All Burrell Behavioral Health interns will no longer be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or an approved exemption prior to their start date.

Burrell Behavioral Health does conduct background checks on interns prior to orientation. The following document provides the full, detailed hiring policies and potential disqualification for internship:

Background Screening for Employees and Volunteers

Note these key factors that could cause the site to release an intern from match:

• Found to be convicted of, guilty of, pleaded guilty to or nolo contendere to any of the following crimes:
  • • Physical abuse of Class I Neglect of a patient, resident, or client
    • Furnishing unfit food to patients, residents, or clients
    • Vulnerable person abuse in the first, second, or third degree
    • Is listed on the DMH disqualification registry
    • Is listed on the employee disqualification list of the Department of Health and Senior Services or Department of Social Services
    • Failure of a specified professional to report suspected abuse or neglect of a patient
• Found to be convicted of, guilty of, pleaded guilty to or nolo contendere to any of the listed felonies in the following website: Disqualifying Crimes
• Found guilty or pleaded guilty to a violation of Driving While Intoxicated or Driving with Excessive Blood Alcohol Content and who is found by the court to be an aggravated (3 or more) or chronic (4 or more) violator.
• Found to be guilty of any equivalent felony offense.

Burrell Drug-Free Workplace and Testing Policy:

It is the policy of Burrell Behavioral Health, Inc. (BBH) to operate a drug and alcohol-free workplace. BBH is committed to providing a safe, quality-oriented, and productive work environment consistent with the standards of the communities in which the organization operates. BBH recognizes that both alcohol and drug abuse poses a threat to the health and safety of associates, contracted providers, patients, and clients and to the security of BBH equipment and facilities. For these reasons, BBH is committed to operating a drug and alcohol-free workplace.

This policy prohibits BBH associates and contracted providers from being under the influence of illegal or intoxicating drugs or alcohol while working, while operating any BBH vehicles, while present on BBH premises, conducting BBH-related work offsite or in a personal vehicle, or representing BBH at any function as a volunteer or sponsor.

BBH does not currently require pre-employment drug screening. However, partner healthcare agencies for Dual Track and Integrated Healthcare interns may require pre-employment drug screening, in addition to other medical tests (e.g., TB tests) and/or immunizations (e.g., COVID-19, influenza). 

Burrell Behavioral Health reviews applications carefully with a team of administrators and clinicians to decide which applicants to interview. During AAPI reviews, we carefully consider the following factors when determining perceived goodness-of-fit:

• Clinical Hours – We will be looking at your total hours, any anticipated hours, client demographics, and practicum settings in order to determine readiness for working in outpatient community mental health for Traditional Track, multiple medical settings for Dual Track, and integrated care/behavioral health consulting for our IHC Grant positions. We are looking for depth and breadth of experience, and we are also open to those who are hoping to try new things.
• Psychological Assessment Reports – Strong Traditional Track and Dual Track candidates tend to have experience with intelligence, academic, objective personality, and projective personality measures. Exceptional candidates have completed integrated reports for both youth and adults. That being said, we understand how the pandemic has affected applicants’ client contact hours, particularly in assessment practicum experiences. We are willing to work with incoming interns to get them caught up and proficient on comprehensive testing batteries and integrated reports by the end of their training year.
• Experience Match and Career Fit – We evaluate whether an applicant’s goals for internship align with our training goals and the experiences we offer, as well as the likelihood of staying with one of our agencies after internship.

Our most successful interns tend to be hungry to learn, self-directed, assertive, insightful, intentional about self-care, and “know what it’s like to be on the other side of them.” Interns who have struggled here tend to have trouble with time management, communication, self-evaluation, interpersonal/team skills, and/or not having good support or self-care to sustain them throughout internship.

Nothing is more important to us than the safety and health of the Burrell Team, and we are considering all aspects when making decisions in the best interest of our employees and our clients. Our goal is to protect our own health and safety and continue serving our communities, at a time when our services are needed more than ever.

Interns
Our interns are considered essential healthcare workers. They provide in-person and telehealth services throughout our various service lines. They have access to PPE and cleaning supplies as needed to maintain a working environment that is as safe as possible.

Vaccinations
Burrell Behavioral Health employees (including interns) are no longer required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Dual Track and IHC Track interns will need to comply with any and all requirements of our partner healthcare organizations. 

Masking
Burrell Behavioral Health does not currently require masks for employees or clients. Employees may be asked to wear a mask due to COVID-19 exposure or recent illness in alignment with current CDC guidelines. Similar policies are in place with our partner healthcare organizations. 

Questions
Any questions about our vaccination requirement or safety precautions may contact COVID@burrellcenter.com for more information.

Burrell Behavioral Health is currently planning for a series of virtual interviews in December and January. Prospective interns are usually scheduled to meet with a pair of interviewers and we have a mixture of clinicians and administrators on the interview teams. In addition, we plan to host virtual Meet the Supervisors and Meet the Interns events in mid-January, as well as one final Q&A with program leadership in late-January. 

We truly consider our process to be a mutual interview where all parties are gathering information and determining goodness of fit. Applicants should be prepared to discuss their hours and experiences, goals for internship, and professional aspirations. We tend to ask questions that demonstrate an applicant’s insight into their needs and growth edges, how they function on a team, how they adapt to change, and how they take care of themselves during tough times. We would like to learn about why an applicant is passionate about the field of psychology and why our program excites them. We see our current interns and postdocs as future colleagues within our system and we aim to find applicants who feel they have the potential to develop a career with us.

Applicants should avoid canned responses that are not specific to the site. Most of the interviewers have been through this process – we remember how hard it is to keep all of the sites straight! It is okay to ask for reminders about our program and to take time to consider your answers. Applicants should also avoid responses that are not genuine to them as a person. We want to get to know the applicants as they are, not how they imagine we want them to be.

We would like to offer a gentle reminder that it is okay to be a real human who is nervous. Take a deep breath, remember we chose our interviewees on purpose and for a reason, and tell the voice of Imposter Syndrome, “Not today!” We suggest this resource to aid in your preparation: https://youtu.be/-XqCepCEgwg?si=9sYskFvvWHIN13ce

Previous stand-out applicants have been relaxed, engaged, and authentic. They have quickly built rapport, told memorable stories, or asked thoughtful questions. In a video interview it is important to have privacy, good lighting, a background that is not overly distracting, and a stable internet connection.

Applicants may request an on-site tour in addition to their virtual interview. These applicants will not be afforded special consideration in comparison to those who are unable to travel.