As a hospital-based CAC, we provide essential services to children who may have experienced severe forms of child maltreatment. Each year, the program serves nearly 1,500 children and their families. Children referred for our services are between the ages of 0 and 18, and are predominantly female.
In Fiscal Year 2018, 42.2% of children identified as African American/Black, 39.2% Caucasian/White, 12% Biracial or Multiracial, 4.6% Hispanic/Latino, and approximately 0.5% each American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and Other.
The majority of children served throughout the program are between the ages of 0 and 6 years of age (44.6%), with 37.6% between the ages of 7-12 and 17.8% between the ages of 13-18. Age ranges seen for Mental Health Services are, approximately, 0-4 years (15%), 5-9 years (35%), 10-12 years (23%), and 13-17 (26%). Approximately 10% of youth have a military affiliation. In Fiscal Year 2020, the majority of referrals were related to allegations of sexual abuse (57%) and physical abuse (28%). Other abuse experiences include commercial sexual exploitation of children, witness to domestic violence, and witness to homicide.
While the focus of treatment at the CAC is on trauma-related disorders, many clients present with co-occurring diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, disruptive mood disorders, attachment problems, and substance abuse. The fellow learns to identify the primary source of presenting problems and create treatment plans that may include outside referrals to address non-trauma related symptoms.
Our program serves children in the greater Hampton Roads geographical area and beyond, which spans from Williamsburg, Virginia to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Our primary population includes the following jurisdictions in Virginia: Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, with an estimated population of 1.7 million people. The area is home to over 300,000 military personnel at ten major military installations, including the largest naval base in the world (U.S. Department of Defense).
In addition to formalized training in TF-CBT and potentially PCIT, fellows have opportunities to attend didactics and seminars put-on by Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters and Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS). Pediatric Grand Rounds are held on a weekly basis and are attended by faculty, community faculty, house staff and residents, trainees, and students. Weekly one-hour didactics are held in conjunction with EVMS psychiatry residents and the CHKD Pediatric Psychology Fellow regarding a variety of mental health topics presented by faculty from the EVMS departments of pediatrics and psychology. Topics are varied and may include presentations regarding social determinants of health, child development, specific evidence-based interventions and/or medication management approaches, psychological assessment, or specific conditions such as somatoform disorders.
To apply to the CHKD Child Advocacy Center Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship, please visit the CHKD Career Portal at https://www.chkd.org/careers/ to submit your application. The online application will require a curriculum vitae (CV) and letter of interest/cover letter.
Two (2) letters of recommendation and a deidentified psychological assessment report are also required, and can be emailed directly to the training coordinator, Katlin Knodel, PsyD (katlin.knodel@chkd.org). The deidentified psychological assessment should be for a child or adolescent, and should demonstrate the integration of multiple data sources.
The application deadline is December 22, 2023. Interviews will take place in January and/or early February 2024. Interview format is TBD pending applicant location, but virtual is likely. Interviews are typically scheduled 9:00am-12:00pm EST OR 1:00pm-4:00pm EST. We will adhere to the APPIC Selection Standards and Common Hold Date.
Selection of postdoctoral fellow is based upon comparative evaluation. Equal-opportunity guidelines play an important role in the selection of fellows. The clinical psychology postdoctoral fellowship training program at the CHKD CAC is prohibited from discrimination with regard to gender, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
Additional questions about the fellowship or application process can be directed to Dr. Knodel at katlin.knodel@chkd.org.