ESH HomeResearch & Training Opportunities

Psychology Department Training Programs

Eastern State Hospital has a long history of training clinicians across disciplines. The Psychology Department remains committed to excellence in training a new generation of clinicians, at various stages of training. Many of our current and former psychology department staff members previously participated in one of the following training programs at ESH. The current supervisors associated with each of these programs meet together for consultation as a Training Committee.

Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship
Postdoctoral fellowships are paid/funded full-time employment opportunities designed for individuals who have completed their doctoral requirements (i.e., PhD or PsyD), including a predoctoral internship in psychology, and are in pursuit of further specialized training.

The ESH postdoctoral fellowship program is designed to provide specialized training in the practice of forensic psychology through both didactic and clinical components. The didactic aspect focuses on gaining relevant legal knowledge, ethical considerations specific to forensic work, and covering various forensic issues and areas in which psycholegal questions emerge. Case law (at both state and federal levels) is also reviewed across those various areas. This portion of training is modeled after the ABPP Forensic guidelines to help prepare the fellow for board certification. The clinical part of training has 2 main components: pretrial criminal forensic evaluations (competency and sanity), and risk assessment/management for individuals adjudicated Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI). The postdoctoral fellow is exposed to both evaluation and treatment in a forensic context allowing for a diverse training experience and appreciation of psychology’s role at various points in the legal process. 

The ESH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology is a primarily clinical fellowship program. Thus, approximately 80% of their time is spent providing direct psychological services, to mainly include forensic evaluation, risk assessment, and treatment. The other time is spent report writing, in supervision, and in the weekly didactic seminar. There are also opportunities for psychological assessment, supervising less experienced trainees, conducting research at the hospital, and becoming involved in the department’s committees depending on the fellow’s interests. All training activities take place at Eastern State Hospital, except for any outside training the postdoctoral fellow may attend (e.g., at the Institute of Law, Psychology, and Public Policy) or courtroom testimony.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the program brochure: 2024-2025 ESH Forensic Postdoc Brochure

Psychology Predoctoral Internship Program
Psychology predoctoral internship programs are paid/funded full-time capstone clinical experiences for students near completion of their doctoral degrees (i.e., PhD or PsyD) in psychology.
Historically, ESH served as a primary placement for interns on the forensic track of the APA-accredited predoctoral internship program at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). For administrative reasons, EVMS chose to discontinue that training program after the 2019-2020 training year.

Psychology Practicum Training Program (Externship)
Psychology practica (externships) are part-time clinical training experiences for students currently enrolled in doctoral programs (i.e., PhD or PsyD) in psychology. The practicum at ESH is unpaid.

ESH’s advanced practicum program endeavors to contribute to each doctoral student’s foundational clinical skills, professional skills, and ethics for the entry level practice of psychology. The primary focus of this program is to help students develop and hone the clinical skills necessary for working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness, personality disorders, co-occurring medical/psychiatric conditions, and legal involvement. The psychology practicum program also aims to expose students to various inpatient hospital functions, and interact professionally with clinicians in other disciplines. This involves conducting psychological assessment, individual therapy, group therapy, and participating in treatment team meetings, among other tasks. Additional time is spent on group supervision, individual supervision, clinical writing, with respect to assessment reports and progress notes in particular. We encourage knowledge of current clinical-forensic research, use of empirically-based treatments, and mindful modifications of established treatments given the forensic context and diversity-related factors.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the program brochure: 2024-2025 Practicum Brochure

Counselor in Training Program
ESH offers clinical training to students enrolled in masters programs in counseling (e.g., M.Ed.) at 2 levels: Practicum and Internship. These are both part-time unpaid opportunities for inpatient counseling experience. Practicum counseling students who are just beginning field experience as well as opportunities for those who have a little more field training as counseling interns will be encouraged to apply and those who are a best fit will be offered placement.

The Eastern State Hospital counselor in training program is designed to provide trainees with an opportunity to become immersed in the inpatient psychiatric setting. The program incorporates an integrated developmental model of learning and supervision. The approach is designed to fuse psychological/counseling knowledge with clinical practice and to continue the development of skills, and develop the student’s ability to evaluate the efficacy of treatment interventions. Each counselor trainee receives learning tasks to address the implementation and development of counseling skills, case conceptualization, profession development, ethical development, emotional awareness and ongoing self-assessment/evaluation. The counselor training program’s supervisory approach is one of modeling, instruction and advising, monitoring and evaluating, consulting and exploring and supporting in sharing. This allows the counselor trainee to work the graduated developmental stages.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the program brochure: 2024-2025 Counseling Training Brochure

Research at ESH

Recent Research Conducted by Staff at ESH

Eastern State Hospital (ESH) has an active group of researchers who are open to collaboration on new projects. All projects are monitored by the ESH Research & Review Committee (R&RC), as well as the DBHDS Institutional Review Board (IRB), which is currently housed at Central State Hospital. 

The following reflect recent publications and presentations by our staff members over the past several years.

*Denotes staff members at the time of writing/publication.

Staff Publications

  • *Scott, K., Boccaccini, M. T., Trupp, G., Murrie, D. C., & Hawes, S. (2022). Evaluator empathy in risk assessment interviews. Law and Human Behavior. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000492
  • *Grossi, L. M., Brereton, A., & Cabeldue, M. (2021). Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis (CBT-p) as an Adjunct to Competency Restoration. Journal of Forensic Psychology: Research and Practice. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/24732850.2021.1877022
  • *Grossi, L. M., *Osborn, L. A., *Joplin, K., *O’Connor, B. (2021). Clinical Intervention in Forensic Psychiatric Settings: Safety and Logistical Considerations. Journal of Forensic Psychology: Research and Practice, 21(2), 152-170. https://doi.org/10.1080/24732850.2020.1843105 
  • *Joplin, K., & *Stoner, L. (2020). Trauma-informed care in forensic mental health music therapy. Music Therapy Today. ISSN: 1610-191X
  • *Grossi, L. M., Green, D., *Cabeldue, M. & Pivovarova, E. (2020). Assessing feigning with the Feigning Evaluation INtegrating Sources (FEINS) in a forensic psychiatric sample. Psychological Services. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000513
  • *Grossi, L. M., Green, D., *Griswold, H., *Cabeldue, M., & Belfi, B. (2019). Assessing inpatient victimization risk among insanity acquittees using the HCR-20V3. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 47(3), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.29158/JAAPL.003843-19
  • *Stoner, L. (2018). Chapter 14: Music Therapy in the Context of Different Clinical Settings – E6: Forensic Mental Health Setting. In A. Heidersheit, & N. Jackson (authors) book Introduction to Music Therapy Practice. Barcelona Publishers: Dallas, TX.
  • *Griswold, H., Green, D., Cruise, K., Belfi, B., Lam, J., *Grossi, L. M., Cucco, E. & Iskander, L. (2018). Assessing risk for victimization in a forensic psychiatric setting using the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START). Violence and Victims, 33(6), 1012-1035. https://doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.33.6.1012
  • *Grossi, L. M., Green, D., Schneider, M., Belfi, B., & Segal, S. (2018). Personality, psychiatric, and cognitive predictors of length of time for competency to stand trial restoration. The International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 17(2), 167-180. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14999013.2018.1459964
  • *Grossi, L. M. (2017). Sexual offenders, violent offenders, and community reentry: Challenges and treatment considerations. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 34C, 59-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2017.04.005

Conference Presentations

  • *Grossi, L. M., *Hunt, E.,* Osborn, A., & *Griswold, H. (2023, March). Where Did Everyone Go? Effects of Policy Changes on Bed Space in State Psychiatric Hospitals and Correctional Facilities in Virginia. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Philadelphia, PA.
  • *Hunt, E., *Osborn, A., *Grossi, L. M., & *Griswold, H. (2023, March). The Impact of Policy Changes on Mental Health Consumers in Criminal Justice Facilities in Virginia. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Philadelphia, PA. 
  • *Osborn, A., *Grossi, L. M., *Hunt, E., & *Griswold, H. (2023, March). Changes in Mental Health Policy in Virginia and the State Psychiatric Hospital Population. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Philadelphia, PA.
  • *Green, C., *Jennings, W., & *Wilson, B. (2022, October). Improving Hospital Safety by Creating a Crisis Prevention Response Team. Poster accepted for presentation at the American Psychiatric Association’s 2022 Mental Health Services Conference, Washington, DC.
  • *Cabeldue, M., & *Grossi, L. M. (2022, March). Use of DBT to Address Forensic Specific outcomes Including Competency Restoration. Paper presented at the  annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Denver CO.
  • *Grossi, L. M., Brereton, A., & *Cabeldue, M. (2022, March). Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis (CBT-p) as an Adjunct to Competency Restoration. Paper presented at the  annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Denver CO.
  • *Grossi, L. M., *Hunt, E., *Osborn, A., & *Griswold, H. (2022, March). Trends in Virginia’s State Psychiatric Hospital Admissions in the Context of Mental Health Policy Changes: A 15-Year Longitudinal Study. Paper presented at the  annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Denver CO.
  • *Hudacek, K., & *Hunt, E. (2022, March). A crisis within a crisis: Is the system “restorable?” In The Role of Misdemeanor Defendants Within the Competency Services Crisis. Symposium conducted at the  annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Denver, CO.
  • *Scott, K.N., & Vincent, G. (2022, March). “I understand you:” Perceptions of the use of empathy in forensic evaluations. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Denver, CO.
  • *Stoner, L. & Bowdish, T. (2021, December). From reflections to actions: Strategies to refill your cup, refocus your priorities, and renew your energy. Presented through the Virginia Music Therapy Association, virtual platform.
  • *Stoner, L. & *Joplin, K. (2020, July). Trauma-informed care in forensic mental health music therapy. Presentation at the Music Therapy Congress of the World Federation of Music Therapy, South Africa via virtual platform.
  • *Hudacek, K. & *Hunt, E. (2020, March) Robust or Bust? Carving out Time to Devote to Research in a State Hospital. Paper accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, New Orleans, LA.
  • *Hudacek, K., & *Hunt, E. (2019, March). Leveraging state and local data on forensic admissions to create systems and policy change. Paper presented at the 2019  annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Portland, OR.
  • *Stoner, L. & *Joplin, K. (2019, March). Who’s to Judge? Forum on ethical scenarios in forensic mental health settings. Presented through the Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Music Therapy Association, Reston, VA.
  • *Grossi, L. M., Handel, R. W., & Archer, R. P. (2018, April). A comparison of the validity of the MMPI-A-RF Higher-Order and Restructured Clinical scales between African-Americans and Caucasians in a forensic sample. Poster presented at the 53rd Annual MMPI Symposium in Hollywood Beach, FL.
  • *Grossi, L. M., Green, D., Cabeldue, M., Belfi, B., Rollock, C., & Pivovarova, E. (2018, March). A Glance at the MAP: Assessing Feigning with the Malingering Assessment of Psychopathology. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Memphis, TN.
  • *Stoner, L. (2016, November). Group music therapy in an acute mental health facility. Presented at the National Conference of the American Music Therapy Association, Sandusky, OH.
  • *Hudacek, K. (2016, March). So, you have a forensic waitlist, now what? In Durham, K., Arnold, S., Giallella, C.L. & Griffin, P. Wrestling with Forensic Waiting Lists: Clinical Considerations of Effective Competency Restoration. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society, Atlanta, GA.

Current Research Interests/Projects Ongoing
Use of clinical interventions in competency restoration 
Malingering 
Mental health policy 
Aggression/Risk management 
Case Studies

Research & Review Committee (R&RC) Contact Information:
Laura M. Grossi, PhD
ESH R&RC Chair
laura.grossi@dbhds.virginia.gov  
Office Phone: (757) 208-7818