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Birmingham VA And Mental Health
Birmingham VA Medical Center
Accredited by The Joint Commission, the BVAMC is a state-of-the-art 313-bed acute tertiary care facility that provides a wide array of health care to veterans of Alabama and surrounding states and boasts state- of-the-art fully automated patient records and medical library. The facility provides comprehensive health care through primary and tertiary care in areas of medicine, surgery, mental health, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, oncology, dentistry, geriatrics, and blind rehabilitation. The facility is also a recognized leader in palliative care and multiple sclerosis, as well as a primary stroke and renal transplant center. The BVAMC is a major training facility in the region and has students, interns, residents, and fellows in nearly all health care specialties in the facility.
Mental Health Service Line: Psychology Service
BVAMC Psychology Service falls under the Mental Health Service Line (MHSL). The MHSL is one of the largest outpatient clinics in facility with over 140 healthcare providers, administrative officers, and administrative support staff. The MHSL provides a wide range of services and specialty clinics throughout the facility. There are 22 licensed psychologists in the MHSL, all of whom are members of the Medical Staff. Psychology Service is but one component of the MHSL, with other services including Psychiatry, Social Work, Pharmacy, Nursing (e.g., Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Licensed Professional Nurses), Primary Care, and Peer Support Specialists.
Psychology Service is dedicated to contributing to best practices guidelines, adhering to ethical standards, incorporating clinical research into clinical practice, and providing exceptional care to Veterans. The service is well-respected in the facility, with psychologists serving as chairs and members of numerous medical center committees, including major committees such as the Professional Standards Board, Ethics Committee, Medical Center Records Committee, Disruptive Behavior Committee, and Safety Committee. A number of staff psychologists are fellowship trained in neuropsychology, rehabilitation psychology, and health psychology. Clinics covered by Psychology Service include the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Clinic, Mental Health Clinic, Outpatient Substance Abuse Clinic, Mental Health Neuropsychology Clinic, Geropsychology Clinic, Rehabilitation Medicine and Chronic Pain Clinic, Traumatic Brain Injury and Polytrauma Neuropsychology Clinic, Primary Care – Mental Health Integrated Team, Tele-Mental Health, Home-based Primary Care, and Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center.
Staff psychologists are highly involved in clinical service and training of doctoral students, interns, and psychiatry residents. More than half of the MHSL psychologists hold adjunct appointments in the UAB Department of Psychology and/or Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology. Many are involved in didactic teaching in the facility and throughout the UAB campus. Evidence-based approaches are strongly emphasized and utilized by staff psychologists, all of whom are nationally certified in at least one evidence-based therapy. These include Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Additional evidence-based therapies also of normative use include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Motivational Interviewing, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, and Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation.
MHSL Leadership:
Ehtsham Haq, M.D.
Dr. Haq is a board-certified psychiatrist and Chief, MHSL. He is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology. He is a member of several facility committees and also serves on committees at the regional/VISN and national levels.
William B. Beidleman, Ph.D.
Dr. Beidleman is a licensed clinical psychologist who serves as the Supervising Psychologist (SP) and the Assistant Chief, MHSL. Dr. Beidleman is also a Professor, Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, UAB School of Medicine. He has over 30 years of experience in teaching, research, clinical practice, supervision, and facility leadership. Dr. Beidleman is former Chair of the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology and a member of several facility committees, including the Ethics Committee and Medical Records Committee. He chairs the Disruptive Behavior Committee. Dr. Beidleman provides administrative direction and supervisory oversight of all MHSL psychologists.
About this Program
