PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT
OVERVIEW
The Psychology Department is organized under the auspices of the Spring Grove Hospital Center’s Medical Staff Bylaws and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), Behavioral Health Administration (BHA). The Psychology Department is also responsive to national professional psychology guidelines, as well as other surveying, licensing, and/or accrediting bodies.
Psychology Department core clinical staff at Spring Grove Hospital Center is comprised of full-time and half-time licensed psychologists, doctoral-level psychology associates, psychology interns and externs, and a department secretary. Additionally, there are forensic psychologists working in the Forensic Services Department of the Hospital providing an array of forensic evaluation services. The Director of Psychology reports directly to the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital and is included in hospital-wide management committees.
All psychologists in the department are credentialed and privileged through the Psychology Department, with approval by the Chief Medical Officer, with re-credentialing every two years. Psychologists are approved for specialized privileges based on specialized training, education and experience.
PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy of the Psychology Department at Spring Grove Hospital Center is to provide appropriate quality care to patients by enhancing the development of professional psychology and assisting in the formulation and implementation of Hospital goals and objectives consistent with the Hospital’s Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles.
Psychologists demonstrate their commitment to Spring Grove's mission through many avenues, including direct clinical services (including participation in the work of interdisciplinary treatment teams), adherence to professional and ethical standard of practice, continuing education, performance improvement, training of interns and externs, and involvement in the Hospital’s program and evaluation process. Psychology staff also participates in Hospital and Department committees. The former includes the following: Joint Executive; Clinical Department Heads; Continuing Medical Education; Patient Care; Medical Records; Utilization Review; Performance Improvement Steering Committee; and various special hospital-wide work groups. Psychology Department Committees include Psychology Credentialing and Privileging Committee; Continuing Education Committee; Internship Training Committee; and other work groups.
FUNCTION
The Psychology Department is the organizational unit for developing, implementing and evaluating Psychology services and programs to meet the needs of patients, staff, students and the community. The Psychology Department falls administratively under the oversight of the Chief Medical Officer and is responsive to the needs identified by patients and their families, the Medical Staff, Hospital employees and students, other consumers, the Performance Improvement Department and relevant regulatory and professional organizations.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Department shall be:
Ø To ensure that patients receive the best possible care.
Ø To ensure a high quality of professional and ethical practice among Psychologists within the Hospital.
Ø To provide for continuing growth and education of staff Psychologists.
Ø To provide a high level of training for Psychology interns, externs, and other trainees.
Ø To review credentials and privileges and make recommendations for employment and upgrading of Psychologists.
Ø To take an active part in the planning, implementation and review of Hospital programs.
Ø To promote the growth of Psychology as a profession.
SERVICES
The role of the unit psychologist is to provide general clinically-based assessment and intervention services. As integral members of interdisciplinary treatment teams, unit psychologists participate in all aspects of patient care, including initial evaluations of new admissions, participation in ITP development and implementation, discharge planning, patient education, and consultation. Psychological services provided include initial psychological assessment (i.e., reading level, intellectual functioning, neurocognitive screening, trauma screenings, risk assessment), psychological testing (differential diagnosis, intellectual functioning, personality organization), individual and group therapy, and consultation. Psychologists also participate on various hospital-wide committees and have representation up through the highest levels of administration.
The Psychology Department also has the responsibility for developing policy following hospital guidelines, and setting up behavioral interventions / management plans for patients at the Hospital. The treatment team submits a referral to the Psychology Department’s Behavioral Specialists for consultative services. The Psychology Department’s Behavioral Specialists provide education and training within Spring Grove Hospital Center and at other psychiatric hospitals.
The Psychology Department at Spring Grove Hospital Center additionally provides Neuropsychological services throughout the hospital, including consultation to treatment teams and comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations to patients. In-service education regarding neuropsychological assessment is available for Hospital and Psychology Department staff.
Further, the Department has also taken a major leadership role in the implementation of the Mental Health Recovery and Trauma-Informed Care program throughout the Hospital.
ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROGRAMS
There are several additional hospital-wide service programs that fall under the auspices of the Psychology Department.
Pastoral Care Services
A qualified clinical chaplain provide pastoral care services to the patients throughout the Hospital. He is board certified though the Association of Professional Chaplains. Services include Spiritual Assessments, individual and group spiritual counseling, and weekly religious/chapel services. The chaplains are also the lead caregivers in the Staff Support team in times of crisis and grief within the Hospital.
Co-Occurring Disorder Services (CODS)
CODS provide services to patients diagnosed with both psychiatric and substance abuse/chemical dependency disorders. Services include comprehensive assessment, individual and group psycho-education, family education, consultation, and community outreach (via AA and NA). Services are provided by licensed Addiction Counselors.
Peer Recovery Support Services
Peer Recovery Support Specialists (P-RSS) are individuals who have progressed in their own recovery from alcohol and/or other drug abuse and/or mental illness. These individuals assist patients/peers in their own recovery process. Services include WRAP (Wellness, Recover, Action, Plan) groups and educational opportunities to patients around recovery topics.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
In the mid 1980's, the Department of Psychology established the Psychology Foundation whose primary mission is to provide training for our staff and professional community at large. The vehicle of the Foundation is the Psychology Lecture Series that sponsors speakers in various topic areas throughout the training year. This continuing education Psychology Lecture Series is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) Education Directorate for provision of Continuing Education Credits (CEs). The lectures typically take place six times per year, with three lectures in the fall/winter and three in the spring. Local and nationally known experts present and cover timely topics of professional interest to psychologists. The lectures typically take place on the first Friday of the scheduled month.
The Psychology Department provides student training for psychology students enrolled in APA-accredited Clinical or Counseling doctoral psychology programs. We provided two levels of training:
· Externship/practicum (3 students per year)
· APA-Accredited Doctoral Internship Training Program (3 students per year)
CONTACT INFORMATION
For additional information regarding our department or services, please contact the Psychology Department at (410) 402-7829.
