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Thriving in Æðµã´«Ã½ diverse culture and embracing its value of experiential learning, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers the multicultural postdoctoral fellowship program to train psychologists of the next generation.  The fellowship provides recent graduates of psychology doctoral programs an enriching experience in higher education student mental health and fosters them to be culturally humble and ethical with expertise in working with college students from diverse backgrounds.

This fellowship provides training and experience in fulfilling the multiple roles of university counseling mental health professionals in a stimulating and collaborative environment, where fellows hone their clinical skills, strengthen their cultural humility and responsiveness, cultivate intentional and mindful clinical practice, and expand their professional development, ethical awareness, and understanding of self.  Under the supervision of licensed psychologists, postdoctoral fellows provide brief individual and group therapy, conduct triage and intake evaluations, provide crisis intervention, make referrals to community providers, and create/deliver outreach programs.

Recognizing that postdoctoral fellows are professionals in the final year of their supervised professional experience, the program expects that fellows have completed their doctoral education program and have had supervised clinical training and prior clinical experience.  The goals of the postdoctoral fellowship at CAPS include, but are not limited to:

1. To refine clinical skills for those who wish to build careers within university counseling centers.
2. To advance crisis intervention skills.
3. To strengthen cultural humility and responsiveness.
4. To promote intentional and mindful clinical practice.
5. To prepare future psychologists for independent practice.
6. To foster professional development, ethical awareness, and understanding of self.

It is expected that by the conclusion of the postdoctoral fellowship, trainees will have achieved competence demonstrating that they are prepared for entry-level independent practice and licensure in the following areas:

Competency 1: Integration of Science and Practice

• Demonstration of the substantially independent ability to critically evaluate research or other scholarly materials (e.g., literature reviews, efficacy studies, clinical case studies)
• Dissemination of research-based concepts at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level (e.g., case conference, presentations, publications)
• Participation in case conferences with other licensed therapists

Competency 2: Ethical and Legal Standards

• Knowledge of and adherence to the current version of each of the following:
  • The current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct;
  • relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing the practice of psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and
  • relevant professional standards and guidelines
• Recognition of ethical dilemmas as they arise and the ability to Æðµã´«Ã½ ethical decision-making processes to resolve the dilemmas
• Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities

Competency 3: Individual and Cultural Diversity

• An understanding of how their own personal/culture history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves
• Knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities, including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service
• The ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, and other professional activities), including the ability to Æðµã´«Ã½ a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of their career.  Also included is the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.
• Demonstrate the ability to independently Æðµã´«Ã½ their knowledge and approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups encountered during their postdoctoral fellowship

Competency 4: Professional Values & Attitudes

• Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others
• Engage in self-reflection regarding one's personal and professional functioning; engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness
• Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision
• Respond professionally to increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as they progress across levels of training
• Accept responsibility for meeting deadlines, completing required documentation promptly and accurately

Competency 5: Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services
• Produce and comprehend oral, nonverbal, and written communications that are informative and well-integrated; demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts
• Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills, understanding the impact of their interpersonal and communication practices, and the ability to manage difficult communication well

Competency 6: Assessment

• Demonstrate understanding of human behaviour within its context (e.g., family, social, societal, and cultural)
• Demonstrate current knowledge of diagnostic classification systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviours, including consideration of client strengths and psychopathology
• Select and Æðµã´«Ã½ assessment methods that draw from the best available empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics
• Collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment, as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient
• Demonstrate the ability to Æðµã´«Ã½ the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviours, including contact to the assessment and/or diagnostic process
• Interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision-making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective
• Clinical formulation and combining multiple data sources towards unified conclusions
• Communication orally and in written documents the findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences

Competency 7: Intervention

• Establish and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with diverse clients presenting with various concerns
• Develop case formulation and treatment plans that integrate theory, evidence-based interventions, assessment findings, diversity, and contextual variables
• Implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables
• Demonstrate the ability to Æðµã´«Ã½ the relevant research literature to clinical decision-making
• Evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation
• Crisis intervention, including risk assessment, safety-planning, and hospitalization

Competency 8: Supervision

• Apply the supervisory skills of giving guidance and feedback in group supervision or case conference

Competency 9: Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Consultation

• Demonstrate ability to plan and conduct outreach programs that are evidence-based and culturally and developmentally appropriate for the targeted audience

The Postdoctoral Fellowship has the following components:  orientation, training seminars, supervision, clinical case consultation, supervised experiences, and case presentation.

In their first month at CAPS, fellows are oriented to the counseling center's operations, procedures, and policies as part of their onboarding process.  Initially, fellows shadow other licensed counselors, then they conduct intakes and triage/crisis intervention under the observation of a licensed counselor or their supervisor.  Fellows start providing counseling as soon as they are oriented to the policies and procedures of CAPS.  Fellows will be assigned weekly crisis/triage coverage shifts with another counselor.

Training seminars are provided by CAPS counselors and held twice a month.  Topics include crisis intervention, case conceptualization, working with diverse students, and group therapy.  Additional trainings may be offered throughout the year to help fellows with their professional development, fellowship goals, and competencies.

As required by the Board of Psychology, 10% of the fellows' work week will be comprised of supervision activities.  Fellows receive two hours of individual supervision with a licensed psychologist and 1 hour of group supervision with a licensed clinician every week.  Fellows who co-facilities group therapy receive an additional 30 minutes of supervision by the licensed group co-facilitator.  In addition, fellows are expected to attend and participate in one hour of weekly case consultation where they can consult about cases and provide feedback to other clinicians.

Supervised experiences include intake assessment, individual and couple's counseling, group counseling, crisis intervention, triage, case management and referrals, outreach, and liaisonships/collaborations with campus partners.  Fellows conduct two intakes per week and provide 15 to 17 hours of direct services, which include individual therapy, group therapy, and outreach.  Additionally, fellows provide four to five hours of triage and crisis services weekly.

Towards the end of their fellowship, as a final requirement, fellows present on a case to serve as professional role models in case presentation, diagnostic formulation, case conceptualization, treatment planning, interventions, and consultation.  Fellows will be evaluated by the other clinicians in attendance.

Æðµã´«Ã½, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Multicultural Postdoctoral Fellowship is designed to train fellows to be culturally humble and ethical generalists with a particular expertise in working with college students from diverse backgrounds.  The fellowship is a full-time (40 hours per week), 12-month position, with the option to end earlier.

Successful completion of this fellowship meets the licensure requirements for postdoctoral supervised practice in the State of California.

Required Qualifications

• Completion of doctoral degree in Counseling and Clinical Psychology from an APA-accredited program
• Completion of psychology doctoral internship from a site that meets APPIC member standards
• Experience working with the TAY (transitional age youth) or young adult population
• Experience in providing brief psychotherapy

Preferred Qualifications

• Completion of an APA-accredited doctoral internship
• Experience working in a university counseling center
• Demonstrated interest in working with a diverse, multicultural university population
• Experience with crisis assessment and intervention

For more information on CAPS Multicultural Postdoctoral Fellowship, please contact the Training Coordinator, Rhona Harrison, Psy.D., at rjharrison@cpp.edu .