Psychologist Practicum
Open to Graduate-level Students

Location: Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF) – Oak Park Heights

The Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights opened in 1982 and receives offenders transferred primarily from other adult male institutions who are classified as maximum custody or extreme risks to the public. The level five, maximum-security institution has a population of 443 (1/10). The facility has nine self-contained complexes that can operate independently. Six are designed to house 52 inmates each.  Inmates participate in highly-structured programming including industry, education, and institutional housekeeping. The remaining three complexes contain the mental health, transitional health care and administrative control units that serve adult male offenders department-wide.  Oak Park Heights is the site of the consolidated offender canteen service, operated by MINNCOR Industries and servicing all department adult facilities.

Practicum Description: Practicum students will be exposed to a wide array of psychological services within a correctional facility.  Students will obtain knowledge and understanding of how the criminal justice system works in general and, specifically, how mental health services are provided with a team approach within a correctional setting. Practica are designed with the particular training needs and interests of the student in mind. However, most practicum experiences involve diagnostic interviewing and assessment, co-facilitation of mental health groups, individual counseling with offenders, crisis intervention and suicide risk assessment, participation in staff meetings and group supervision, consultation, and individual supervision. Students needing just an assessment practicum would not be involved in group or individual counseling.  

Supervision: Practicum students will be supervised by a licensed psychologist or other independent mental health provider such as LICSW, LMFT or LPCC, unless college practicum agreement requires supervision to be provided by LP.

Requirements:  Practicum students must be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university in a program which offers course credit for practicum experiences.  Applicants should have completed graduate level course work in psychology.  Selected applicants must submit to and clear a security background check prior to start of practicum and follow department policies and procedures.

Length of Practicum:   Minimum 600 hours over the course of two academic semesters

Application priority deadline date: 

For academic year beginning in September and for all summer term sessions, the application process will open January 1st and end March 15th.  Applications RECEIVED by February 15 will be given first consideration.  All other applications will be considered after the March 15th deadline.  Interviews will be scheduled after February 15th.  Selection decisions will be completed by April 15th.

For intern/practica beginning in Winter/Spring term, the application process will open October 1st and end November 1st.  Interviews will be scheduled in November.  Selection decisions will be completed by December 1st.

Please submit DOC Intern/Practica application, your resume, and a cover letter describing why an internship/practicum experience with the DOC is related to your professional goals.  Mail or email these documents to the DOC Intern Coordinator.  Do not send application material to the institutions.

Note: This practicum is unpaid. 

If you are selected, there is a mandatory DOC Intern/Practica Student Orientation that must be completed prior to starting your internship/practicum.

Applications will be accepted after these dates until positions are filled.

How to Apply

Updated:  March 17, 2010