Community Partnerships and Placements

The CPTP is well-integrated in the surrounding community, and many clinical and research activities occur in community settings. Our use of community practicum placements allows access to a broad range of clinical populations and increases the external validity of research and clinical training. Our model of training recognizes that individuals and their behavior cannot be understood without consideration of the context in which they find themselves. Below are examples of our community-based practicum sites.

Psychological Consultation Center: Telehealth Clinic

The Psychological Consultation Center (PCC) Telehealth Clinic in consultation with the Nebraska AIDS Project, provides services for individuals across Nebraska who live with HIV/AIDS. The population served consists of many who identify as LGBTQA+, have a history of substance abuse, or live in rural areas but includes individuals from all walks of life. Treatment is primarily delivered via telehealth using the VSEE system to clients’ homes on their computers, tablets, or even phones.  Externs gain expertise in working with those affected by HIV/AIDS, telehealth intervention, and general therapy skills with cases of varying complexity.  

Supervisor: Debra A. Hope, Ph.D.

 
Rite of Passage Uta Halee Academy

The Rite of Passage Uta Halee Academy is a residential setting for young women with a variety of behavioral and emotional issues. The extern’s time is spent primarily conducting assessments for clients at admission and developing treatment recommendations based on assessment results. In addition to assessment services, the extern has opportunities to provide consultation with clinical and education staff and as time permits, co-facilitate treatment groups addressing common issues such as trauma, substance abuse, and emotion regulation.

Supervisor: Lorena Bradley, Ph.D.


Lincoln Regional Center: Forensic Mental Health Services

The Lincoln Regional Center Forensic Mental Health Services (LRC-FMHS) placement includes assessment and treatment of patients deemed not competent to stand trial or Not Responsible by Reason of Insanity (NRRI).  The LRC-FMHS extern provides individual competency restoration and risk management treatments, as well as violence and suicide risk assessments for NRRI annual reviews and competency to stand trial assessments for the court.  All efforts are conducted as part of a unique multidisciplinary treatment team.

Supervisor: Jennifer Cimpl-Bohn, Ph.D.


Lincoln Regional Center: Adult Residential Sex Offender Services

The Lincoln Regional Center serves convicted sex offenders serving sentences through the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and individuals who have been committed under an inpatient mental health board order for sex offender treatment.  The extern’s primary responsibilities are to: (a) conduct screens for elopement, suicide, and violence risk for newly admitted patients; (b) conduct psychological evaluations, including sexual offense risk assessments; (c) write integrated reports; and (d) facilitate individual and group therapy.

Supervisor: Shannon Black, Ph.D.


Alexis Verzal Children's Rehabilitation Hospital

The Alexis Verzal Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital is a 14-bed unit located within Madonna’s larger rehabilitation hospital. Students placed on the pediatric rehabilitation unit work with patients aged 0-19 years who are undergoing rehabilitation for various medical reasons. Extern activities involve brief bedside therapy; individual, group, and family therapy; behavioral management (e.g., sleep); medical team consultation and liaison; participation in team, family, and school meetings; and outpatient consultation with various clinics.

Supervisor: Janelle Remington, Ph.D.


Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital: Traumatic Brain Injury Inpatient Unit

Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital is a CARF-accredited hospital that provides pediatric and adult rehabilitation services. The extern works with individuals who have experienced moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries and who are undergoing acute rehabilitation. The placement emphasizes neuropsychological assessment (typically bedside cognitive assessment), interdisciplinary treatment team consultation on behavioral issues, and brief psychotherapeutic interventions for patients and families. The student also facilitates a psychoeducation group on traumatic brain injury for inpatients and their family members.

Supervisors: Travis Groft, Ph.D. and Janelle Remington, Ph.D.


State Probation: Specialized Substance Abuse Supervision Unit 

The Specialized Substance Abuse Supervision (SSAS) unit of state probation serves individuals with current felony drug charges deemed at a high risk to recidivate. As the primary psychological consultant for the SSAS unit, the extern provides individual psychotherapy, psychological assessments, and group-based anger management for individuals with a range of co-existing mental health problems. Clients may include people of varying ages and genders who typically represent diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Supervisor: Dennis McChargue, Ph.D.

 
Whitehall

Whitehall, a subunit of the Lincoln Regional Center, is a residential sex-offense-specific treatment center for adolescent male offenders. The Whitehall extern functions as a full member of the multidisciplinary treatment team and participates in weekly treatment planning meetings. The extern completes a flexible assessment battery with each youth referred to Whitehall. Externs also lead CBT-based groups on a weekly basis and provide training and consultation to Master’s level therapists regarding client risk, psychopathology, and treatment.

Supervisor: Cindy Nash, Ph.D.           


Nebraska State Penitentiary

The Nebraska State Penitentiary (NSP) houses male inmates ranging from minimum to maximum security. Externs conduct psychological evaluations and risk assessments of inmates being considered for parole or community promotions. Externs also co-facilitate group-based interventions for inmates with a history of violent and sexual offending as well as anger management problems. Additional opportunities include individual therapy, crisis response, psychiatric rounds, and program evaluation and development.  

Supervisor: Elizabeth Geiger, Ph.D.


Project Safe

As Project SAFE therapists, externs collaborate with the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) to provide brief individual, family, and group therapy for children who have been interviewed at the CAC due to sexual abuse allegations and their non-offending family members. As the Project SAFE Clinical Coordinators, two masters-level externs coordinate referrals from the CAC, collaborate with CAC staff, and schedule crisis intervention, brief family therapy, or group participation for referred families. The Coordinators also provide services in satellite offices in rural Nebraska counties.

Supervisors: David Hansen, Ph.D. and Mary Fran Flood, Ph.D.


OneWorld Community Health Centers

OneWorld is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Omaha.  It serves an incredibly diverse population, with roughly 60% of its patients speaking a primary language other than English.  The placement focuses on their integrated primary care services.  Students will conduct brief assessment, intervention, and referral of patients. Opportunities to work with both children and adults are available. The placement also highly prioritizes consultation with medical professionals and trying to expand the reach of mental health services.

Supervisor: Trey Andrews, Ph.D.


University of Nebraska Medical Center Child Psychiatry

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center offers a 12-month placement designed to provide advanced-level clinical psychology graduate students with intensive professional training experiences within the context of a scientist-practitioner model. Students will receive training in outpatient psychotherapy (e.g., family therapy; parent-child interactions and parent training; individual treatment of emotional and/or behavioral challenges), group therapy (i.e., ACT for internalizing disorders), and comprehensive assessment for children and adolescents with a full range of psychiatric disorders.

Supervisor: Katrina Cordts, Ph.D.


Bluestem Health

Bluestem is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Lincoln. Similar to OneWorld, Bluestem serves an incredibly diverse population and focuses on providing integrated primary care services. Students will conduct brief assessment, intervention, and referral of patients. This placement has a pediatric track and a general track to allow students to gain specialized experience in working with pediatric providers and children, as well as broader experience working with patients across the lifespan in the general track. The placement also highly prioritizes consultation with medical professionals and trying to expand the reach of mental health services.

Supervisor: Trey Andrews, Ph.D.

El Centro de las Américas - Vida Sana Mental Health Project

El Centro de las Américas is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit since 1983. It largely serves Spanish-speaking immigrants, providing services in the areas of education, family support, youth empowerment, health, and resource navigation. Most of its staff is bilingual and bicultural. In collaboration with the Psychological Consultation Center of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, mental health services are offered. Within this collaboration, students receive on demand referrals and conduct brief assessments, intervention, and referral of patients across the lifespan. Students also work closely with el Centro staff and provide linguistically and culturally appropriate mental health support. The student will also work closely with community health workers to coordinate training, identification of mental health needs, improving mental health support, and enhance the mental health education of staff (regular trainings, one-on-one consultation, informal education about mental health support.)

Supervisor: Trey Andrews, Ph.D.

A group photo of Dave Hansen's lab. In the back row is Dave Hansen, Matt Hansen, Zach Huit, Akemi Mii, Jessie Tibbs, and Kelsey McCoy. In the front row is Brittany Sutton, Mary Kay Hansen, Mary Fran Flood, Katie Meidlinger, Emily Sonnen, and Kate Theimer. They are all wearing party glasses shaped like peace signs in various neon colors.