Introduction

The Pediatric Mood Disorders Clinic in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois Medical Center accepts advanced therapy practicum students (doctoral students in a Clinical Psychology program) for a year-long, part-time clinical externship running from July 1-June 30 each year. The program is directed by Dr. Sally Weinstein. Practicum students will work with a multidisciplinary team to receive specialized training in this nationally recognized outpatient program for the diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with mood disorders and their comorbid conditions.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

• ASSESSMENT (monthly intake evaluations)
  1. Develop competency in assessing pediatric mood disorders, particularly pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD).
  2. Develop competency in knowledge and application of gold standard assessment measures of pediatric mood disorders, as well as trauma-informed assessment processes.
  3. Develop proficiency in presenting case formulation to multidisciplinary team.
• INTERVENTION (therapy caseload: 4-8 weekly child/family therapy cases, co- leading the RAINBOW Child and Parent Groups for PBD (1/semester) and/or Teen Girls Depression Group (1/year))
  1. Develop proficiency in implementing evidence-based treatments for pediatric mood disorders, trauma, and manual-based treatment for PBD, in both individual and group formats.
  2. Understand and apply the relevant literature on developmental psychopathology and clinical research as it relates to pediatric mood disorders.
  3. Build competency in school consultation to promote functioning in the classroom.

SUPERVISION

Externship students will receive weekly 1:1 supervision with Dr. Sally Weinstein, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, on their individual therapy caseload. In addition, students will receive weekly group supervision for any group treatments they are co-leading (60 minutes per group experience). Students will receive live supervision of all intake evaluations and select therapy cases throughout the year. Last, students will receive peer supervision during weekly team meetings/case conferences with the multidisciplinary clinic staff of the Pediatric Mood Disorders Clinic (including: Psychology Interns, Externs, Psychiatry Fellows, Medical Students, Nursing students, Social Work Interns, and PMDC Faculty – Child Psychologist, Child Psychiatrist, Doctoral Nurse Clinician, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker) where all trainees present cases. All combined, students will receive 2-4 hours of supervision/week.

EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK

Externship students will be evaluated mid-year and end-year utilizing the evaluation forms provided by their doctoral program. These will be discussed with the student upon completion and then returned to the student’s doctoral program. Students will also have the opportunity to evaluate the supervisor, Dr. Sally Weinstein, at the end of the training year.