Advanced Mental Health Practicum with Children

Catalog description

This course involves a continuation and extension of the training and practicum work initiated in PSYCH 477 Mental Health Practicum with Children. The advanced training provided in this course extends understanding of intervention and prevention program logic models and implementation strategies, and includes a focus on tailoring interventions to account for individual, contextual, and cultural factors. Students began their practicum working with children in PSYCH 477 and continue to receive training and supervision for ongoing, linked practicum work in this course. The key goals of this course are to help students: 1) build up a "toolbox" of therapeutic skills, techniques, and intervention approaches to use in the accompanying practicum and to use in future work with high-risk children, 2) understand how therapeutic group interventions with high-risk children are organized and conducted, and identify the key mechanisms of action that inform intervention design and drive positive child benefits, and 3) become familiar with the resource-base of evidence-based prevention programs and implementation supports to foster dissemination in communities. Lectures, class discussions, and presentations are included, along with practicum work review and supervision; accompanying practicum work with children is required. The class requires a commitment of 9 hours per week, which includes class sessions, practicum work, and assignments.