For the first time in several years, the Munroe-Meyer Institute has filled all three of its rural psychology internship spots.
That’s thanks, in part, to funding from the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN).
The internship slots have been harder and harder to fill, said Brandy Clarke, PhD, director of MMI’s Department of Psychology.
“There’s more competition and more training spots out there,” Dr. Clarke said. “One of the challenges is recruiting people to rural communities because of size and location.”
The internships are in Kearney, Norfolk and Chadron. The three pre-doctoral interns will have rotations as behavioral health providers working alongside primary care or family practice physicians.
BHECN contributed funds toward rural housing for the internships. That will likely cover housing costs for the three interns, Dr. Clarke said.
“Being able to provide funding to support interns in rural areas is incredibly meaningful — it’s not just an investment in individuals, but in the future of the rural workforce,” said Marley Doyle, MD, BHECN director. “These opportunities help cultivate local talent, strengthen rural communities, and ensure that critical services are available where they’re needed most. Supporting this kind of growth is a step toward a more equitable and sustainable health care system.”
One goal at MMI is to meet the needs of those in communities where services are hard to find. That can’t be done without growing the workforce, Dr. Clarke said.
Two of the three providers aren’t native to the communities they’re in.
“They were trainees who stayed on after their training,” she said. “We know the model works because folks providing supervision in these communities are examples. This is a great partnership with BHECN for us to continue to expand the workforce.”