Are you interested in working in a fast-paced, challenging behavioral healthcare organization? Are you interested in a position that is rewarding and makes a difference in the lives of others? Do you like to be challenged and work in a setting that allows you to grow? Then Alvarado Parkway Institute wants to hear from you!

Alvarado Parkway Institute (API) is a free-standing psychiatric hospital in La Mesa, California with three Intensive Outpatient/Partial Hospitalization Programs. Alvarado Parkway Institute (API) provides comprehensive adult inpatient behavioral health and addictive disorders services in a 66-bed hospital setting located in La Mesa, California. At Alvarado Parkway Institute, we are committed to improving the mental health and well-being of our community. Alvarado Parkway Institute in La Mesa is San Diego County's leading provider of comprehensive mental health and substance abuse care. API offers a variety of Outpatient Services designed to assist patients in functioning at the highest level. API provides Partial Hospitalization services and Intensive Outpatient services. These programs emphasize symptom management, community integration, and prevention of hospitalization or re-hospitalization. Value-added services enhance the patient's treatment experience.

The role of the Pre-Doctoral Trainee is to provide quality psychotherapeutic services to adult, addictive disordered patients and their families, spouses, significant others; to serve as a member of multi-disciplinary team supporting the organization's treatment program and philosophy and assure the deliverance of quality treatment to adult psychiatric and addictive disordered patients and their families. To facilitate group therapy and psychoeducation groups, individual sessions, family/couples sessions, psychological testing, various crisis and behavioral interventions and treatment planning, and administrative work within the hospital and Psychology Department.  You will be provided with individual supervision, didactic training, and group supervision weekly.  

Pre Doctoral Trainee Responsibilities:  

• Administers, scores, and interprets psychological tests as prescribed.
• Provides process-oriented and psychoeducation focused group therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, and individual process-oriented therapies using various professional treatment modalities.
• Attends regular treatment team meetings to provide Psychology Department’s perspective to total case management of the patient by reading and discussing written progress notes from charts and communicating any state or local agency legal requirement for case management with the multi-disciplinary team.
• Attends and participates in department and other program or clinical administrative meetings, including but not limited to didactic trainings.
• Reports incidents of suspected abuse, domestic violence, and Tarasoff using designated forms and protocols from the relevant community/state agency: Assists psychology staff in legal and ethical issues and reporting protocol.
• Contributes to the supervision of staff. Actively participates in supervision for own growth and modeling for Psychology Department staff members.
• Responds to psychiatric emergency codes utilizing training in management of aggressive behavior. Available on inpatient unit and outpatient program to help provide crisis assistance and debrief staff and patients.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Experience:  

• Written and oral communications skills
• Skills in case management, time management, and crisis intervention common to acute psychotic as well as to non-violent crises intervention practice
• Skills in administering psychological tests.
• Knowledge of acute adult, adolescent, and child psychological disorders
• Advanced principals of abnormal psychology
• Familiarity with follow-up resource services available to adults, adolescents, and children
• Skills in conducting group therapy.
• Skills in maintaining information as highly confidential.
• Must demonstrate the ability to treat all age populations as needed or have the capacity to develop skills through the organization's cross-training, orientation program.
• Ability to clearly summarize pertinent clinical information via written correspondence and medical records documentation.
• In the absence of these qualifications upon hire, must demonstrate ability to learn these concepts and develop these skills within reasonable time frame.

 Required Education, Experience, and Certifications:  

• Masters of Science or Arts in Psychology, has advanced to candidacy, or will be receiving degree imminently and is prepared and qualified to register as a Psychological Assistant.
• Experience in inpatient mental health setting preferred.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, this position is frequently required to do the following:

• Use standard office equipment and access, input, and retrieve information from a computer.
• Use computer keyboard with manual and finger dexterity and wrist-finger speed sufficient to perform repetitive actions efficiently for extended periods of time.
• Communicate effectively in person or via telephone in a manner which can be understood by those with whom the person is speaking, including a diverse population.
• Give and follow verbal and written instructions with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Perform complex mental functions and basic arithmetic functions; interpret complex laws, regulations, and policies; collect, interpret, and/or analyze complex data and information.
• Vision sees details of objects at close range.
• Coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Reach forward, up, down, and to the side.
• Sit or stand for minimum periods of one hour at a time and come and go from the work area repeatedly throughout the day.
• Walk and/or stand for long periods of time (3/4 of the workday). 

Conditions of Employment

In compliance with API’s policies and guidelines, all API employees are required to adhere to the following:

Background/Reference Check & Licensure/Certification

• Completion of a satisfactory background and reference checks.
• Employee signed employment non-compete/confidentiality agreement
• Individuals whose position may require licensure, registration or certification must maintain such as current and valid. It is the employee's responsibility to send updated copies to Human Resources before the expiration date. It is the employee's responsibility to notify Human Resources of any changes or proposed changes in status to licensure, registration, or certification. Failure to do so could result in employee suspension.

Flu Vaccinations; Medical

• Annual Flu vaccination is required as a condition of hire and ongoing employment. Only those who are allergic to the vaccine or meet contraindications as indicated on the current CDC Vaccine Information Statement shall be exempt from this condition of hire and ongoing employment but are required to wear a mask while inside an API owned or operated building or vehicle during influenza season, Employees must provide physician documentation to support any reported allergy or contraindication. Flu season typically runs between November and March.
• Pass drug and alcohol test performed by Concentra.
• Clear TB skin test or Chest X-Ray at Concentra.
• Complete a satisfactory physical examination at Concentra designed solely to determine your ability to perform the duties of the position being offered. 

EEO Statement

API provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.