Ohio Psychology Internship Overview

The Ohio Psychology Internship Program


The Ohio Psychology Internship is an APA-accredited, on probation consortium of Northeast Ohio agencies committed to the quality training of psychology interns. Previously known as NEOUCOM Psychology Internship, the internship formally changed to Ohio Psychology Internship on July 1, 2006.

Click to view the Internship Brochure

For further information, contact:

  • Tara Toscano, Psy.D., Training Director, Ohio Psychology Internship Program
  • Deborah R. Walsh, Ph.D., Program Director, Ohio Psychology Internship Program

In conjunction with the consortium agencies, Ohio Psychology Internship Program is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The internship agrees to abide by the APPIC Policy that no program representative will solicit, accept or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant before Uniform Notification Day.

The Ohio Psychology Internship Program


Ohio Psychology Internship (OPI) has two distinct 40-hour a week tracks: Outpatient Forensic Services/Community Corrections, and Corrections: State Prisons. Applicants can choose to apply for one or both of the tracks but interns will be matched with one track to be in all internship year (interns do not rotate between the sites). It is common for outpatient forensic track interns to work beyond the 40-hours a week to complete documentation or evaluations. Didactic trainings occur in 3-hour blocks, at least twice a month, which allows for exposure at each facility and supervisors from various facilities. Each track offers various short- and long-term individual and group treatment opportunities. Each interns' weekly schedule includes:

  • 2 separate hours of individual supervision
  • 1 hour of track-specific group supervision
  • 1 hour of group supervision for the whole cohort
  • Documentation time each day
  • Direct contact hours with clients, which varies based on intern interest and track
  • Interdisciplinary meetings in the form of grand rounds, staff meetings and/or meetings with referral sources
  • Time allotted for evaluations that can be used for documentation if no evaluation is scheduled/preferred

The Program Philosophy…

The program's philosophy is to provide each intern with sequential and graded training through a wide range of psychological experiences, thereby identifying and highlighting the areas of competence necessary to become a well-rounded clinician. Interns practice in the areas of assessment and evaluation and individual, group, family, and marital treatment. Licensed psychologists supervise all interns with an emphasis on shadowing and modeling. Along with the above experiences, interns attend staff meetings, case conferences, seminars, and workshops.

Training Model…

The Ohio Psychology Internship Program follows a Community Based Practitioner Model. The internship is a consortium of agencies representing different facets of the community mental health system. Interns are trained to work as psychologists within a community mental health services continuum. Interns gain exposure to clients as they experience different layers of the mental health system. For example, interns may work with a client recently discharged from an inpatient hospital into outpatient services at a community mental health center. Similarly, interns can work with clients in a community-based correctional facility and continue services in an outpatient community agency. The consortium agencies provide training in a continuum of community-based care:

  1. Least restrictive to most restrictive level of care
  2. Voluntary treatment for court-ordered to incarcerated
  3. Adjustment disorders to severe mental illness
  4. Early adulthood through gerontology clients
  5. Crisis to outpatient to incarcerated to return to the community
  • Interns choose sites based on primary training interests and are exposed to all community-based treatment levels through didactic seminars and joint case presentations.
  • Interns are provided training experiences that enable them to enter employment in various community settings – including a wide range of community forensic services, inpatient treatment, and community mental health.

Rotations, Positions, and Range of Activities


Number of Rotations and Positions

Currently, there are eight full-time positions available through the Ohio Psychology Internship.

  • Six interns can match with Summit Psychological Associates’ Outpatient Forensic Services for the full year and have opportunities for training at Oriana House and the Summit County Jail.
  • Two interns can match with Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction in State Prison(s) for the full year.
  • We have previously had interns at Heartland Behavioral Healthcare, but they are unable to take interns for the 2024-25 training year.
OPI Tracks & Tours

The Training Director and OPI Training Committee review applications for meeting general requirements for the internship: Readiness for the internship is verified by the graduate program director of clinical training, a minimum of 500 Intervention Hours and 50 Assessment Hours are completed, a preference is given to applicants from APA accredited graduate programs and to applicants with a Master’s Degree in a counseling, clinical or school psychology degree. Supervisors also review applications from the track of interest for a good match in applicant interests and training goals, and a good fit with previous experiences. Applicants identified as a good fit for the program are offered an interview. The supervisors conduct interviews for the track where the applicant has indicated an interest. The interview process includes required attendance at a two-hour informational session and an individual interview per track, and optional attendance at an open house with current interns. The Ohio Psychology Internship Program will not discriminate against any person or group of persons based on their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, national origin, age, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental handicap or disability, veteran status, or because they are a disabled veteran. 

Intern Range of Activities

In order for interns to become well-trained psychologists, competency in a variety of specific clinical areas must be developed. To ensure that these competency levels are attained, the Internship Training Committee has established a number of requirements that each intern must complete. These requirements cover a wide range of site-specific activities and responsibilities generally expected of psychologists. The following are covered in the internship requirements:

  • Psychological Assessments (varied based on site/interest)
  • Group Therapy
  • Individual Psychotherapy
  • Multidisciplinary Team Participation
  • Ethical Considerations
  • Agency Administration
  • Forensic Psychology
  • Multicultural Issues

Specific tasks in each category must be completed during the 2,000 hour internship year. Each intern works closely with their assigned supervisor in refining the necessary skills to complete these requirements with quality and professionalism.

Seminars, Benefits, and Procedures


In addition to the individual instruction provided by each intern’s supervisor, the training committee has coordinated a series of seminars. These required seminars cover various clinical topics and offer supervisors and clinical staff exposure from all consortium agencies. Training seminar topics include forensic assessment and treatment, supervision, ethics, diversity training, psychology of sex offenders, sex offense treatment, supervision, providing expert witness testimony, working with clients who have an intellectual and/or developmental disorder, psychosis, and others. Interns are encouraged to suggest ideas for additional seminar topics that meet their specific training needs. Though most didactics are conducted via Microsoft Teams, interns will travel between sites at least quarterly for didactics or other activities.

Interns are also encouraged to take advantage of the many workshops offered by area professionals and national organizations, including the Ohio Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association. Attendance at these workshops is arranged by the intern, with the approval of their supervisor. Two days of leave time are provided to each intern to attend workshops.

Benefits and Procedures


  • Stipend and Benefits

    The stipend for interns is $32,000 for 12 months. A comprehensive medical insurance and basic life insurance plan are available, with the intern paying a portion. Worker’s Compensation is provided. Interns are required to show proof of malpractice insurance which can be purchased through an APA-endorsed policy at student rates, provided to student members of APA, or can be a part of their university coverage.

  • Vacation Time

    The internship is 12 months in duration, beginning July 1 and ending June 30. A total of 10 days are provided for sick, personal, and vacation days. Interns are also given two extra days (16 hours) of leave time beyond sick and vacation time to use for a conference, dissertation, graduation, post-doc/job interviews. Arrangements and approval for these days off are made through the intern’s supervisor and the Program Director. The observance of national holidays is determined by the intern’s placement site and is in addition to the ten days the internship provides.

  • Chief Intern Position

    Each year interns select a Chief Intern to attend and actively participate in the Ohio Psychology Internship Training Committee. The Chief Intern is provided time away from their rotation site to attend all Training Committee meetings. The duties and responsibilities of the Chief Intern are as follows:


    • Greet and introduce presenter at seminars.
    • Take intern attendance at all seminars.
    • Attend all Training Committee meetings.
    • Represent the interns' concerns to the Training Committee and act as a liaison between the Committee and the interns.
    • Provide leadership to interns.
    • Assist in recruitment of interns.
    • Assist in planning for internship activities such as interviews and graduation.

  • Qualifications and Application Procedures

    Admission to the Ohio Psychology Internship Program is open to qualified individuals. In our effort to create a learning environment that builds on the unique characteristics of trainees and welcomes diversity, applicants of all minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants are expected to have appropriate preparation from a clinical or counseling psychology program. To be considered for admission, a prospective intern should fulfill the following requirements:


    1. Submit a completed APPIC application for the Psychology Internship by the deadline date of the second Friday in November.
    2. Submit official transcripts demonstrating evidence of completing a master’s level program, plus all required course work in clinical or counseling psychology for a doctoral program at an accredited university.
    3. Submit two work samples demonstrating clinical report writing skills.
    4. Attend an two-hour informational session, if offered an interview.
    5. Participate in an interview, per site, to evaluate the applicant’s suitability for training.
    6. Provide three letters of recommendation: preferably from clinical supervisors and other professionals familiar with the intern’s character and clinical level of expertise.

  • Ombudsperson

    In keeping with the desire of the Ohio Psychology Internship Program to provide appropriate channels for the resolution of grievances and to promote advocacy, the role of the ombudsman has been developed. The ombudsman's role assists the interns in resolving concerns with the Internship Program.

Call our main office today in Akron, OH, for more information on our internship program and what it offers for future counselors.

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