📍Florida

Expanding Graduate Psychology Education with Substance Use Disorder Integration

Challenge:

Citrus Health, a health center that offers primary medical and behavioral health services, expanded their Graduate Psychology Education program to include substance use disorder services. However, they faced a challenge of how to enhance training across clinical, teaching, and supervisory experiences. 

Solution:

With HRSA/BHW Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) support, Citrus Health implemented a comprehensive clinical psychology training model. The model included the following features:

• Doctoral internship and postdoctoral residency: Hands-on training in assessment, psychotherapy, testing, crisis stabilization, and psychiatric care. 
• SUD integration: Certified addictions professionals incorporated into the training program. 
• Multi-setting learning: Exposure to primary care, outpatient, and inpatient settings. 
• Evidence-based tools: Training with various screening tools to track outpatient changes over time. These tools include Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble (CRAFFT), the National Institute on Drug Abuse-Modified Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (NIDA Modified-ASSIST), and the Brief Addiction Monitor (BAM).
• Professional development: Conference participation and loan repayment support.
• Program quality measures: Ongoing faculty engagement, alumni tracking, and RCQI evaluation.

Impact:
✅ Strengthened their graduate psychology education with SUD integration.
✅ Developed a structured learning experience supporting clinical competency and mentorship.
✅ Ensured sustainability through leadership support and multidisciplinary collaboration.