Doctor of Psychology program is coming to Springfield through Burrell and MSU partnership

Missouri State University and Burrell Behavioral Health are partnering to bring a Doctor of Psychology program to Springfield by next year.

Burrell President and CEO C.J. Davis and Missouri State President Clif Smart signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday at the Burrell Administrative Center.

Burrell will contribute $500,000 over the next few years to help establish the program and will provide training support for PsyD students at Missouri State.

The Doctor of Psychology program will fill a gap in psychology education opportunities in Springfield.

Previously, the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield offered a PsyD program, but that institute closed its doors in 2015.

For students, the PsyD program will be completed over five years. Four years will be spent working in the local community with a final year at an internship cycle, said Mark Smith, dean of the Missouri State McQueary College of Health and Human Services.

"This is truly an integrated process," Smith said. "Students who enter the program will come to Burrell for any of their internships, opportunities and practicums. (Missouri State) faculty will work at Burrell. Burrell employees will be part of the teaching responsibilities and instruction at Missouri State."

This new educational program will also provide more mental health services for the community.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Burrell has experienced a 15 percent increase in use of services per year and a 25 percent increase in calls to the Behavioral Crisis Center, according to Davis. At a national level, 60 percent of the 3,000 community mental health centers across the country have a waiting list.

"With a nationwide workforce shortage and ongoing mental health crisis made worse by COVID-19, there has never been a greater need for psychologists," Davis said in a news release. "This program will provide a much-needed influx of these versatile behavioral health professionals to our regional workforce."

One Burrell mental health clinician who is looking forward to the new program is Susan Baker, a licensed professional counselor.

Baker offers individual therapy and administers psychology and neuropsychology tests at Burrell.

Baker said she has been interested in pursuing a Doctor of Psychology degree but has felt "stuck" for awhile due to the lack of local options.

"I know for me and a lot of my colleagues, whether that's people here at Burrell or other community providers, because we are already in the field and working full-time, travel to somewhere else, especially when we have our careers and families here, that's not a very attractive option," Baker said after the press conference. "By the time you're getting your master's degree or getting licensed in the field, you've got your life established and most of us don't want to leave southwest Missouri."

Obtaining a Doctor of Psychology degree opens new doors for mental health clinicians, which excites Baker. She said she is interested in conducting psychological assessments, which can only be done with a PsyD.

The PsyD program will be presented to the Missouri State Board of Governors next week. If approved, the program will seek formal approval from the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development and the Missouri Learning Commission, then accreditation from the American Psychological Association.

Smart said he hopes for the program to launch in 2023.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: PsyD program comes to Springfield through Burrell and MSU partnership