Psychological Services Center at the State University of New York at Albany: A case study.

Abstract

A model for the development and implementation of a psychology training center shared equally by a counseling psychology program and a clinical psychology program is discussed. The history of the Center and the administrative structure are reviewed. Professional issues, including third party payments and training versus financial priorities are also addressed. It is believed that the Center's development and administration raises issues that need to be considered by those developing or reorganizing a psychology training center.

Review of research conducted in psychology program training clinics.

“…Various researchers have addressed the nature and organization of TCs. These studies include two surveys focused directly on organizational issues (Calhoun & Green, 1984; Serafica & Harway, 1980), additional surveys on more specific topics such as after-hours coverage (Bernstein, Feldberg, & Brown, 1991), and an assortment of organizational case studies (Bry, 1992; Kausch & Leventhal, 1972; Levine & Wishner, 1977; Wapner et al, 1984) and program evaluations (Aronson, Akamatsu, & Page, 1982; Harway & Serafica, 1977; Stevenson, Norcross, King, & Tobin, 1984; Walsh et al, 1985). One major focus has been on the relationships among goals, priorities, and organizational structure, whereas another set of issues concerns service delivery, staffing, and clinical policy.…”

“…The implications of such differences rarely have been examined and then only within case studies. For example, Wapner et al (1984) described the ways in which one clinic addressed the challenge of serving two independent academic programs.…”

“…Finally, TCs may represent a unique segment of the human service delivery system. TCs often provide low-cost services (e.g., Ankuta & Abeles, 1993; Bachelor, 1988; Bry, 1992; Wapner, Blanchard, & Blocher, 1984), including forms that might otherwise be unavailable to clients with low incomes (e.g., long-term treatment or intensive family therapy). Again the nature of these services, the populations served, and their efficacy, are all empirical issues that should ideally be addressed by the research literature.…”

Transferring psychotherapy clients: State of the art.

“…The center serves the local community and, as such, attracts a diverse, noncollegiate clientele who present with a wide range of psychological problems. (For a complete description of the center, see Wapner, Blanchard, & Blocher, 1984. ) An initial screening was made of all closed case files in May 1984.…”

After-hours coverage in psychology training clinics.

“…As this is the reality of training centers, information about the training program is disseminated to prospective clients and referral sources. It has been posited that this practice, and that of informing referring parties that psychiatric consultation is not available, decreases referrals of persons with serious psychopathology, thereby protecting the clinic, students, and clients (Wapner, Blanchard, & Blocher, 1984). Others (e.g., Halgin, 1986) have criticized the homogeneity of university-based training clinics and emphasized the impor-tance of client diversity in training.…”