FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES at Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, Pasadena Ronald McDonald House and Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House

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1 FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES at Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, Pasadena Ronald McDonald House and Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House 1 year and 2-year Clinical Psychology Practicum This clinical psychology 1 year or 2-year practicum is available to doctoral level clinical psychology students who are currently enrolled in a PsyD or PhD clinical psychology program and in good standing. This practicum has been created to provide intensive training in couple and family/child psychology, which is seriously lacking in most practicum settings. The practicum is located at the following locations: Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, Pasadena Ronald McDonald House, Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House, Stanford Ronald McDonald House and Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times. Recently this training program was awarded the most prestigious award from the Global Ronald McDonald House Charities, Hearts and Hands Awards: Expand Reach (2015). The expectation is that we will put our Family Support Services program in the 350 houses in 60 countries around the world. We were also recognized with the American Psychological Association, Division 43 Couple and Family Diversity Program Award (2016). DESCRIPTION OF THE AGENCY The Ronald McDonald House provides families with a safe and supportive place to stay while their child undergoes treatment for critical illness or injuries at local hospitals. The families are ethnically diverse and 20% come from outside the United States. The House strives to: Provide families of sick children with safe, welcoming lodging near their hospitalized child. Insure that children have the support of their family members during their 2

2 difficult medical treatment. Provide families with support and stress-reduction activities to help them avoid patient, sibling and parental isolation The Ronald McDonald House understands that the needs of the families go beyond simply finding a place to stay during their child s illness. Family Support Services (FSS) at the RMH offers crisis intervention, and psychosocial support to the RMH patients, siblings, parents and families. Furthermore, FSS provides support and training to the RMH staff and volunteers in order to facilitate their work with families. Presently we offer therapeutic support in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Armenian, and French. CLINICAL TRAINING PROGRAM This practicum helps facilitate the mission of the Ronald McDonald House by supporting the health and well-being of children with serious illnesses and their families during a very difficult time in their lives. The Clinical Training Program provides a variety of strengthbased clinical services to Ronald McDonald families, children, volunteers and staff. These clinical services are sensitive to the ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious backgrounds and medical issues of the children and families being served. FSS provides clinical psychology graduate students excellent systems-based training for working with children, adults, couples and families. In addition to evidenced based approaches such as differentiation based approach, motivational interviewing, ACT, functional family therapy, triple P parenting program, and mindful self-compassion, we are also cognizant that the therapuetic relationship accounts for why clients improve or fail to improve as much as the particular treatment method. Evidenced-based therapeutic relationships complement everything done at RMH. Special attention is placed on personal development of the therapist. Students may supplement their practicum with high quality psychological and educational assessment of children, adolescents and young adults from ages They may also supplement their training by co-authoring articles and making presentations with the training faculty. ONE-YEAR Practicum Year One of the practicum focuses on breadth of experience, preparing students to work with children, couples and families. Students spend considerable time gaining exposure to medical psychology, and psychological applications, conducting Welcome Meetings and ongoing sessions, interacting therapeutically with the families in the milieu, as well as the ethics and considerations associated with communication with non-psychologist team members. In the beginning of the year, 3

3 emphasis is placed on adjusting to the site, learning the administrative work, engaging in supervision and self confrontation, and beginning welcome meetings and milieu work. TWO YEAR Practicum Year Two practicum focuses on depth of experience, increasing independence and rounding out skills learned in Year One. Students are expected to take on significant leadership and supervisory role at RMH. They are often in charge of the Therapeutic Fun Club program for parents, families and children. These two year practicum students also participate in leading staff and volunteer trainings and assist in peer supervising first year practicum students. In Year Two, students are expected to operate more independently as part of a multidisciplinary team. SPANISH TRACK: One year and two year practicum The Spanish Track Elective was created for trainees interested in receiving training, didactics and supervision in Spanish. Cultural and language diversity are of the utmost importance to the FSS team. A small stipend will be provided to Spanish-speaking practicum students. DIRECT SERVICES PROVIDED BY ALL ONE YEAR AND TWO YEAR PRACTICUM STUDENTS: Crisis Intervention: Dealing with Post-traumatic stress, domestic violence, child abuse, Individual Adult Support, Child Support (Patient and/or Siblings), Couple Support, and Family Support All families at the RMH are assigned a practicum student when they check into the RMH Practicum students are responsible for Welcome Meetings and for helping families decide which Family Support Services to take advantage of Practicum students have ongoing scheduled individual, couple and family sessions as well as office hours for families to drop in Hospital Visits Practicum students visit the patients in the hospital Therapeutic Fun Clubs Lead Fun Club Activities for Children, Parents and Families Milieu Support Practicum students are available at various times throughout the house, and at meals to engage conversation and help problem solve 4

4 Milieu Events Participate in creating large scale therapeutic events for the house (Such as super bowl, Halloween event, carnival etc.) Parent Groups, Sibling Groups, and Family Groups at RMH Weekly support groups are held for Parents Weekly support groups are held for Children Assessment If one-year practicum students wish supplement their practicum, they can participate in the assessment program. The goal is to provide the highest quality psychological and educational assessment to children, adolescents and young adults from ages 6-25 and master report writing INDIRECT SERVICES PROVIDED BY ONE YEAR AND TWO YEAR PRACTICUM STUDENTS: Help with the Transition Back to Home Help parents connect with resources in own hometown Prepare families for what they might encounter when they return home Check in with families who have gone home to make sure that they have connected with resources in their hometown Practicum students will learn to facilitate and monitor online social/emotional support programs for families after discharge Program Development: Family Support Services Practicum students are encouraged to take initiative to develop new programs that will help the RMH families AFTER COMPLETING ONE YEAR PRACTICUM, TWO YEAR PRACTICUM STUDENTS CONTINUE ONE YEAR PRACTICUM RESPONSIBILITIES AND ADD THE FOLLOWING: Milieu Events Co-lead a milieu event to learn about milieu planning under the wing of someone who has run one in the past Therapeutic Fun Clubs Co-coordinate fun club program for G1 students Lead Parent Workshops: Tolerating the anxiety of having a sick child Helping siblings deal with family changes Maintain a relationship with spouse/partner during this difficult time 5

5 Handling significant relationships back home 1, 2, 3 Magic Parenting Workshop and Triple P workshops Lead Staff Training: Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Workshops Customer Service What to Say and Not Say to Families with Sick Child Keeping Good Boundaries Multicultural Training Dealing with staff burnout Lead Volunteer Training: Good Customer Service What to Say and Not Say to Families with Sick Child Keeping Good Boundaries Multicultural Training First year mentor: Second year practicum students play a role in welcoming and facilitating the learning of first year practicum students. This is in addition to the supervision by licensed clinicians Assessment If two year practicum students wish supplement their practicum, they can participate in the assessment program. The goal is to provide the highest quality psychological and educational assessment to children, adolescents and young adults from ages 6-25 and master report writing SUPERVISION AND TRAINING Initial Training/Orientation The initial training will take place over the first three weeks at the beginning of the practicum. It will consist of didactic and experiential workshops focusing on medical, psychosocial and clinical issues associated with children with serious illness and their families. In addition this training will cover program administration and Ronald McDonald House Rules, Policies, and Regulations. In addition all practicum rules and regulations and paperwork will be covered in depth. At first practicum students will shadow supervisors. Then they will move toward working with a supervisor. When they are prepared, they will work more independently. Didactic Training The ongoing training consists of weekly activities in the form of a workshops and application to cases. These trainings occur every Wednesday for two hours 6

6 Individual Supervision A minimum of one hour of individual supervision is provided each week. Supervision will entail live supervision as well as audiotape review. Group Supervision Two-hour group supervision is provided weekly. Spanish Supervision All Spanish speakers will have additional supervision in Spanish Mandatory practicum Trainee Activities: A minimum commitment of hours a week at RMH is required. One weekday evening until 9 is required and 4 weekend hours (Friday night- Sunday night). Wednesday is required. One to One supervision by licensed psychologists Didactic Training Group Supervision Direct Service (10-12 hours a week) includes any face-to-face services and may include, but are not limited to: individual, couple, and family support, fun club, group facilitation, workshops, milieu, volunteer and staff training and camp involvement. Indirect Service Community outreach, program development, program evaluation, report writing, and record maintenance PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR PRACTICUM STUDENTS Practicum requirement: Minimum commitment of hours per week. Practicum students must be available at least three days a week including Wednesdays, one late evening and 4 hours on the weekend (Friday night-sunday night) Two weeks of time off is provided. By participating in various additional FSS activities, trainees can accumulate additional time offal Practicum goes from July 23, July 22, 2019 CLINICAL STAFF The practicum training staff (Drs. Bakaly, Daravi, Doonan, Gayle, Hernández, Regas,) are licensed clinical psychologists who offer a systemic theoretical orientation and expertise in working with children, couples, families and groups dealing with critical illness. 7

7 Dr, Hernández is Vice-President for Public Interest and Diversity: APA Division 43 (Society for Couple and Family Psychology. The training director is Dr. Susan Regas, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Family and Couple/Child Clinical Psychology Emphasis at APA accredited California School of Professional Psychology. She is President Elect for APA Division 43 (Society for Couple and Family Psychology). DISABILITY ACCESSIBILITY RMH has total disability access with ramps, elevator alternatives, wheelchair passage accessibility, restrooms designed for disabilities, and handicap parking. STIPEND for SPANISH SPEAKING PRACTICUM STUDENTS A small stipend will be provided to Spanish-speaking practicum students. APPLICATION PROCEDURE: MATERIALS DUE FEBRUARY 1st A complete RMH practicum application includes: 1. Please include your cover letter addressing: o your interest in the RMH practicum and why you are a good fit o what you hope to get out of your time at the RMH o your willingness to look at yourself and make the changes necessary to make you a great therapist o discuss whether you are interested in the one-year program or the two-year program, o indicate whether you would like to participate in the Spanish Track o indicate which location (Los Angeles/ Pasadena or Inland Empire) you prefer. 2. Curriculum vita including the languages you speak. 3. Three Letters of recommendation sent from recommenders to sregas@rmhcsc.org. At least one must be from a professor in your graduate program 8

8 4. Up to date official or unofficial graduate school transcript Please applications materials to: Susan Regas, PhD Training Director by February 1. Please request that your recommenders send letters directly to Susan Regas by February 1. Interview: 1. Interviews will take place at Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House at 1250 Lyman Placd, Los Angeles during late February and the month of March. 2. The interview process includes a tour of the facility. It also involves interviews with each of the training faculty and the RMH trainees. The interviews will be followed by a group process interview, which entails experiential exercises. This rigorous application process requires considerable energy and time; however, the thoroughness of the process is very useful in applicants and supervisors decision-making process. Application Due Date: February 1, 2018 For more information, please contact Susan Regas, PhD at sregas@rmhcsc.org 9