2021-2022 Postdoctoral Fellowships
Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI) Full Time with Benefits
Focus Area(s): Implementation Science, Child Trauma, and/or School-based Mental Health Start Date: July 1, 2021 (negotiable)
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. We anticipate offering one or two Fellowships depending on Fellow interests and program needs/funding. There is an optional opportunity for the Fellow to spend 1-2 days per week working with faculty at the UCONN Health Center on research studies on evidence-based interventions for youth in schools and in the community. 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, quality improvement of children’s behavioral health services, 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) experience with implementation science and/or quality improvement, and/or (4) school-based behavioral health.
Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut (CHDI)
CHDI is an independent, non-profit subsidiary of the Children’s Fund of Connecticut, which was established in 1992 and is located in Farmington, CT. Working in partnership with state and regional agencies, hospitals, universities, and other organizations, we combine direct funding with grants and contracts for research, evaluation, policy analysis, consultation, training, and technical assistance. The mission of the Institute is to improve the quality of care for all children, emphasizing family-centered, comprehensive care that encompasses both physical and behavioral health. Collaborating with the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, the University of Connecticut, and Yale University, we strive to advance sustainable improvements in primary and preventive health and mental health care practices and policy for all the state’s children, with a particular focus on disadvantaged or underserved children and families.
CHDI also functions as an intermediary organization to develop, train, disseminate, evaluate, and expand effective models of practice in children’s mental health, juvenile justice, education, and other systems.
CHDI partners closely in those efforts with the Department of Children and Families, the State Department of Education, the CT Judicial Branch’s Court Support Services Division, The University of Connecticut- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, family advocacy organizations, community- based providers, and others.
Fellowship
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 (MATCH-ADTC), Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS), Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC), and Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). CHDI uses the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Series Collaborative (or Learning Collaborative) methodology as one approach for disseminating EBTs.
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. Potential applicants are encouraged to learn more about these initiatives and CHDI at www.chdi.org.
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, trauma screening, training, data analysis/reporting, policy, and evaluation. An emphasis will be placed on identifying and carrying out analyses to contribute to CHDI’s continuous quality improvement to improve services for children and families, and for co-authored publications and presentations using administrative data. Fellows will receive weekly supervision from a clinical psychologist at CHDI.
Contingent on funding and Fellow interests, Fellows may spend 1-2 days per week under the mentorship of UCONN Health faculty on research studies. The Fellow would join an existing research or evaluation team on a project aligned with their interests. Projects involve evidence-based treatment research in school and community settings.
Applicants
The individual selected for this position will work within grant- and contract-funded projects at CHDI and possibly at UCONN Health. 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, quality improvement, 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.
Compensation
The Fellow will receive a stipend of $50,000 annually (full time). A generous benefit package including health and dental care, paid time off, and a 403b retirement plan with company contribution is provided.
Applications
Child Health & Development Institute of CT, Inc. requires applicants to have current legal authorization to work in the United States and the company does not sponsor applicants for work visas.
The Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut, Inc. (CHDI) is an equal opportunity employer and acknowledges this in its solicitations or advertisements for employees. It is our policy to provide equal opportunity to qualified individuals, at all levels of employment, regardless of race, color, religious creed, age, sex, gender identity or expression, marital or civil union status, national origin, ancestry, present or past history of mental disability, intellectual disability, learning disability, physical disability, including, but not limited to, blindness, military service, veteran status, pregnancy, genetic information, or sexual orientation. This commitment to equal opportunity
applies to decisions related to all aspects of employment, including recruiting, hiring, training, selection, promotion, development, compensation, and the terms, privileges, and conditions of employment.
To apply, please email (1) a detailed letter of interest describing qualifications, experience, interest in CHDI’s work, 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 will be considered on a rolling basis, but are preferred by January 31, 2021. The Fellowship is contingent upon continued funding.