Clinical Child Psychology
The Clinical Child Psychology Track provides in-depth training in clinical child psychology within the context of a variety of treatment settings, including inpatient, partial hospital, outpatient, therapeutic school, and home-based environments. In each setting residents will be involved in assessment, treatment, and consultations tailored to best fit each clinical setting. Residents can work with children and adolescents across the age spectrum and with a wide variety of emotional, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental challenges. Individual, family, and group therapy interventions are utilized, with an emphasis on evidence-based practices best suited for the population being treated. Children and adolescents represent a wide range of populations in terms of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexuality, and gender identity. Residents complete three 4-month primary rotations within clinical programs that are affiliated with Bradley Hospital. The clinical psychology residents can rank-order the following rotations (described in detail below), based on their particular interests and training goals: Children’s Partial Hospital Program Rotation, Community-Based Therapeutic School Rotation, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Rotation, Adolescent Inpatient Unit, and Anxiety and OCD Partial Hospital program. In addition, they can participate in supplemental rotations from both the Clinical Child Psychology and Pediatric Psychology Supplemental options.
Clinical Child Psychology Primary Rotations
Each primary rotation lasts four months. Clinical psychology residents within the Clinical Child Psychology Specialty spend the equivalent of three days per week on their primary rotations.
Adolescent Inpatient Rotation
Faculty Supervisor: Katie Affleck, PhD, Claire Nicogossian, PhD, & Jennifer Wolff, PhD
This rotation provides training in empirically-supported assessment and treatment of acute psychopathology on an inpatient unit. The multidisciplinary team is comprised of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, and milieu staff. The AIU serves a diverse patient population in terms of race, socioeconomic status, sexuality, and gender identity. Approximately 40-45% of patients identify as a sexual or gender minority and a third of patients are involved with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Primary presenting problems include depression, severe trauma histories, anxiety, psychosis, behavior problems, substance use, and emerging personality disorders.
Clinical psychology residents participate in a range of activities including diagnostic interviews, individual therapy, and group therapy utilizing. The primary interventions utilized are Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and DBT-style consultation meetings are held on a regular basis. Clinical psychology residents provide empirically-based individual treatment to 3-4 patients that is tailored to short-term care (average patient length of stay is 9 days). Residents will also have exposure to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Motivational Interviewing throughout the rotation. Trainees attend morning rounds with the multidisciplinary team and receive individual and group supervision. Opportunities for residents to supervise practicum students and milieu staff are also available.
Children's Partial Hospital Program Rotation
Faculty Supervisor(s): Jennifer Hellmuth, PhD, Erik Hood, PhD, Ryann Morrison, PhD
In the Children’s Partial Hospital Program rotation, the clinical psychology resident has the opportunity to develop competency in assessment, treatment, and consultation with children who present with serious emotional and behavioral challenges. The children (ranging in age from 7-12 years old) display a broad range of psychopathology and typically remain in the program for 6-8 weeks. Typically, children present with high levels of co-morbidity (anxiety disorders, trauma, school refusal, mood disorders, psychotic spectrum disorders, ADHD, ODD, family conflict). The program aims to provide intensive evidence-based interventions with children and their families, beginning with a comprehensive family and child assessment, followed by goal setting with the family and child.
Clinical psychology residents will participate and receive supervision in all aspects of the partial hospital program. They will complete clinical and diagnostic evaluations of patients and their families, as well as providing individual, group, and/or family therapies. Clinical psychology residents typically have the opportunity to provide empirically-based treatments for children within individual, family, and group formats. Residents may have opportunities to consult to program staff regarding appropriate milieu interventions and the outcome of psychological assessments. Residents will also participate in planning and consultation regarding patient transition back to community settings (school and outpatient therapies).
Clinical psychology residents gain experience working collaboratively with a multidisciplinary treatment team that includes behavioral health specialists, nurses, teachers, psychologists, social workers, art therapists, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, and psychiatrists.
Community-Based Therapeutic School Rotation
Faculty Supervisor(s): Jamie Hollenbeck, PsyD, Lisa Freda, PsyD, Christina Bellanti, PhD, & Melanie Dubard, PhD
In the Community-Based Therapeutic School rotation, the clinical psychology resident has the opportunity to develop competency in assessment, treatment, and consultation with youth who have serious emotional, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental challenges that have interfered with their ability to be educated within the public school setting. The students (ranging in age from 3-21 years old) have been referred from school districts in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut for placement at the Bradley School, a community-based therapeutic day school. We have a diverse population in terms of diagnosis, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status that differs based on the specific school location. Within each school, there are a variety of classrooms organized by educational, emotional, and neurodevelopmental needs offering opportunities to work with youth with a wide variety of presenting problems and co-morbidities.
Clinical psychology residents will participate and receive supervision in all aspects of the day treatment program. They may complete cognitive, adaptive, and clinical evaluations, as well as providing individual, and group therapies. Classroom-based cognitive-behavioral interventions are provided to all students, and clinical psychology residents may serve as consultants to the classroom staff as these interventions are developed, implemented, and monitored. In addition, residents may have the opportunity to implement additional evidence-based curricula in specific classrooms, depending on their training goals, and expertise.
Clinical psychology residents gain experience working collaboratively with multidisciplinary treatment teams that include special education teachers, classroom behavior specialists, school nurses, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, and speech/language pathologists.
OCD and Anxiety Partial Hospital Rotation in the Pediatric Anxiety Research Center
Faculty Supervisor(s): Michael Walther, PhD, Andrea Gold, PhD, & Jennifer Freeman, PhD
This rotation provides training in empirically supported assessment and treatment of severe obsessive-compulsive/anxiety disorders in children and adolescents in a partial hospital setting. The multidisciplinary team is comprised of clinical psychology and psychiatry residents and fellows, as well as psychologists, psychiatrists, and milieu staff. Mornings and afternoons are spent working with youth with severe anxiety/obsessive-compulsive symptoms within the Bradley Hospital Intensive OCD and Related Disorders Program (morning and afternoon partial hospital programs).
In the OCD and Anxiety program, trainees will have opportunities to assess and treat children and adolescents who present with severe OCD and other functionally impairing anxiety disorders and are likely to benefit from a primary exposure model of treatment. Resident will also have training opportunities within the OCD program’s DBT-X Track, which integrates exposure and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) approaches for high-risk, multi-problem patients with OCD/anxiety co-occurring with severe emotion dysregulation and suicidality/self-injury. The OCD program provides integrated daily (morning or after-school) hospital- and community-based treatment for children and adolescents (aged 5-18 years) with primary OCD/anxiety and a range of co-morbid disorders. Patients participate in individual and group-based exposure therapy, as well as psychoeducation, motivational enhancement, family therapy, and psychopharmacologic assessment and treatment. Patients also receive 2-5 home or community visits every week. Residents will be responsible for attending treatment team meetings (on the three days they are in the program) and treating 3 cases in conjunction with a staff psychologist. Treatment will include both individual and family therapy. Residents will also spend time daily in the milieu, working on individual and group-based exposure treatment with patients and working with milieu therapists. Group supervision will be provided during treatment team meetings. Residents will receive at least 2 hours of individual supervision each week. Opportunities for residents to supervise milieu staff will occur during treatment team meetings, as well as during milieu time. Opportunities will also exist for residents to participate in home/community visits, facilitate DBT skills training and peer coaching groups, and/or attend the DBT-X consultation team meeting if they are interested.
Pediatric Consultation Liaison
Faculty Supervisors: Margaret Mannix, PhD & Emily Katz, MD
The Pediatric Consultation/Liaison rotation for child track interns entails participation with the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry team consulting to Hasbro Children’s Hospital’s medical inpatient floors. Interns provide assessments and treatment for patients who are awaiting inpatient hospitalization due to suicidality, aggression, or acute presentations as well as those who have comorbid medical and psychiatric concerns. The team consists of several triple board fellows, child psychiatry fellows, and psychology post-doctoral fellows and residents. Common referral questions include pain complaints, eating disorders, adjustment to chronic illness, problems with adherence to medical regimens, and suicidality. Families are ethnically diverse from a wide variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Supervision is provided by the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who directs the service and by Dr. Mannix, a Pediatric Psychologist and Assistant Director of the service.
Virtual Adolescent Partial Hospital Program (APHP) / Bradley REACH Rotation
Faculty Supervisor: Elisabeth Frazier, PhD, Molly Hedrick, PhD, Carla Correia, PsyD
In the virtual Adolescent Partial Hospital Program (APHP) / Bradley REACH rotation, the clinical psychology resident has the opportunity to develop competency in family, individual, and group therapy with adolescents who present with serious emotional and behavioral challenges. Adolescents display a broad range of psychopathology and typically remain in the program for 3-4 weeks. The program aims to provide intensive therapeutic interventions with adolescents and their families, as well as consultation with their schools, in a telehealth format. Clinical psychology residents will participate in and receive supervision in all aspects of the partial hospital program. They will complete clinical evaluations of patients and their families, as well as provide individual, group, and family therapies. Clinical psychology residents typically have the opportunity to provide empirically-based treatments for adolescents within individual and group formats and for families (as co-therapist initially). Clinical psychology residents will also participate in planning and consultation regarding patient transition back to community settings (school and outpatient therapies). Clinical psychology residents gain experience working collaboratively with a multidisciplinary treatment team that includes milieu therapists, nurses, teachers, psychologists, occupational therapists, art therapists, social workers, and psychiatrists.
Clinical Child Psychology Supplemental Rotations
One day per week throughout the training year is available for supplemental rotations. Supplemental rotations involve half day or full day experiences, and rotation length may be 4, 6, 8, or 12 months. Each clinical child psychology resident is asked to select at least one pediatric supplemental and one clinical child supplemental, though additional supplementals typically are chosen, as long as scheduling allows.
Trainee may choose Supplemental Rotations from the Pediatric Psychology and/or Clinical Child Psychology Specialty options (see additional supplemental options under Pediatric Psychology description).
Anxiety Clinic Rotation
Faculty Supervisor(s): Jennifer Herren, PhD & Erin O’Connor, PhD
The purpose of the PARC Anxiety Clinic rotation is to allow trainees to gain more specialized and long-term experience in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, with an emphasis on pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The patient population includes primarily outpatient child and adolescent cases with diagnoses including OCD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and school avoidance. Children with Selective Mutism, Trichotillomania, and Tic Disorders may be seen as well. The focus of the training is on the delivery of principle-based CBT. While specific CBT intervention is case and diagnosis-dependent, the use of exposure therapy is emphasized. This rotation offers the opportunity to see cases at an outpatient level that have stepped down from a partial level of care, have co-morbid medical problems and/or physical complaints, involve family-based exposure interventions, as well as have other comorbid diagnoses, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and depressive disorders. This supplemental rotation requires participation for half a day per week.
Autism Intensive Behavior Treatment (IBT) Program Rotation
Faculty Supervisor(s): Karyn Blane, PsyD
This rotation provides the opportunity for clinical psychology residents to acquire knowledge and experience with applied behavior analytic (ABA) treatment methodology and individualized interventions for children across SES levels with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This home-based training focuses on understanding the science of ABA and involves the systematic application of behavioral methods to promote behavior change and the learning of new skills in the home and community settings. In addition, parent training and the generalization of skills are essential components of the treatment. The age range of the population is 2-7 years old. Clinical psychology residents can participate in this supplemental rotation for a half-day or one full day per week. Trainees can participate as members of treatment teams by directing individualized discrete trial training programs, consulting with families to promote consistency across environments, planning and implementing social and play opportunities for children, and developing techniques to monitor and assess the effectiveness of intensive behavioral treatment programs. Practical solutions and recommendations are emphasized across this rotation to support optimal progress for the children and families, and to maintain skills across settings. Trainees must have reliable transportation to be able to fully participate in this rotation.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Assessment Clinic Rotation
Faculty Supervisor(s): Casey Cragin, PsyD
The purpose of this rotation is to allow clinical psychology residents to obtain more specialized training in the assessment and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in toddlerhood and early childhood. There is a heavy emphasis on differential diagnosis and case conceptualization, as well as translating evaluation findings into meaningful treatment and educational recommendations. The clinical psychology resident will gain experience in clinical assessment methods, including semi-structured interviews, formal and informal observational methods, and selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation of appropriate psychometric assessments. The clinical psychology resident’s experience will be tailored to their background and goals. Typically, there are 1-2 new evaluations scheduled each month, with additional follow-up visits in which the clinical psychology resident participates. Clinical psychology residents can participate in this supplemental rotation for one half-day or full-day per week. The full-day option offers additional exposure to comprehensive report writing and ongoing family consultation and treatment.
Early Childhood Rotation
Faculty Supervisor(s): Christine Low, PhD, Rebecca Newland, PhD, Rachel Herman, PhD, & Rebecca Silver, PhD
This rotation provides the opportunity for clinical psychology residents to receive specialized training in early childhood mental health. The rotation focuses on early childhood mental health consultation, primarily in early care and education settings. This service involves assessment of identified children at their early learning program (including classroom observations, standardized questionnaires, and interviews with family caregivers and teachers), feedback and recommendations provided to families and childcare staff, and individualized follow-up supports and coaching to implement recommendations in the classroom. This consultation service serves children and families across the state, and prioritizes programs who accept state childcare subsidies; approximately 10% of children served are in foster care. Clinical psychology residents participate for a half-day per week, for a minimum of 6 months. Mileage will be reimbursed at the federal rate.
Outpatient Psychotherapy for children/teens with Developmental Disabilities: Verrecchia Clinic Rotation
Faculty Supervisors: Karen Cammuso, PhD
The Verrecchia Clinic Rotation provides clinical psychology residents with the opportunity to gain experience in providing outpatient therapy services (e.g., parent training, individual and group therapy) with children, adolescents, and young adults with developmental challenges, including Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The clinic is part of Bradley Hospital’s Outpatient Services. Patients are school-aged (5-22) and include referrals from the community as well as from partial and inpatient levels of care. Patients in this clinic often exhibit complex psychiatric (e.g., depression, mood dysregulation, anxiety, ADHD, and disruptive behavior disorders) and medical (e.g., genetic disorders, sleep and feeding problems) presentations unique to individuals with developmental disabilities. The focus of the training is learning to use specialized evidence-based therapies, as well as strategies to support neurodiverse patients in the therapy setting. Groups offered include parent training, CBT/exposure therapy for anxiety, and adapted DBT (anticipated). Residents can co-lead groups based on schedule availability. A minimum six-month commitment of four hours per week is required, and clinical psychology residents may participate for up to 8 hours weekly.
Pediatric Consultation Liaison
Faculty Supervisors: Margaret Mannix, PhD, Emily Katz, MD, Ashley Brown, PhD, Alison Manning, MD
The Pediatric Consultation/Liaison rotation for child track interns entails participation with the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry team consulting to Hasbro Children’s Hospital’s medical inpatient floors. Interns provide assessments and treatment for patients who are awaiting inpatient hospitalization due to suicidality, aggression, or acute presentations as well as those who have comorbid medical and psychiatric concerns. The team consists of several triple board fellows, child psychiatry fellows, and psychology post-doctoral fellows and residents. Common referral questions include pain complaints, eating disorders, adjustment to chronic illness, problems with adherence to medical regimens, and suicidality. Families are ethnically diverse from a wide variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Supervision is provided by the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who directs the service and by Dr. Mannix, a Pediatric Psychologist and Assistant Director of the service.
Stride Clinic (Early Psychosis) Rotation
Faculty Supervisors: Elizabeth Thompson, PhD
The Stride Clinic rotation provides opportunities for trainees to gain specialized training in the assessment and treatment of psychosis-spectrum disorders in youth. This outpatient clinic offers diagnostic assessment and individual, family, and group therapy, integrated within a multidisciplinary team that provides psychiatric care and wraparound services in the community. Clinical psychology residents will receive in-depth training in semi-structured diagnostic interviewing, including specialized assessment of psychosis-spectrum conditions, as well as training in differential considerations and preparing treatment recommendations based on assessment findings. Another focus of training is on the delivery of CBT for psychosis (CBTp), as well as other evidence-based interventions (e.g., DBT, ACT, social skills training). The clinic also provides consultation services, primarily within Lifespan’s adolescent inpatient and partial hospital programs. This supplemental rotation requires at least one half-day commitment per week.