
myron.hays@kp.org
510-752-6685


F. Myron Hays, PhD, ABPP
Training Program Director - Oakland
myron.hays@kp.org
510-752-6685


Meet the Training Team

Membership

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

Additional Resources

Postdoctoral Residency Admissions, Support, and Initial Placement Data

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