Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship in Addiction

While more than 40 million people in the U.S. had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the last year, only 4 million received any substance use treatment. One barrier to care is a lack of providers with specialized training in clinical management of SUDs and related disorders. The Department of Psychiatry Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Addiction trains clinical psychologists with a specialty in SUDs, including both clinical and research applications in youth and adult populations. The fellowship is a one-year appointment with the potential for an additional one-year reappointment. Its curriculum meets the needs of trainees seeking to develop the expertise to work in this area and benefits the clinics, patients and families who require this specialized care.

Specialized Training

Through this program, fellows develop skills to work effectively in a variety of clinical, research and educational settings. The Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship in Addiction helps fellows develop skills necessary to teach, supervise and manage a clinic and/or research laboratory, as these are roles commonly assumed by clinical psychologists. These skills are built upon a foundation of ethically and legally responsible behavior, sensitivity to individual differences, and professional conduct and development commensurate with the highest standards in psychology.

Admission Requirements/Prerequisites

• Applicants must have a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) conferred from an American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited program in clinical or counseling psychology or be a doctoral candidate in good standing in an APA-approved graduate training program in psychology.

• Applicants must have completed a pre-doctoral internship in clinical, counseling or school psychology, preferably from an APA-accredited program. Experience working with adolescents or adults with substance use is preferred.

Application Review and Interview Process

All applications that meet minimum requirements will be reviewed by the fellowship director(s), and applicants will be selected for in-person and/or phone interviews. Based on interviews and strength of application, one trainee will be selected each year that an opening is available.

• 20-30 hours of clinical service per week (e.g., direct client contact, documentation)

• Dedicated time for administration and research endeavors

• Weekly supervisory sessions with PhD/HSPP psychologist

• Educational opportunities including attendance at Grand Rounds presented by the Department of Psychiatry and didactics and training events

• Successful completion of Indiana jurisprudence exam and EPPP

• Compilation of hours for Indiana licensure and HSPP endorsement

• Other assignments as negotiated

Salary and Benefits

The salary for the postdoctoral fellowship year is based upon NIH stipends. (FY 2021 stipend for postdoctoral fellow with 0 years experience was $53,760). Fellows receive complete health, dental and vision insurance as well as other benefits through the Office of Graduate Medical Education. Vacation, sick days and professional development time off are available.

In addition to clinical experiences, fellows will be involved in additional research experiences in collaboration with fellowship faculty and collaborators at IU School of Medicine. This includes NIH-funded research, state and federally funded services and quality improvement programming, and internal research projects. From case studies, research design, and data collection and analysis to grant writing and manuscript preparation, research projects are chosen collaboratively by the fellowship directors and fellows.

Clinical Training

The Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship in Addiction trains fellows in diagnostic evaluations and assessment of SUDs and co-occurring disorders; evidence-based interventions (e.g., MET/CBT, contingency management); motivational interviewing; psychoeducation on substance use and addiction; and case consultation. Patients will include adolescents and adults. The majority of clinical training for fellows takes place at either the Adolescent Dual Diagnosis Clinic in the Riley Child & Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic or in the Adult Outpatient Addictions Clinic at Goodman Hall—both located in Indianapolis.

Direct clinical care and associated documentation and indirect aspects of clinical care will constitute approximately 50-75% of the fellow’s weekly responsibilities. Other potential clinical services may include group psychotherapy, brief interventions and consultations in clinical and community settings.

Education and Professional Development

Fellows will have the opportunity to attend the Department of Psychiatry’s Grand Rounds, including didactics and other training events. They will be able to successfully complete the Indiana jurisprudence exam and the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), as well as receive endorsement for compilation hours for Indiana licensure and HSPP. Fellows will also contribute to implementation and evaluation of innovative, multidisciplinary models of care across a variety of settings.

The fellowship program also provides opportunities to assist with clinical supervision of pre-doctoral psychology interns or psychology practicum students, as well as to provide mentorship and training to other learners (undergraduate research assistants, medical students, etc.) and deliver educational training to other health professionals.