The Behavior Psychology Brief Treatment Clinic (BTC) provides intensive training in clinical behavior analysis (ABA) for children and adolescents through a behavioral outpatient continuum of care. Clinicians trained within the BTC are equipped to work in a variety of settings following their doctoral internship year, including hospitals/medical centers, schools, outpatient therapy clinics, and academic settings. Clinical supervisory staff includes licensed psychologists, nationally certified school psychologists, and board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs). Trainees who are eligible to sit for the board exam in behavior analysis may receive supervised hours from our doctoral-level behavior analysts during their fellowship year.

Fellows who train in the Brief Treatment Clinic will receive training in the provision of time limited, high dosage behavior therapy through the clinic’s Intensive, Day Treatment, and follow- up programs. This continuum of care serves children and families with a wide range of behavior concerns associated with diagnoses including, but not limited to, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), disruptive behavior disorders, anxiety disorders, habit disorders, tics, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), and rare genetic disorders (e.g., SYN1, SCN2A, SYNGAP, STXBP1). Fellows will have opportunities to develop areas of clinical specialization within one or several of these areas.

Trainees are provided advanced training in empirically supported treatments including behavioral parent training, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and habit-reversal therapy through a clinical applied behavior analytic framework. Opportunities to participate in community outreach by providing presentations/trainings (e.g., daycares, schools, after-care programs, parent groups, professionals, medical staff) exist throughout the training year. Some mentoring and supervisory opportunities exist through involvement with undergraduate and graduate-level research assistants. Opportunities for participation in the clinic’s active applied research program also exist, with previous fellows presenting their work at local and national conferences.

Candidates for BTC’s fellowship typically have an interest in serving preschool and school aged children and their families and providing early intervention/prevention services to families. Interest and experience in applied behavior analysis and/or pediatric behavior therapy are important prerequisites to a successful training year at BTC. Use of data-based decision making, empirically supported interventions using single case design, and behavioral skills training with caregivers are core features of intervention within the clinic. Trainees will learn to utilize functional interviewing and functional analysis in their case conceptualization and will gain experience in graphing and interpreting data in order to provide performance feedback to families. Trainees can expect to gain experience working within interdisciplinary and/or multidisciplinary teams as the BTC has active collaborations with several departments and centers at the Institute (i.e., Behavior Psychology Clinical Outcomes Department, Psychiatry, Synaptopathies Clinic, Digital Media Addiction Clinic, Neurology, and the Tourette Syndrome Center of Excellence).

Fellows in the BTC are provided with a structured, sequential orientation and training covering conceptual, clinical, and administrative topics before assuming the role of primary therapist for assigned cases. Clinical and professional development are monitored on a weekly basis through individual and group supervision, didactics, clinical rounds, and research meetings. Fellows work closely with designated supervisors and may be provided opportunities to co-treat cases. Management of disruptive behaviors in treatment sessions is common and offers trainees the opportunity to acquire advanced skills in direct application of behavioral management strategies and techniques.

The Brief Treatment Clinic offers up to three 12-month postdoctoral fellowships, with opportunities to extend to a second year. The minimum number of hours required during each year of training is 2,000. In addition to 2-hours of individual clinical supervision each week provided by a licensed psychologist and board certified behavior analyst, fellows are actively involved in at least two hours per week of group professional development and research meetings. Fellows will participate in the Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disability (LEND) interdisciplinary training program.

Qualified candidates for the Brief Treatment Clinic fellowship program will have received their doctoral degrees in school or clinical psychology and have successfully completed an APA-accredited internship program.

Candidates for the Brief Treatment Clinic’s Fellowship rotation should have experience and/or interest in areas such as the following:

  • Use of different functional assessment and analysis methodologies (i.e. brief FA, trial-based FA, IISCA)
  • Providing applied behavior analytic services to diverse clinical populations beyond NDD/ID
  • Providing evidence-based treatment to underserved populations
  • Prior experience with multidisciplinary collaboration and consultation, including with medical and school-based providers
  • Use of clinical protocols using single case design as a means of evaluating treatment outcomes and effectiveness
  • Interest in program evaluation and development

Candidates for the Brief Treatment Clinic will be provided opportunities to individualize their experience over the course of their fellowship year. Specific opportunities within this fellowship track include:

  • Supervising psychologists are board-certified behavior analysts, and postdoctoral fellows in the Brief Treatment Clinic are offered clinical and training opportunities to obtain BCBA supervision during their fellowship year.
  • Fellows are offered opportunities to participate in regional and national conferences throughout the year by providing presentations of posters and symposia of applied research that are conducted in the clinic.
  • Fellows are able to participate in trainings provided to KKI/Johns Hopkins clinics and departments as well as community providers (i.e. schools, parent/professional groups, etc.).
  • Fellows can develop individualized areas of clinical specialization (e.g., disruptive impulse control and conduct disorders, ADHD, habit and tic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, and/or rare genetic disorders) with opportunities to receive targeted referrals from subspecialty clinics or programs at the Institute.
  • Fellows are offered opportunities to engage in research projects leading to possible co-authorship of manuscripts resulting from ongoing applied research conducted in the Brief Treatment Clinic.
  • Opportunities may exist to provide supervision/mentorship through supervision of doctoral interns, externs, and research assistants.