Iina’ Counseling Services

2 Full-Time Positions, APPIC Program Code: 253513

The Internship Experience:

There are two intern offices located within the outpatient MH departments of Shiprock Service Unit (Iina Counseling Services and Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle Health Center). The intern participates in year-long concurrent rotations of outpatient mental health, psychological assessment, and behavioral health integration/triage. For example, the intern may see clients in the outpatient clinics (Iina’ Counseling Services or Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle Health Center) for 2 days per week, serve as the behavioral health psychology consult for the pediatric clinic one day per week, and provide crisis triage services one day per week. Psychological assessments are scheduled on clinical days throughout the training year. Wednesday and Friday afternoons are blocked for administrative time for staff meetings, report writing and other administrative duties. This rotation structure is advantageous in providing continuity of care for clients and allowing the intern to experience a developmentally appropriate professional workload under supportive supervision. This rotation structure facilitates progressive professional growth throughout the year. It provides interns with a myriad of early clinical experiences that they can discuss in preparation for fellowship and other training applications.

Example Schedule

Rotation Opportunities:

Outpatient Mental Health and Assessment

Interns at Iina’ Counseling Services (ICS) engage in evidence-based psychotherapy with American Indian/Native American clients across the lifespan, with a particular focus on children, adolescents, and families. This includes addressing a range of psychological, psychiatric, social, and cultural factors through individual, group, and family therapy modalities. Interns are expected to complete at least six comprehensive psychological assessments throughout the year, encompassing developmental evaluations, primary and secondary autism screenings, and comprehensive psychological assessments. These assessments are integral to formulating culturally appropriate treatment plans and informing early interventions.

Behavioral Health Integration in the Pediatric Clinic

Within the pediatric clinic, interns collaborate closely with primary care providers to deliver integrated behavioral health services to children and their families. This collaboration enhances access to mental health care, reduces stigma, and improves overall health outcomes. Interns address a variety of concerns, including early identification and diagnosis of developmental delays, such as autism spectrum disorders and behavior management for young children experiencing behavioral and/or emotional difficulties. They conduct screenings, provide brief interventions, and offer consultation to medical staff on behavioral factors affecting health conditions. Additionally, interns may have opportunities to provide tiered supervision to behavioral health coaches under the guidance of licensed psychologists, focusing on integrating behavioral health into pediatric medical settings and developing consultation skills.

Crisis Triage Rotation

As part of their training, interns participate in a Crisis Triage Rotation, where they develop competencies in crisis intervention, risk assessment, and acute care consultation. Interns are trained to provide brief suicide risk assessments, crisis intervention, and safety planning for patients experiencing acute distress. They also respond to emergency department (ER) and inpatient units to provide consultation and assessment, helping determine appropriate levels of care and connecting patients with follow-up services. This experience ensures that interns gain valuable skills in managing behavioral health crises in both medical and outpatient settings.

This structured training approach ensures that interns develop competencies in delivering culturally responsive, evidence-based care to children and families, particularly in the context of infant mental health, trauma informed care, and crisis intervention, while maintaining a broad foundation in generalist psychological practice.

Contact Information

Site Director: Ciara Hansen, PhD

Email: Ciara.Hansen@ihs.gov

Phone number: (505) 368-7313

Mailing address: Northern Navajo Medical Center, US-491, Shiprock, NM 87420