Postdoctoral Fellowship at Child Health & Development Institute of Connecticut, Inc

Position Summary:

The Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI) is accepting applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Fellowship with a focus on implementation science, childhood trauma, and/or school based behavioral health. They anticipate offering two Fellowships depending on Fellow interests and program needs/funding. There is an optional opportunity to spend one day per week working with faculty at The Consultation Center at Yale University on school- and/or community-based research and evaluation projects. At CHDI, the Fellow will work on one or more initiatives focused on improving children’s behavioral health in Connecticut. These include working in the areas of dissemination and sustainment of evidence-based interventions, developing trauma-informed systems and programs, and/or school-based behavioral health initiatives. The Fellow recruited for the position will have experience and a strong interest in bridging the research to practice gap for children’s behavioral health services, including in one or more of the following areas: (1) effective dissemination of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for children, (2) child traumatic stress and trauma-informed care, (3) application of implementation science, and/or (4) school-based behavioral health.

CHDI is currently participating in several EBT dissemination efforts for children’s behavioral health across Connecticut, including Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, or Conduct Problems (MATCHADTC), Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS), and Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC). CHDI uses the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Series Collaborative (or Learning Collaborative) methodology as one approach for disseminating EBPs. CHDI is also a recipient of a SAMHSA National Child Traumatic Stress Network grant focused on improving trauma-informed practices for young children, and has several projects related to screening children for trauma. Finally, CHDI is the Coordinating Center for the School Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI), a state-funded program to reduce school-based arrests, out of school suspensions, and expulsions, and is also partnering on a number of other school-based mental health initiatives. The Fellow will work on one or more of these or related initiatives for improving children’s health or mental health at CHDI.

Responsibilities:

The Fellow’s specific projects and responsibilities will be jointly determined based on interests, experience, project needs, and funding. Examples of activities include use or evaluation of the learning collaborative methodology, developing and/or testing other EBP implementation and/or consultation strategies, quality improvement approaches, training, data reporting, policy, and evaluation. An emphasis will be placed on identifying and carrying out analyses to contribute to CHDI’s continuous quality improvement and for co-authored publications and presentations using archived or prospective data. Fellows will receive weekly supervision from a licensed clinical psychologist at CHDI.

Qualifications:

The individual selected for this position will work within grant- and contract-funded projects at CHDI and The Consultation Center at Yale. Applicants must have completed a Ph.D. in Clinical, Community, or Counseling Psychology; Social Work; or a related discipline from an accredited academic program. Excellent professional writing and data analysis skills are required; candidates with at least one first authored publication in a peer-reviewed journal are preferred. Experience with children’s mental health, child traumatic stress, EBTs, advanced statistical analysis, school mental health, and/or implementation science is highly desirable. CHDI provides a unique opportunity to receive training in the practice of dissemination and implementation and to contribute to meaningful systems change through application of implementation science and trauma informed care in community-based settings. Past Fellows have gone on to a range of positions, including tenure-track faculty jobs, academic positions with clinical and research responsibilities, and leadership roles in community-based mental health.

Applications:

To apply, please email (1) a detailed letter of interest describing qualifications, experience, preferences for specialization areas at CHDI, and career goals; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) one example of scholarly writing (preferably a published first author article); and (4) three letters of recommendation, at least two of which are from supervisors, to Lori Schon (schon@uchc.edu).  Applications received by January 11, 2019 will be given priority, but applications will be considered on a rolling basis.