Pediatric Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at Audrey Hepburn Children’s House

Welcome to the Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at the Audrey Hepburn Children’s House at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center. This one year postdoctoral fellowship will provide specialized assessment and treatment for children and their families who have been referred to the center due to maltreatment concerns and Child Protection Services (CPS) involvement. Ages of those served range from infants to the geriatric population. Many of our patients are derived from various countries across the globe, vary in religious and cultural practices, speak several languages, and have experienced significant exposure to ACEs. Fellows will also be exposed to state-of-the art assessment and treatment intervention related to these experiences.

Goals of the Psychology Fellowship 

Fellows will complete their program with an advanced clinical training in both general and forensic psychological practice, with an emphasis on trauma and child maltreatment.

Upon completion of the program, fellows will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of various types of trauma and child maltreatment.
• Assess for trauma and child maltreatment, in a forensic context, using developmentally appropriate assessment methods.
• Demonstrate and communicate knowledge of the rules, procedures, ethical standards and techniques related to forensic report writing and expert witness testimony.
• Implement trauma-informed and culturally-sensitive interventions to address experiences related to child maltreatment and mitigate risk in those who have engaged in maltreatment.
• Interact with people from various backgrounds and experiences, who are often mandated to treatment or evaluation, in a culturally informed, ethical and appropriate fashion.
• Engage in self-reflective practice and conduct him or herself with integrity and accountability.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate research and theory, as well as to formulate and conduct research that is of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base.
• Engage in leadership roles with trainees at earlier stages of their academic careers.
• Overall, conduct oneself in a professional and ethical manner consistent with the values of the profession.