LONG BEACH CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PROGRAM
240 E. 20th Street
Long Beach, CA 90806
Phone: 562-599-9271
Fax:
562-218-6578
# of Openings: 3
LEVEL:
Practicum (20 hours/week)
CONTACT: Teri Paulsen, Psy.D. (tpaulsen@dmh.lacounty.gov)
NATURE OF AGENCY/POPULATION SERVED
Long Beach Child & Adolescent Program is a community mental health center that is
directly operated by the L.A. County Department of Mental Health (DMH). Children,
adolescents, and families are treated in this multi-disciplinary agency. There is also a
CalWORKS Program on-site that serves adults (primarily women), who are entering or
re-entering the work force after being on welfare. The multi-disciplinary team consists
of psychologists, social workers, medical case workers, and psychiatrists. Clients come
to this agency through referrals (e.g., from the Department of Social Services,
Department of Child and Family Services, public schools, Probation Department,
hospitals, etc.) or as walk-ins from the community. Broad mental health services are
offered at the agency and client services are coordinated with many community
agencies.
All clients are low income. Approximately half of the clients are African-American and
the other half is Latino/a. A few Caucasians clients are also seen. In the Child
program, the clients range from about 4 to 18 years, and they present with a wide range
of disorders, including ADHD, depression, anxiety, PTSD, conduct disorder, learning
disabilities, etc. Some of the children have made suicide attempts or have engaged in
self-injurious behavior. Almost all of the children have experienced trauma and/or
multiple family problems throughout their lives. In the CalWORKS program, most of the
clients are women who range in age from the early 20’s through the 50’s. They present
with a variety of mental health needs, such as depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD,
personality disorders, etc. Some of the clients have serious mental illness, including
psychosis, and almost all have histories of trauma.
DIRECT / INDIRECT SERVICES
Interns will provide direct services (intakes and therapy) to clients in both the Child
program and the CalWORKS program. Interns work within a multi-disciplinary team to
provide intake services on a rotating basis. In the Child program, interns will offer both
individual therapy, with potential for family and group therapy. There are a few ongoing
groups where interns may assist. These include ART Empowerment which focuses on
teen girls, the Incredible Years (evidence based practice), and a social skills group.
Interns may also create and co-facilitate groups depending on agency need.
In the CalWORKS program, interns will offer weekly individual therapy to the adult
clients.
LONG BEACH CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PROGRAM – PAGE 2
Indirect services include ongoing consultation with the multidisciplinary staff at the clinic.
DMH paperwork includes Intake reports, progress notes, status reviews, discharge
summaries, etc. Interns may need to attend a client’s I.E.P. at the public school and
ongoing consultation with community agencies is required. Interns may be able to
observe the procedure for involuntary hospitalization, as well.
THEORETICAL ORIENTATION
A systemic approach is typically adopted, since almost all clients have contact with
numerous public agencies and/or multiple family units. Cognitive-behavioral techniques
are also utilized with clients. There is opportunity to do both short- and long-term (9 or
more months) therapy.
SUPERVISION AND TRAINING
One to two hours of individual supervision and two hours of group supervision. Interns
also attend a 9 month CBT training experience at Harbor UCLA, every Monday, from
10am-12pm.
If interns attend the site on Wednesday mornings, they will also attend
psychoeducational in-services and staff meetings. Other training opportunities include
case conference meetings and off-site DMH-sponsored professional trainings that occur
for a half-or full-day.
LENGTH OF TRAINING
This practicum offers 800 hours of supervised experience. The training year runs from
the beginning of September through June or July, depending on status.
VACATION
Two weeks to be arranged with the Supervisor.
REQUIRED / PREFERRED DAYS & TIMES
The agency opens at 8 am on weekdays and closes at 6 pm on Monday, Tuesday, and
Thursday, at 7 pm on Wednesday, and at 5 pm on Friday. Interns will need to stay until
closing at least two evenings/week. Time during Monday morning is mandatory, as the
Harbor UCLA CBT class occurs. Wednesday mornings are encouraged to obtain inservice and staff meeting information.
STIPEND
No stipend is available.
LONG BEACH CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PROGRAM – PAGE 3
DISABILITY ACCESS
The agency is fully ADA-compliant with an elevator and wheelchair accessibility.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
After receiving approval from the Division of Professional Field Training to apply, send a
cover letter, your C.V., a list of your graduate coursework (can be an unofficial
transcript), 2 letters of recommendation, and a writing sample. Information can be sent
directly to Dr. Paulsen. After reviewing information, she may contact you to arrange an
interview.
Spanish-speaking students are especially encouraged to apply.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This training program is operated directly by the L.A. County Department of Mental
Health (DMH). Students who are accepted must give the CSPP-L.A. Division of
Professional Field Training office a signed Release of Information form allowing us to
release your contact information (telephone number, mailing address, and email
address) to DMH central office for administrative purposes. Students should print this
Release form from the Field Training website. Students will then be contacted by DMH
to fill out County applications and have Live Scan (digitized fingerprinting) in June or
early July at the DMH central office (located at 550 S. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles,
CA 90020). Students must finish this application process and pass the background
check about 3 to 4 weeks before receiving their identification badge, which is required
before seeing clients.
REVISED 10-15