26-27 Availability: Fall, Winter Spring

Elective Description: 

The Adolescent Serious Mental Illness (ASMI) treatment elective is housed within the UCLA Center for the Assessment and Prevention of Prodromal States (CAPPS), which provides flexible opportunities for comprehensive assessment and innovative treatments for adolescents and young adults who are at elevated risk for psychosis. There is increasing evidence that earlier interventions can lead to improved long-term outcome for these youth, and our ASMI elective offers experience with some best practice interventions for youth with psychosis-risk symptoms.

Interns have the uniquely flexible opportunity to train on a variety of clinical activities within CAPPS, such as the facilitation of our youth resilience-based process group and/or our teen and parent skills groups, rooted in CBT and Mindfulness based cognitive therapy. We are also piloting a lifestyle intervention for at-risk teens. Groups run weekly for 60-90 min., typically in the evenings. Additional optional elective opportunities include shadowing and delivery of our gold standard psychosis-risk diagnostic assessment interviews (SIPS, PSYCHS), participation in weekly case consultation and monthly didactic series, and/or carrying individual therapy or family psychoeducation cases with CAPPS adolescents and young adults. Opportunities are available to conduct clinical assessment and treatment in both English and Spanish.

For more information and to sign up for this elective, contact Dr. Laura Adery, LAdery@mednet.ucla.edu

HOURS PER WEEK:

Mandatory activities: Mondays, 10am-12pm (team consult & trainee supervision)

3-5 (flexible) *Note: Interns may also inquire about visiting CAPPS outside a formal elective, such as attending a team meeting or shadowing an assessment.

DURATION OF ELECTIVE: 4-6 months

DAY, TIME AND LOCATION:

CAPPS is located on the 2nd floor of the Semel Institute

Multiple groups run weekly, typically in the early evening (days & times tbd)

Supervision for elective interns: 30 min. pre-group and 1 hr. worked into your schedule

Optional meetings: Monday morning didactics (monthly) & clinical team supervision (weekly)

M-F opportunities to shadow psychosis-risk assessments

SUPERVISION PROVIDED:

Format: Direct & Videotape Observation

Days & Times: Group supervision 1.5 hours per week (primary); also, by arrangement

Names of Supervisors: Carrie Bearden, Ph.D., Laura Adery, Ph.D., Danielle Denenny, Ph.D.