I am so excited about the progress made by our Texas Psychology Internship Initiative grantees. In 2011 the Hogg Foundation launched the initiative and subsequently awarded three organizations and one consortium $2.2 million dollars to start new psychology internship programs. In accordance with the grant requirements, all of the programs are pursuing accreditation by the American Psychological Association.
Scott & White, Travis County Juvenile Probation Department, and University of Houston-Clear Lake Counseling Services, once again filled all of their intern positions.
The El Paso Psychology Internship Consortium (EPPIC), which started in a planning phase this academic year, entered the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Programs (APPIC) Match for the first time in 2013. While only being able to fill one of their six slots in Phase I (in which they were virtually “invisible” to students as non-APPIC members), they have now filled their remaining five positions in Phase II, and with strong candidates. EPPIC now has internship positions at The University of Texas at El Paso Counseling Center, Beaumont Army Medical Center, and Texas Tech Health Science Center Department of Psychiatry.
A total of 4,114 applicants participated in the 2013 APPIC Match. After both Phase I and II of the match process, 788 (19%) students remained unmatched with an internship position. While students may continue to seek positions through the APPIC Post-Match Vacancy Service, only 19 internship positions remain unfilled nationally.
In partnership with the Meadows Foundation and Paso del Norte Health Foundation, the Hogg Foundation has added eight new psychology training positions to Texas in this cycle of the match, on top of the seven we added last year. That is 15 new training opportunities in Texas.
This is really exciting mental health workforce news for our state!