Health service psychology education and training in the time of COVID-19: Challenges and opportunities.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to health service psychology (HSP) education and training but also presents tremendous opportunities for growth that will persist well past the resolution of this public health crisis. The present article addresses three aims in understanding the challenges and opportunities faced by the HSP education and training community. First, it describes challenges to HSP education and training created by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the need to maintain the integrity of training; facilitate trainee progress; continue clinical service delivery; manage the safety and wellbeing of trainees, faculty, staff, and clients/patients; and adhere to national and local emergency orders. Second, the article summarizes guidance from training organization leadership regarding training program and clinical site responses to these challenges. Several principle-based recommendations called upon training programs to prioritize trainees and their training needs, while urging balance and flexibility in meeting the multiple demands of training programs, institutions, and the public.Third, the article discusses key opportunities for improvement in HSP education and training, including more effective use of competency evaluations; distance technologies in therapy, supervision, and admissions; and reconsideration of internship and degree timing and HSP's identity as a health care profession; and the potential for comprehensive review and redesign of HSP education and training. Embracing these opportunities may help ensure that HSP education and training is preparing its graduates to meet the psychological health care needs of the future. Public Significance StatementThe COVID-19 pandemic challenged health service psychology educators to continue clinical training and service delivery in the context of unprecedented health risks and community shutdowns. Creative responses to these challenges have highlighted opportunities for improvements in how health service psychologists are trained (e.g., in the use of distance technologies for admissions, therapy, and supervision; more effective use of competency evaluations), and in the role of health service psychology trainees as health care providers.

Considerations for assessment training competencies in health service psychology programs in the age of COVID-19.

“…We provide a few directions that warrant future consideration. First, as clinics adopt these alternative methods to enhance assessment skills, opportunities for research related to teleassessment and training will increase (Bell et al, 2020). This is promising as there is little empirical data on the efficacy of training assessment skills among trainees via telepsychology.…”

“…For example, teleassessment provides a seamless opportunity for continued compliance with SoA direct observation requirements. Supervisors and advanced trainees can join sessions via videoconferencing with their video and microphones off, allowing training clinics to continue to provide direct observation of practicum trainees (APA, 2017b(APA, , 2020Bell et al, 2020). During observations, supervisors can provide live feedback with minimal interruption through chat platforms and take notes on trainee strengths and areas for development.…”

Operating a University Counseling and School Psychology Training Clinic in a Global Pandemic

“…More importantly, the pandemic disrupted the typical developmental training sequence for many programs. In summary, challenges included the need to maintain the integrity of training; facilitate trainee progress; continue clinical service delivery; manage the safety and wellbeing of trainees, faculty, staff, and clients; and adhere to emergency orders (Bell et al, 2020 ).…”

Problem Focused Coping Methods Used by Students During Covid-19

“…In people with severe COVID-19, it can cause pneumonia, acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. The novel virus (referred to as "severe acute respiratory syndrome corona-virus 2", or "SARS-CoV-2") that emerged in late 2019 waspreviously unknown to humans, highly infectious, and, withno human immunity, spread globally over several months (Bell et al, 2020). of mental health (e.g., happiness, honesty, playfulness, creativity, and affiliative humor style)(Yonatan-Leus, Shefler, & Tishby, 2020)stated that "The policy of studying from home, working from home, and worshiping at home needs to be intensified to reduce the spread of Covid-19," said President Joko Widodo.…”