PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL – The American Psychological Association (APA) has reaffirmed accreditation of the Palm Beach County Youth Services' Doctoral Internship Program for another 10 years, the maximum period granted.

The vote by the APA Commission on Accreditation assures the public that the internship program has clearly defined and appropriate objectives, and meets the highest quality and ethical standards to train psychologists across all profession-wide competencies. Accreditation encourages excellence and improvement through continuous self-study and review. The Internship Program first received accreditation in 2016 and, to date, 34 doctoral interns have successfully participated.  Reaccreditation allows the program to remain competitive in attracting quality applicants in even greater numbers.

“The Youth Services Department is committed to increasing access to mental health services for children and families in Palm Beach County, while growing the behavioral health workforce with a high-quality internship program," said Youth Services Director Elisa Cramer. “APA reaccreditation helps us continue to attract exceptional interns to provide high-quality services to residents at low cost to the County."

The internship program is administered by the Youth Services Residential Treatment and Family Counseling Division's Education & Training Center, a community resource for primary prevention through education, training and professional development. Youth Services provides free services to parents, children, families, school personnel, and mental health professionals in Palm Beach County. Family, individual, and group therapy services are offered, in addition to psychological evaluations. Services are offered in-person or virtually and available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.

In addition to serving as a student/trainee placement site for doctoral interns, postdoctoral residents and doctoral-level practicum students, the Education & Training Center is also responsible for developing and implementing free trainings, workshops, and community outreach activities.

Palm Beach County Youth Services Department's mission is to grow brighter futures by providing quality service, education, and access to resources and opportunities. All services provided by the Youth Services Department are FREE and further the mission by empowering youth and families to realize their full potential and be the driving force of a thriving community. The Youth Services Department is certified in The Sanctuary® Model of Trauma-Informed Care, which promotes an environment emphasizing the seven commitments of nonviolence, emotional intelligence, social learning, open communication, social responsibility, democracy, and growth and change. For more information about the free supports provided by the Youth Services Department, you may visit the website at: https://discover.pbcgov.org/youthservices/Pages/default.aspx.​