Psychology is part of the Mental Health Services Unit, which is part of Health Services. The overall management and direction of mental health services is the responsibility of the DOC Mental Health Director, a psychologist. At the institution level, mental health services are under the supervision of Psychology Directors. There are 34 psychologists in the DOC.
MCF- Stillwater. MSF-STW is a Close (a security level between Maximum and Medium) custody facility has a population of about 1450 adult male offenders. MCF-STW has a number of special programs including several industries, education, and a chemical dependency treatment unit. The facility is about 100 years old and has tiers of cells, but is renovated in most areas. A New 150-bed segregation unit has opened in the summer of 2008. The mental health staff consists of two MSW’s (one licensed), six master level therapists (one LP 3, 3 LPC’s), a Psy.D., LP Program Director, an Office Administration Specialist, one social work intern, one full-time pre-doctoral psychology intern, and one pre-doctoral assessment practicum student. Mental health staff at this facility provide a wide variety of services including the following: diagnostic testing and assessments, individual and group therapy, crisis intervention and frequent consultation with the numerous disciplines within the facility. An intern at this case can expect a wide diversity of clients and referral issues ranging in complexity and severity of disorder. MCF-STW is located 25 miles east of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
MCF-Oak Park Heights. This is the DOC’s only maximum-security facility and, with only 395 inmates, the smallest male facility. Over 80% of the inmates are convicted of serious crimes against persons, and 35% are serving life sentences. MCF-OPH is a modern, “underground” facility that has been shown as the positive alternative in a number of documentaries on super-max prisons. This facility also has the Mental Health Unit, a 46-bed inpatient psychiatric unit. The first half of the internship will be in the Mental Health Unit, and the second half will be working with offenders in the general prison population. MCF-OPH is located next to MCF-STW and is about 25 miles east of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
MCF-Lino Lakes. This is a medium custody facility with 1100 inmates, 150 of whom are in sex offender treatment and 240 in chemical dependency treatment. Other inmates are in work or education programs. Four psychologists provide mental health services. Being a medium custody facility, MCF-LL is like a college campus with a razor-ribbon fence around it. Most of the inmates are nearing the end of their sentences so there is an atmosphere of activity and change. The psychology intern at this site will be involved with assessments and individual and group therapy. MCF-LL is located 24 miles north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
MCF-Shakopee. MCF-SHK, the DOC’s only adult female facility, violates many of the usual assumptions about prisons and inmates. For example, there is no fence around the facility because the local neighborhood did not want one. Escapes are rare. Crimes range from theft to murder, although many crimes involve dependency on a male. Three psychologists provide services to the 340 inmates. The psychology intern at this site will be involved with a full range of clinical services. MCF-SHK is located 31 miles south of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
For more information including application procedure click link below.
