Riverview Awarded Major Competitive Grant

Funds put psychiatric facility on path to higher APA accreditation 

AUGUSTA, Maine - Riverview Psychiatric Recovery Center has been selected to participate in the Accreditation Assistance Project of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) to achieve American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation. APA accreditation is the highest level of accreditation for doctoral internship programs nationally.

"This is very good news for Riverview and it's a sign that under Superintendent Jay Harper's leadership, the facility is continually becoming more efficient and more proactive," said Mary Mayhew, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees Riverview. "I commend the staff at Riverview for their hard work in winning this important grant and ensuring that their facility is the very best it can be."

On December 9, 2014, APA awarded a total of $273,381 in seed funding to 15 internship programs
seeking APA accreditation. Riverview is a recipient of one of these competitive grants. This grant program was made possible by the APA Council of Representatives allocating up to $3 million during a period of three years to expand the number of accredited internship positions and to promote quality training for professional practice.

Under Superintendent Jay Harper, the psychology department at RPRC has expanded to include Director Arthur DiRocco, Ph.D. as well as Assistant Director and Clinical Training Director Elizabeth Houghton-Faryna, PsyD. The APPIC doctoral internship program was expanded from two positions to four. Riverview now has a licensed clinical psychologist on each unit with a doctoral intern under their direct supervision providing patients with individual and group therapy as well as comprehensive evaluations.

"Winning this funding for doctoral interns not only helps to train the next generation of psychology professionals, it strengthens the team we have in place at Riverview and allows us to better serve our patients and the public," said Superintendent Harper. "I'd like to thank the APA and all those here at Riverview who have put in the work to attract this funding."

In the spring of 2014, APPIC's evaluation of Riverview's internship program identified 13 areas of needed improvement to maintain accreditation. At this time, all deficiencies have been addressed and the program has been recognized as a recipient of an award to progress to the highest standard of accreditation (APA).