Advanced Clinical Social Work Fellowship in Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic for Children (OPC)

Mission

The mission of the Yale Child Study Center Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic for Children (OPC) is to optimize the developmental potential of children and families by providing the most effective treatment interventions available based on the principles of child development and child psychopathology. Treatment focuses on family involvement and utilizes data to improve and refine our approach to child and adolescent mental health services.

Services

Psychotherapeutic services offered include cognitive behavioral treatments, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, parent management training, family therapy, problem-solving skills training, play therapy, and traditional psychodynamic psychotherapy. The OPC also offers a variety of group therapies including, but not limited to, social skills, anger management, relaxation, and groups for youth identifying or questioning their sexual orientation/identity.

Training

Core Training: A variety of seminars and training activities both multidisciplinary and discipline specific are provided.  These include Departmental Grand Rounds, Social Work Seminar, Professional Development, OPC Provider Orientation, Developmental Psychopathology, Psychopharmacology for Non-Physicians, Family Therapy, Minding the Baby – Reflective Functioning, Autism Summer Institute, Clinical Staff Meeting, EBT, TF-CBT, and PMT.

Elective Training: Opportunities for elective training vary from year to year depending on availability and interest. Historically, these have encompassed young child, trauma, anxiety, policy, and group work.

Clinical Experience

Treatment: Experience will include clinical assessment, treatment planning, individual psychotherapy with child or parent, family treatment, child guidance, parent guidance, support and case coordination and management.

Rounds: Each client is presented at Rounds regularly. Rounds serves as an opportunity for clinicians to discuss treatment with a group of cross-disciplinary colleagues and to review progress with clients and families. Rounds are attended by the rounds leaders and all clinical staff (social workers, nurses, psychiatrists, and psychologists) assigned to that group.

Supervision

Fellowship Supervisor: Each fellow will work individually throughout the year with a licensed clinical social worker who is a senior member of the faculty. These supervision hours are in compliance with licensing requirements in the state of Connecticut, which depending on local regulations, may be reciprocal when applying for licensing in other states.

On-Site Supervisor: Individual clinical supervision will be provided throughout the year by faculty within OPC.