Addressing the Need
A new Doctorate of Psychology program has been approved by the Idaho State Board of Education, launching in Fall 2026
Idaho State is taking a bold step forward in addressing the state’s critical need for mental and behavioral health professionals with the launch of a new Doctorate of Psychology (PsyD) program. Recently approved by the Idaho State Board of Education, the program is set to welcome its first cohort of students in Fall 2026.
This new professional doctoral program is designed to prepare students for licensure as clinical psychologists, with an emphasis on hands-on, supervised clinical training. Housed on ISU’s Meridian campus, the PsyD program is part of the University’s broader mission to build Idaho’s health care workforce, especially in rural and underserved communities.
“As Idaho’s leader in health care education, ISU has a responsibility to step up when there are gaps in care,” says ISU College of Arts and Letters Dean Kandi Turley-Ames, Ph.D. “The PsyD program directly addresses one of the most urgent challenges we face today: mental and behavioral health access.”
The PsyD adds to a suite of psychology doctoral offerings at ISU, including its highly regarded Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology. Both programs are nationally competitive, attracting top-tier students from across the U.S. and internationally. Graduates go on to leadership roles in academia, health care, research, and policy.
A distinguishing factor of the PsyD program is that it is practitioner-oriented. Students in the PsyD program will be trained with a primary focus on clinical application and direct patient care. The PsyD program features two unique areas of specialization that respond directly to the state’s most pressing needs: integrated behavioral health and rural mental health.
In integrated behavioral health, students will be trained to work alongside physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants in clinical settings. This model emphasizes collaborative care and prepares graduates to address mental and behavioral components of chronic health issues such as diabetes, obesity, substance use, sleep disorders, and chronic pain.
“The benefit is recognizing that health behaviors have a strong mental health component,”Joshua Swift, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Psychology at ISU said. “If a doctor’s working with someone with diabetes, they can prescribe medication, but the psychologist can help the person develop a plan to take the medications and change behaviors that contribute to the diabetes.”
The rural focus prepares students to deliver care in Idaho’s many underserved communities. The program will include specialized training in telemental health, community partnerships, and practicum placements.
“The goal is to recruit students from all over the country but with an emphasis here on Idaho and local areas, with the hope those students will go into clinical practice here in Idaho,” Swift said.
“There’s a shortage of mental health providers in Idaho, particularly in the rural areas, so there’s a high need for more,” said Swift. “The graduates from this program and our existing program can fill a role in fulfilling that need.”
President Robert W. Wagner, Ph.D. emphasized the importance of behavioral health in the University’s strategic priorities: “Idaho State University has long been positioned as the health care leader for the state, answering the call for increased access by boosting provider numbers and reach to rural communities,” said Wagner. “Now more than ever, the need exists for enhanced mental and behavioral health care for the citizens of Idaho, and the PsyD program allows clinicians to train and practice where the need is greatest.”
The program will start small, with six students in the first cohort, and grow over time as faculty and clinical partnerships expand.
“By investing in the PsyD program, we are investing in healthier families, stronger communities, and a better future for Idaho,” said Turley-Ames. “The long-term impact of having more licensed clinical psychologists in the state cannot be overstated.”
For more on ISU’s psychology programs and other mental health initiatives, visit the Psychology website.