The aim of the internship program at Children’s Center is to train professional psychologists who have a particular interest in child psychology. The program is designed to encourage the development of clinical competence with children and families, with sensitivity to, and facility with, cultural differences, ethical issues, interdisciplinary relationships, and the changing environment of health care.

This program provides the intern with the opportunity to take substantial responsibility for carrying out his or her major professional functions in the context of appropriate supervisory support. It is designed around a fundamental curriculum, which focuses on intern competencies in assessment, diagnostic interviewing, intervention, case management and triage, consultation, and critical thinking about clinical case material.

The program offers two core experiences which include ADHD and Behavioral Dysfunction Treatment and Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment. These experiences last the entire internship. Interns will spend the equivalent of three days per week training in the core experiences. During both experiences, interns will refine and hone their diagnostic skills, learn the process of differential diagnosis, treatment plan formulation. The internship assumes a transtheoretical perspective and will utilize behavioral, trauma-informed, attachment and/or cognitive behavioral techniques to produce treatment gains.

Interns will also have the opportunity to spend obtain training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), forensic psychology (Juvenile Justice/Forensic), and integrated healthcare as a behavioral consultant. All of these additional experiences will be offered at the equivalent of 2 days/week.  

It is expected that each intern will receive 16-20 hour per week of direct, face-to-face service delivery during the internship year.