Compass Health Network Creates Partnership with PHSU for Placement of Bilingual Psy.D Residents

Compass Health Network, which is the largest community behavioral healthcare provider in Missouri, is partnering with the new St. Louis campus of Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) for the placement of the school’s bilingual Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D) residents.  The arrangement between Compass and PHSU will create paid placements for the students at Compass’ facilities across the state.

“Compass serves a diverse population in the communities where we provide services,” says Dr. Paul Thomlinson, Executive Director, Compass Health Research Institute.  “Many of our clients are natives of Mexico, and some do not speak English.  The bilingual residents from the PHSU program will collaborate with, and help to guide, our teams of health professionals so that we can deliver excellent care to these patients, and dramatically improve their health and well-being.”

Three of PHSU’s Psy.D residents will be participating in the partnership with Compass Health Network:  Dr. Daymarie S. Rivera-Morales, Dr. Luis W. Lopez-Rodríguez, and Dr. Nicole M. Ryan-Nolla.  They will be working at Compass’ outpatient behavioral health clinics and residential treatment facilities in Clinton and Rolla, as well as Royal Oaks Psychiatric Hospital in Windsor.

The residents will be doing assessments and therapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups.  The patients will range in age from young children to older adults.  Areas of treatment will include a full complement of diagnostic conditions, from mild depression to serious mental illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder).  The residents will also be afforded the opportunity to conduct behavioral sciences research in the real-world settings provided by Compass.

“The three PHSU students will benefit tremendously by receiving mentorship from the world-class mental health practitioners at Compass Health,” says Dr. David Lenihan, PHSU’s President.  “Our school’s unique specialty is training culturally competent, bilingual clinicians, and PHSU’s partnership with Compass Health – which is one of the first of its kind in the United States – is an extension of that mission.”

About Ponce Health Sciences University

Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU), a fully accredited university, is dedicated to providing the highest quality graduate education programs available in medicine, clinical psychology, biomedical sciences, and public health in order to prepare world-class, culturally competent health professionals to better serve a growing population of diverse patients across the United States. Located in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and St. Louis, MO, PHSU is recognized around the world for its educational service and research achievements.