Cincinnati VA Medical Center: Trauma Treatment and Mental Health Care of Homeless Veterans
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Cincinnati VA Medical Center
Cincinnati, Ohio
Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training
This training experience is a planned and programmed sequence of training that aims to ensure preparation for advanced practice rather than one that is focused on providing supervised hours for licensure.
Yes
This training experience ensures that training takes precedence over service delivery regarding the nature, content, volume, and quality of the postdoc’s activities.
Yes
This training experience ensures that postdocs receive at least two hours of individual supervision per week for the duration oof the experience.
Yes
This training experience is administered by a doctoral-level licensed psychologist who directs and organizes the training experience and its resources, is responsible for the selection of postdocs, and monitors and evaluates the goals and activities of the experience.
Yes
This training experience has two or more doctoral-level licensed psychologists who have sufficient time to provide quality supervision and training.
Yes
This training experience includes regularly scheduled structured educational activities that help postdocs its defined goals. These activities may include didactics, seminars, case conferences, and/or research activities.
Yes
This training experience has written Due Process and Grievance procedures.
Yes
This training experience has the stable and necessary financial (e.g., stipend) and physical resources (e.g., computers, physical space) needed for effective training.
Yes
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and homelessness are two of the most prominent issues confronting Veterans. According to recent statistics, approximately 17-25% of Veterans are likely to meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Further, 1 out of every 10 homeless individuals is a Veteran and there are currently 49,933 homeless Veterans in America. The homeless Veteran population suffers from significant rates of post-deployment stress-related symptoms, PTSD, and substance use disorders. This Fellowship is specifically designed to provide training in evidence-based approaches to address these problems, and to provide future leaders in VA Mental Health with the skills that they will need to function effectively in VA integrated care environments. Fellows will have the opportunity to learn best practices in evidence-based treatment in both residential and outpatient treatment settings. Fellows will also have the option of becoming involved in cutting edge research focused upon improving clinical care within this population of Veterans. The Trauma Recovery Center (TRC) and Domiciliary programs provide evidence-based treatment for Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and homelessness (or who are at high risk for homelessness). Both programs offer residential treatment located at the Fort Thomas, Kentucky VA facility and serve Veterans with a variety of co-occurring mental health disorders, including substance use disorders, mood disorders, and severe mental illness. In addition to the PTSD residential programs (men’s program, women’s program, traumatic brain injury – PTSD program), the TRC offers outpatient services to treat Veterans with PTSD. A shared goal of these programs is to support Veterans’ recovery and to improve Veterans’ functioning. Both programs ascribe to a recovery-oriented model in addressing mental health issues that incorporates Veteran preferences in health interventions, promotes Veteran health behaviors and self-management skills, and emphasizes collaborative treatment goal selection. Fellows will therefore have the opportunity to train in 2 major rotations: Outpatient services within the TRC, and Residential services in the TRC and the DOM. Fellows in these major rotations will be integrated into the large interdisciplinary teams that service these programs. Fellows will receive didactic and experiential training in evidence-based assessment, evidence-based individual, couple, and group psychotherapy, and program evaluation. Both programs primarily follow cognitive-behavioral models in guiding these assessments and interventions. Fellows will also have the opportunity to participate in a research minor rotation (8 hours per week). This research minor rotation will focus on building and advancing skills in program evaluation and treatment effectiveness research for Veterans with PTSD and homelessness issues. Fellows will receive didactic and experiential training in these areas of research and will be mentored by a group of VA clinician-researchers who maintain active programs of research to inform clinical care to these populations (Dr. Kathleen Chard, Dr. Laura Stayton-Coe). GOAL: To become fully integrated as an interdisciplinary team member in the treatment of Veterans with PTSD, substance use disorders, comorbid mental health conditions, and homelessness issues. To develop skills to serve as a team leader in developing, implementing, and evaluating programs serving these populations. Please see our website and brochure for more information!
Please note: as a Federal training site our program staff and trainees follow the federal guidelines and requirements for the VHA with regard to COVID and other illness-based safety measures and vaccinations.
Additional Information
- Agency Type
- VA Medical Center
- APPIC Membership
- Yes
- APA Accredited
- Yes
- Recognized Specialty
- Clinical Psychology
- Emphasis or focus area
- PTSD (Trauma)
- Other Emphasis
- Mental Health Care for Homeless Veterans
- Research Time
- Less than 25%
- Training Director
- Brian Zinnbauer, PhD ABPP
- Contact Email
- brian.zinnbauer@va.gov
- Contact Phone
- 513-861-3100 x204969
- Duration in Months
- 12
- Hours Per Week
- 40
- # of Licensed Supervisors
- 14
- Number of Positions
- 2
- Applications recieved last year
- 5
- Accepts Int'l Students
- Stipend
- $54,854
- Will follow APPIC Selection Standards
- Created Date
- Friday, July 1 2016
- Unfilled Positions
- 2
- Fringe Benefits
- Fellows receive paid federal holidays and 13 days of leave for vacation and/or professional development. State and federal income tax and FICA (Social Security) are withheld from fellows’ checks. The United States government covers trainees for malpractice under the Federal Employees’ Liability Reform and Tort Compensation Act. Fellows are eligible for Health Insurance benefits.
- Research opportunities
- Fellows have the opportunity to participate in ongoing applied clinical research through the Trauma Recovery Center. Fellows would be able to access the clinic's large scale database and gain experience in effectiveness and quality improvement research.
- Additional Comments
- The overarching aim of the Postdoctoral Fellowship is the development of advanced skills in the core competencies of clinical psychology within an integrated care environment for both independent practice and in preparation for careers as psychologists within the Veterans Health Administration.
- Application Instructions
- Application materials are due by 11:59pm on January 1, 2025. We accept only electronic submission of all application materials through the online portal. All interviews will be conducted virtually on 1/28/2025 from noon until 4:30pm EST. We adhere to the APPIC Selection Standards & Common Hold Date, and will begin making offers after our interview date.
Please read and follow instructions carefully and prepare the following:
1. A cover letter that includes a statement of interest. This letter should include your understanding of Trauma treatment and mental health care for the homeless and how this training focus is related to:
• Your professional interests
• Any of your relevant educational, clinical, and research experiences
• Your training needs
• Your personal goals for the Fellowship
• Your career goals
• Your experience with diversity/multiculturalism
Please limit this letter to two single spaced pages or less.
2. A detailed and updated Curriculum Vita. Please include training hours from graduate school and your internship to date. You may also include a section of projected hours and experiences for the remainder of your internship.
3. Transcripts of your graduate work. For the application a scanned photocopy is adequate. However, if you are accepted into the Fellowship Program, you will need to provide an official school copy at that time.
4. Three letters of recommendation. One should come from a faculty member personally familiar with your graduate school performance and at least one from a primary clinical supervisor during your pre-doctoral internship. Also we request a letter of support from your current Internship Training Director that includes a statement that you are in good standing to successfully complete your predoctoral internship, the expected completion date of the internship, and your internship’s APA accreditation status. If you already completed your internship, please include a copy of your internship certificate.
5. If you have not completed your dissertation, we require a letter from your dissertation chairperson describing your dissertation status and timeline.
All applications are reviewed for eligibility after materials are received. Interviews are offered to selective candidates based on rankings by the Postdoctoral Training Committee. Applicants are extended offers based on their written application materials and interview presentation.
We make every effort to keep our review process timely and to keep candidates well informed of their status throughout the selection period. Applicants are welcome to contact Brian Zinnbauer, Ph.D. (brian.zinnbauer@va.gov) at any time during the process.
This record was last updated on Monday, July 29, 2024
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