Postgraduate Clinical Fellowship

Reports to:  Director of Family Counseling Services

Evaluation: Annual evaluation by the Director of Family Counseling Services

Classifications: Exempt/Full-time/Essential

Hours of work: 20 hours/week- 2 evenings/week, occasional weekends

Postgraduate Clinical Fellowship 

The Postgraduate Clinical Fellowship will provide advanced, intensive training for behavioral health professionals who have received their master's degree in clinical/counseling psychology, clinical social work or couples/marriage and family therapy. One fellowship is available for the 2024-2025 academic year. The Clinical Fellowship offers comprehensive clinical experience, education, research opportunities and professional development.

Fellow provides programmatic support to the Family Counseling Program. Services in this program include outreach, assessment, individual/family engagement, planning, and ongoing counseling. Ongoing services include service referral and coordination, crisis intervention, and counseling. The whole team works collaboratively with clients to identify and achieve individual and family goals with an overall emphasis on safety, long-term stability, and self-sufficiency.

• Fellow will serve as first point of contact for information, scheduling, intake, and assessment.
• Fellow will provide individual and family counseling under supervision of the Family Counseling Director.
• Fellow will play an important role in outreach and engagement strategies with established community partners and in creating low barrier paths for individuals and families to engage FCC resources.

Experience gained: family services, advocacy, collaboration, outreach, and counseling.

Knowledge gained: intimate partner violence, children exposed to intimate partner violence, evidence-based practices, current service trends, community resources and Bowen family systems theory.

Clinical Experience

Fellow will develop and maintain a clinical practice of 20 hours per week. The caseload includes working with individuals, couples, and families from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Using family centered coaching, responsibilities include utilizing a family safety and capacity model, including risk assessment and safety planning, recognizing strengths to build individual and family self-sufficiency and resilience. A range of skills and flexibility is required, including assisting families in navigating systems, accessing resources, and managing crises, as well as engaging in client-led goal setting and working on incremental steps towards goals. The Fellow also monitors progress and evaluates outcomes, participates in program development, and maintains relationships with community partners.

Individual Supervision* 

Fellow meets one hour per week for individual supervision with the Director of Family Services. All supervised clinical hours accumulated during the fellowship can be used toward licensure per state guidelines.

Fellow will report directly to the Director of Family Counseling for ongoing task supervision and participate in weekly department meetings, ongoing professional development, and training. Enters and reports data as assigned on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. Completes other duties as assigned. Maintains client privacy and confidentiality.

Learning Opportunities* 

Fellow is invited to attend the Post Graduate Training Program in Bowen Theory offered by the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family. You can visit here to learn more about The Bowen Center and the program.

Fellow meets weekly for training on the application of family systems theory to work with individuals, families and couples experiencing domestic violence. Each meeting a special clinical research topic is presented and discussed from Bowen Family Systems theoretical context. Each Fellow must present a clinical case at least once during his/her fellowship.

Professional Development 

Marketing

Fellow is expected to work with FCC’s outreach and engagement team and the communication team. Fellow will learn ways to develop and promote programs and clinical practice as well as other clinical services offered at The Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County. Opportunities and initiatives may include:

• Speaking to community groups
• Meeting with representatives from local schools, social service agencies, hospitals, or corporations
• Representing The Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County at professional conferences and/or public education and healthcare events

Administration 

Professional skills are developed through practical experience with the internal operations of The Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County. These activities include:

• Maintenance of schedules
• Ongoing communication with your director, supervisor, peers, staff, clients, and community
• Financial and clinical record-keeping Attendance at bi-monthly staff meetings
• Other related administrative functions

Tasks/Responsibilities:

• Initial point of contact for program services – outreach, intake, and scheduling
• Assessment – including risk assessment
• Safety planning and crisis response

  Assisting clients in accessing resources and navigating systems

• Counseling – Individual & Family
• Ongoing services and monitoring progress
• Group – assist with facilitation and development
• Maintenance of client records and data entry
• Attends meetings, supervision, and training

Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a relevant mental health profession.
• Applicants must have completed at least one graduate course in Couple and Family Therapy or Family Systems-Based Interventions.
• Ideally, prior experience and demonstrated engagement with family systems theory via internship experience, supervision, or other formal training programs.
• A minimum of 1-year prior work experience in social services, domestic violence, or human services.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills with the ability to relate to multiple audiences.
• Experience working with persons experiencing domestic violence.
• Outstanding organizational abilities.
• Demonstrate a passion for the mission of the Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County.
• Demonstrate commitment to family services through previous work as a professional or volunteer leader in human services or a related field.

*Please note: Training opportunities are dependent on availability as well as the focus of your postgraduate work. Supervision hours are dependent on the type of licensure you are seeking.