As the only freestanding pediatric healthcare system in Georgia, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is the trusted leader in caring for kids. The not-for-profit organization’s mission is to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow through more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs, top healthcare professionals, and leading research and technology.
Marcus Autism Center (www.marcus.org), an affiliate of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Emory University treats more than 5,500 children with autism and related disorders a year. As one of the largest autism centers in the U.S. and one of only five National Institutes of Health (NIH) Autism Centers of Excellence, Marcus Autism Center offers families access to the latest research, comprehensive evaluations and intensive behavior treatments.
Postdoctoral Fellowships for 2020-2021
Clinical Assessment and Diagnostics Department (2)
Clinical and Translational Research (1)
Language and Learning Center (1)
Multidisciplinary Feeding Program (1)
Severe Behavior Program (3)
Clinical Assessment and Diagnostics (2 positions for 2020-2021)
The Clinical Assessment and Diagnostic Department at Marcus Autism Center is a multidisciplinary clinic and research enterprise that provides diagnostic assessments of individuals with a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders. Children seen in the CAD clinic range from infancy to late adolescence with a focus on children ages 16 months to 6 years. Each child is assessed for Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as the many differential diagnoses commonly seen in this population, including developmental delay, intellectual disability, anxiety disorders, behavioral disorders, ADHD, genetic syndromes, such as Fragile X syndrome, as well as many others. The children seen in the CAD are highly diverse in their race, ethnicity, urbanacity, socioeconomic status, and age.
Assessments are designed to identify cognitive and developmental strengths and weaknesses, assess adaptive functioning, provide diagnostic clarification, and to determine the need for intervention. The fellowship provides the opportunity to work on cases within a multidisciplinary team that includes clinical psychologists, as well as developmental pediatricians, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, speech and language pathologists, and social workers/case managers. Opportunities to conduct diagnostic assessments within one or more of the over 25 active research studies are also available. Further, the resident may provide follow-up intervention services, such as parent training and social skills training. In addition, the resident will participate in existing research and conduct secondary supervision of graduate students and doctoral interns.
These fellows in the Clinical Assessment and Diagnostics Department must apply through the APPIC Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology.
Clinical and Translational Research (1 position for 2020-2021)
Marcus Autism Center will have 1 opening for a postdoctoral fellow in clinical and translational research beginning July of 2020. This fellow will support an active research agenda that includes a) clinical research focused on advancing applied behavior analytic assessments and treatments for children with autism and related disorders; b) translation of behavior analytic concepts and methods into broader research questions; and c) implementation research into the barriers to or facilitators of uptake of best-practice treatment approaches.
A major responsibility of the fellow will be to support ongoing research projects and to initiate new lines of research where expedient. The fellowship will include exposure to a wide range of research methods, including single subject/small-n approaches, randomized controlled trials, human operant/experimental methods, measure development, implementation science, and mixed-methods approaches. Duties of the fellowship include supporting several grant funded projects, including performing regulatory duties, implementing study protocols, and participant recruitment. There is also an expectation that the fellow will contribute to the preparation of manuscripts and contribute to the writing of new grant applications.
This fellowship includes opportunities for a minority portion of the fellow’s effort to be devoted to clinical training in the treatment of children with autism and related disorders who engage in severe problem behavior or who exhibit skill deficits. This portion of the fellow’s time may be spent overseeing clinical cases as part of a multidisciplinary team, conducting staff training and implementation of clinical protocols, and conducting caregiver training. As such, candidates with at the necessary clinical experience in these areas will be most competitive.
Candidates must have a PhD (or have ABD status). Preferred qualifications include completion of the coursework to sit for the BCBA exam. Candidates can be eligible for a psychology license or from a PhD program in behavior analysis or related field. Candidates should have established research interests in applied behavior analytic assessment and treatment of problem behavior and/or skill deficits. Trainees will receive appointments through Emory’s School of Medicine. This training position will be for 1 year, ending in the spring of 2021. Continuation beyond this year may be possible. This fellow may apply through the APPIC Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology.
Language and Learning Clinic (1 position for 2020-2021)
The Language and Learning Clinic (LLC) at Marcus Autism Center serves children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 2 and 12 years (average 4 years of age) who are exhibiting significant language and social communication delays. Services provided in the LLC focus on building communication and vocal skills, bolstering appropriate play and social skills, targeting foundational learning skills such as imitation and matching, and reducing barriers to learning (e.g., limited reinforcers, mild to moderate problem behavior). The goal for each child admitted to the LLC is to acquire the critical skills they need in order to thrive in a less intensive setting. Children receive services between 3 and 6 hours per day, 5 days per week. All services are provided in a 1:1 format that utilizes a combination of discrete trial training and natural environment teaching to meet each child’s individual and developmental needs.
Postdoctoral fellows in the LLC will have the opportunity to gain direct and indirect experiences with this population by overseeing case management responsibilities and supervising a clinical team. The fellow will learn to conduct and utilize comprehensive language assessments to aid in intervention programming. The fellow will also contribute to broader parent-training programs that include education about autism spectrum disorder and basic principles of applied behavior analysis as it applied to skill acquisition and behavior management. Mentored experience will focus on developing expertise in clinical and supervision skills and conducting and publishing research in the context of ongoing clinical services. The optimal candidate will have interest in experience with the following research areas: skill acquisition procedures, verbal behavior, social and play skills, and caregiver and staff training. Candidates can be eligible for a psychology license or from a PhD program in behavior analysis or related field. This fellow may apply through the APPIC Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology.
Multidisciplinary Feeding Program (1 position for 2020-2021)
The Children’s Multidisciplinary Feeding Program is recruiting for a postdoctoral psychology fellow with experience in applied behavior analysis, pediatric psychology, and/or feeding disorders. The Feeding program is one of the largest in the country providing intensive day treatment services, outpatient therapy, parent consultation, and assessment for children with chronic feeding concerns. The program also involves treatment of food avoidance due to food allergy, pediatric obesity in children with autism spectrum disorders, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to address behavior management concerns outside the meal setting, and parent-mediated intervention to improve mealtime behavior.
The fellow will work with children with various chronic medical conditions, including but not limited to eosinophilic esophagitis, post-transplant status, cystic fibrosis, cancer, various gastrointestinal conditions, and genetic syndromes. The fellow will function within a multidisciplinary setting including professionals from pediatric gastroenterology, nutrition, occupational therapy, speech pathology, and nursing. Clinical training in pediatric feeding disorders will involve managing cases for patients in our day treatment program, conducting multidisciplinary evaluations, and providing direct services through our outpatient clinic. The fellow will also gain experience with consultation services within a pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Intervention focuses on evidenced-based treatments with a heavy emphasis on behavioral treatment, parent training models of care, and building community capacity. There will also be opportunities for independent and/or collaborative research – building upon our research lab that has ongoing clinical trials and epidemiological studies.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. or Psy.D. from an APA- or CPA-accredited clinical or school psychology doctoral program and have completed an APPIC-approved internship. Ideal candidates will have clinical training/background in pediatric psychology and/or applied behavior analysis with preference given to candidates with experience in the assessment and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders. This Fellow may apply through the APPIC Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology, participating in didactic programs and professional mentoring.
Severe Behavior (3 positions for 2020-2021)
The Marcus Autism Center will have 2 openings for a postdoctoral fellow in the Severe Behavior program starting July of 2020. The purpose of the Severe Behavior Program is to provide behavioral assessments and interventions for children who engage in problem behaviors that cause significant danger or disruption to their lives or the lives of their families. While there is no restriction on the type of problem behavior, those most frequently encountered include aggression, self-injury, property destruction, disruption, noncompliance, elopement (running away from supervision), pica (ingesting inedible objects), and stereotypy (repetitive behavior that interferes with adaptive behavior). Patients in the Severe Behavior Programs also represent a range of backgrounds and diagnostic categories. Treatments are matched to the individual needs of the child and their family, but frequently include the teaching communicative alternatives to challenging behaviors. Caregiver training and generalization to the natural environment are key aspects of the treatment model: parents, teachers, or other care-providers are trained in the implementation of the treatment both at the Marcus Autism Center, as well as in naturalistic settings such as in the child’s home, classroom, or other public venues. Children admitted to the intensive outpatient program attend 6 hours per day for an average of 12 weeks. For children with less severe problem behaviors, outpatient admissions are available that focus on parent training.
These positions are a clinical training experience in treating individuals with autism and related disabilities who engage in severe behavior disorders within a multidisciplinary team. The trainee would oversee client cases under the supervision of a BCBA-D. This would include working with RBTs on protocol development, overseeing protocol implementation, supervising staff, implementing and overseeing behavior-management techniques, conducting parent training, and other programmatic responsibilities. The position would be primarily clinical in nature; however, the position is supportive of conducting research, whether through chart review, recruitment of research subjects, and/or conducting research protocols with existing clients.
Candidates need to have a PhD. Preferred qualifications include completion of the coursework to sit for the BCBA exam (or have an ABD status). Candidates can be eligible for a psychology license or from a PhD program in behavior analysis or related field. Candidates should have established clinical and research interests in the assessment and treatment of problem behavior. This Fellow may apply through the APPIC Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology.
General Information:
Fellows are eligible to attend departmental presentations and semi-monthly grand rounds that are sponsored by the Emory University School of Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry in one of the nearby Emory-affiliated hospitals. Clinical psychology fellows will also participate in didactic trainings through the Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology. The Marcus Autism Center provides semi-monthly grand rounds that the postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to attend. This series includes clinical and scientific lectures from Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta faculty and staff, as well as invited faculty from academic institutions from around the country. In addition, fellows
Trainees will receive appointments through Emory’s School of Medicine. Candidates must have completed all requirements for doctoral degree prior to the start of the program.
Application Directions:
Applications are due January 3, 2019.
To formerly apply for the program, we will need the following materials:
– Curriculum Vitae
– 3 Letters of Reference
– Transcript
– Personal Statement
Please follow the directions below, to direct your application to the correct individual. Please contact Dr. Laura Dilly (laura.dilly@choa.org) with questions about where to direct applications.
1) APPIC Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology
If eligible for a psychology license and interested in the APPIC Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology, please visit the website below for application information to apply through the Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology. Application materials should be emailed to Dr. Nadine Kaslow (nkaslow@emory.edu). Please see http://psychiatry.emory.edu/education/psychology/professional_psychology/index.html for full details. The APPIC Postdoctoral Selection Guidelines are followed for this Postdoctoral Residency and thus offers will be made after 10:00am Eastern Time on Monday February 25, 2019.
2) Or, Marcus Autism Center, Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Training
If interested in postdoctoral fellowships in the Language and Learning Clinic, Multidisciplinary Feeding Program, and/or Severe Behavior Program, and you have completed coursework from a PhD program in behavior analysis or related field or you are not applying through the Emory University School of Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Training Program in Health Service Psychology, please email the application materials below to:
Language and Learning Clinic: CJ McCarthy at Carolyn.McCarthy@choa.org
Multidisciplinary Feeding Program: Program Manager, Valerie Volkert (Valerie.volkert@choa.org)
Severe Behavior: Program Director, Joanna Lomas Mevers (joanna.lomasmevers@choa.org)
Contacts for more information:
Clinical Assessment and Diagnostics: Program Manager, Dr. Laura Dilly (laura.dilly@choa.org)
Language and Learning Center: Program Manager, Dr. Nina Gerencser (Kristina.Gerencser@choa.org)
Pediatric Feeding: Program Manager, Dr. Valerie Volkert (Valerie.volkert@choa.org)
Severe Behavior: Program Director, Dr. Joanna Lomas Mevers (joanna.lomasmevers@choa.org)