postdoctoral-fellowship-brochure

The UC Davis MIND Institute's Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology is a premier, specialized training program built upon a collaboration between the MIND Institute's Division of Psychology, Division of Research, and the Northern California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Training Program. The training curriculum focuses on high-quality, evidence-based, interdisciplinary clinical care and assessment for youth, from infancy through young adulthood, who present with neurodevelopmental disabilities and co-occurring behavioral and medical conditions.

Setting and Client Population

The fellowship is physically located at the UC Davis MIND Institute on the UC Davis Medical Center campus in Sacramento, California. Sacramento is consistently ranked among the most culturally and socioeconomically diverse counties in the country, offering trainees a rich clinical demographic. Founded in 1998 through pioneering parent advocacy and state legislative support, the MIND Institute brings together multidisciplinary experts under one shared vision: to develop more personalized, equitable, and scientifically validated systems of support and intervention to help neurodivergent individuals live their best lives.

Outpatient clinical services are centrally situated within the Massie Family Clinic, which services over 3,500 pediatric patients annually. The facility features state-of-the-art diagnostic resources, including eight custom-designed exam rooms, six of which are integrated with one-way observation windows to enable high-quality, live supervision during active clinical care. Large family rooms are fully equipped to support group-based social skills programs and parent educational workshops.

The Postdoctoral Fellowship  is a collaboration between the MIND Institute’s Division of Psychology, Division of Research, and the LEND Training Program.

The Northern California LEND program is a graduate and post-graduate level, interdisciplinary leadership and service training program federally funded through HRSA’s Maternal Child Health Bureau. The purpose of the Northern California LEND is to train the next generation of practitioners and stakeholders. Including neurodivergent individuals, self-advocates, and family members in current best practices for diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disabilities while emphasizing collaborative interdisciplinary, family-centered, and culturally competent care. In order to improve the health and treatment of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families, the next generation of practitioners, family members, and advocates will need leadership skills to increase capacity of the care delivery systems and develop new models of care provision. 

All fellows participate in the LEND program, providing access to a variety of didactic seminars, and additional interdisciplinary clinical experiences. As long-term trainees, fellows participate in a minimum of 300 hours of LEND seminars/curriculum and interdisciplinary clinical activities over the course of the training year, along with a leadership/research project which they present at the end of the training year. Fellows receive a portion of their stipend from the LEND program. Learn more about the LEND program.

The overarching aim of the postdoctoral fellowship is to prepare clinical psychology fellows for advanced, independent practice as health service psychologists, with a specialized focus on serving neurodivergent youth and families within integrated, multidisciplinary health systems. Trainees develop advanced skills across nine central Profession-Wide Competencies:

1. Integration of Science and Practice (Research)
   Fellows independently review scholarly publications to guide clinical conceptualizations, select assessment instruments, and plan therapeutic tools. Trainees adapt and apply research principles to diverse communities and disseminate scholarly work at local, regional, or national levels.
2. Ethical and Legal Standards
   Trainees develop advanced knowledge and autonomous application of the APA Ethical Code, California state laws, and federal healthcare regulations. This includes independent risk assessment, crisis intervention, and mandatory reporting protocols.
3. Individual and Cultural Diversity
   Emphasizes advanced self-awareness, cultural humility, and the active integration of cultural factors (e.g., race, ethnicity, language, gender identity, and socioeconomic status) into all diagnostic assessments, treatment plans, and interprofessional consultations.
4. Assessment
   Fellows learn to autonomously perform diagnostic clinical interviews, select evidence-based psychometrics, synthesize complex developmental/medical history, and generate highly integrated reports that guide therapeutic recommendations. Trainees build reliable administration and scoring proficiency on the ADOS-2.
5. Intervention
   Developing, executing, and evaluating evidence-based intervention plans tailored to the child's developmental and diagnostic profiles. Intervention skills are refined in individual cognitive-behavioral therapy, dyadic parenting (PC-CARE), and group social interventions.
6. Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors
   Trainees demonstrate professional integrity, accountability, and the active incorporation of self-reflection into daily practice. Advanced time-management skills are cultivated to prioritize clinical, educational, and administrative duties.
7. Consultation and Interdisciplinary Skills
   Equips fellows to consult effectively across diverse context systems, including school districts, regional centers, and specialty clinics, while collaborating directly with developmental pediatricians, speech-language pathologists, psychiatrists, and geneticists.
8. Supervision
   Focuses on developing foundational supervision skills. Fellows supervise and mentor junior group therapy leaders (e.g., post-baccalaureate assistants and practicum students) and provide clinical guidance and feedback under the direct oversight of licensed faculty.
9. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
   Trainees establish strong rapport with families, manage complex interpersonal conflicts with professional demeanor, and produce highly clear, informative, and integrated written and oral clinical communications.

The postdoctoral fellowship program offers an advanced, specialized curriculum. Approximately 60% of the trainee's time is dedicated to clinical service delivery (therapy and diagnostic assessment), with the remaining 40% allocated to didactic instruction, supervision, interdisciplinary case consultation, and LEND leadership activities.

Advanced Outpatient Diagnostic Assessment

• Psychodiagnostic Evaluations: Fellows participate in outpatient assessments through the Massie Family Clinic for 8-10 hours weekly. They conduct developmental and  psychological evaluations of infants through young adults presenting with developmental delay,  autism, ADHD, and mood disorders. Reports integrate complex histories and clinical data to formulate recommendations.
• LEND Interdisciplinary Clinic: Fellows can  work on integrated, pro bono team-based assessments with speech-language pathologists, pediatricians, special educators, and physical therapists for medically complex children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. These comprehensive clinics are held 2 or 3 times per year.

Evidence-Based Intervention Services

• Individual CBT Clinic: Fellows provide weekly 1:1 cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive concerns to youth with autism, complex medical profiles, and typically developing youth. Trainees master specialized adaptations of standard CBT protocols.
• Parent-Child Care (PC-CARE): A brief, 7-week dyadic intervention focusing on enhancing caregiver-child relationships and teaching positive, evidence-based behavioral coaching strategies to parents of children aged 1-10 with behavioral challenges.
• Group Therapy Program: Fellows have opportunities to co-lead established group therapies, including: (1) Social Skills Program, co-led for youth ages 8-16 alongside a concurrent parent psychoeducation group; (2) ACCESS, designed to empower neurodiverse adults as they transition into adulthood and build independence (3) Facing Your Fears (FYF), a 14-week family-based CBT group for youth with autism and anxiety; and (4) ADHD Parent Psychoeducation Groups. 

Supervision and Consultation Roles

• Tiered Supervision and Mentorship: Fellows co-leading therapy groups supervise junior group leaders (practicum trainees and volunteer clinical staff). Under supervisor guidance, fellows may also provide clinical mentorship to predoctoral psychology interns within the assessment clinic.
• Telemedicine and Community ECHO: Trainees can participate in monthly ECHO Autism clinics, acting as specialty consultants on an interdisciplinary hub team that shares clinical neurodevelopmental disability expertise with primary care providers and educators in rural and underserved areas.
• LEND Leadership Project: Fellows participate in LEND, contributing at least 40 hours of leadership didactics and executing a year-long leadership or quality improvement project under faculty mentorship, presented in May.

Fellows engage in 40 hours of training activities weekly over a 12-month period, accruing up to 2,000 postdoctoral supervised hours. Below is a structural outline of the standard weekly distribution:

Required Didactic Curriculum

• Summer Seminar Series: Assessment Fundamentals: Provides a comprehensive foundation in cognitive, adaptive, sensory, motor, and socioemotional testing instruments during July and August (2.5 hours weekly).
• Summer Seminar Series: Developmental Fundamentals: This seminar includes developmental pediatricians and pediatric fellows.  It provides a foundation in early childhood development, neurodevelopment screening and assessment, and the different systems of care pediatric cognitive, adaptive, sensory, motor, and socioemotional testing instruments.  It is held during July and August (2.5 hours weekly).
• Summer Seminar Series: Advanced Skills in Autism Assessment: A targeted summer series in June focusing on achieving diagnostic reliability and scoring fidelity on the ADOS-2 modules (2 hours weekly).
• Intervention Seminar: Runs from September to June, addressing evidence based treatments, such as CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care, parent management training, and pharmacological approaches (1 hour weekly). 
• Identity Seminar: A bi-weekly forum exploring cultural competence, personal biases, cultural humility, and the dynamic role of intersecting identities in professional practice (1 hour bi-weekly).
• Professional Development Seminar: This is a monthly seminar series that designed to prepare interns for independent, entry-level practice. Facilitated by Training Committee members and expert psychology staff and faculty, sessions cover vital professional topics such as ethical and legal issues in clinical practice, risk assessment and management, mandated reporting, vicarious trauma and self-care, and the research peer-review process.  
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDD) Seminar: An interdisciplinary course covering life-course clinical presentations, diagnostic screening, genetic aspects, and educational advocacy (1 hour weekly, Oct-June).
• Leadership Development Seminar: This seminar prepares interns to navigate professional leadership roles. The curriculum focuses on essential skills including time management, personnel management, identifying personal leadership styles, conducting effective feedback conversations, and delivering high-impact presentations (1.5 hours weekly, October to June). 

Our goal is to guide our trainees  toward full competence in delivering psychological health services. We view supervision as a collaborative, supportive partnership that grows over the course of your training year. Every supervisor is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep expertise in their specialty. In line with California regulations, our supervisors maintain ultimate clinical responsibility for patient care and are always accessible while trainees accrue hours.

Fellows are assigned two primary clinical supervisors, one supervisor for therapy and the other for psychological assessment. Other supervisors can be assigned as needed for additional clinical, community, or research placements.

Fellows can expect an average of 4-8 hours of supervision each week, combining scheduled individual meetings, intensive live observation, and collaborative group sessions. Fellows receive at least  3 hours of individual weekly supervision and at least 1 hour of other group/individual supervision. 

Telesupervision Policy: In-person meetings serve as the primary supervisory method. High-quality, secure, real-time video-based telesupervision is integrated for clinical telehealth services or during public health or weather-related crises. Telesupervision sessions are strictly confidential and never recorded.

Trainees receive formal written evaluations of their progress across all nine profession-wide competencies three times a year (by the end of Dec., April, and Aug.). Evaluations are completed by the primary supervisor, integrating input from all supervising faculty.

Expected Levels of Achievement

Trainees are rated using a structured, developmental 5-point scale on each competency element. To graduate and maintain good standing, fellows must meet the following Minimum Levels of Achievement (MLA):

Minimum Completion Requirements

To successfully complete the postdoctoral fellowship, trainees must satisfy the following criteria:

1. Competency Level: Achieve a final rating of Level 4 (Advanced Skill Level) or higher on all elements of the nine competency areas in the final evaluation.
2. Total Experience Hours: Complete 12 months of full-time training and accumulate a minimum of 1,500 supervised hours (up to 2,000 available).
3. Remediation and Standing: Be in good standing, free of active probation, suspension, or formal remediation plans.
4. Task Completion: Finalize and secure supervisor co-signatures on all clinical notes, intake summaries, and reports.
5. Exit Procedures: Complete all program evaluations, LEND exit surveys, present the final leadership project, and return all badges, keys, and laptops.

Due Process Framework

Due Process procedures protect the rights of both the trainee and the program, establishing a non-arbitrary, step-wise pathway to address significant performance or behavioral difficulties:

• Informal Review: The supervisor directly addresses the concern with the trainee. Support strategies (e.g., didactic readings, increased supervision) are implemented informally. No record is kept.
• Formal Review Notice: If the behavior remains unresolved or is severe, the Training Director issues a written Notice of Formal Review within five (5) business days.
• Hearing: Convened within ten (10) business days from the formal review determination. The trainee is entitled to present their perspective and select an advocate to attend.
• Outcome and Acknowledgment: Within five (5) business days post-hearing, the Training Director issues a written outcome establishing the formal support, remediation plan, or sanction.

Remediation and Sanctions

Remediation is designed to support the trainee's professional development:

• Remediation Plan: A documented plan outlining specific behavior changes, targeted training steps, a defined timeline, and evaluation criteria.
  Probation: A defined period of increased supervision and direct monitoring by the Training Director. Written documentation details the conditions and potential consequences if improvement is not demonstrated.
• Suspension of Direct Services: Invoked if patient welfare is jeopardized. The trainee is suspended from direct clinical service (restricted to didactics/supervision) for up to 3 weeks while the plan is updated.
• Dismissal: If remediation fails or for severe ethical violations, the Training Director and supervisors consult with the MIND Institute's Executive Director, who makes the final dismissal decision.

Grievance Procedures

Grievance procedures enable trainees to raise formal concerns regarding supervisors, training staff, or program policies without fear of retaliation:

• Informal Resolution: The trainee discusses the concern with their supervisor or the Training Director to resolve it informally.
• Formal Grievance: If unresolved, the trainee submits a written grievance to the Training Director (or another committee member if the Training Director is the subject). A joint meeting is scheduled within ten (10) business days to develop an action plan.
• Review Panel: If the issue remains unresolved, a Review Panel is convened within ten (10) business days. The panel delivers a final written decision within three (3) business days of completing their evaluation.

Eligibility and Application Criteria

Applicants for the Postdoctoral Fellowship must have a degree in Clinical (preferred), Counseling, or School Psychology and have completed all requirements for the doctoral degree from an APA/CPA/PCSAS-accredited doctoral program (preferred), or a regionally accredited institution of higher learning, including an internship meeting APPIC standards. This means that on the first day of the fellowship, the fellow must have a diploma in hand or a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies at their graduate institution verifying the completion of all degree requirements pending the institution’s graduation ceremony. 

Applicants who are well-suited to this program have doctoral level experience in assessment of children and have written a minimum of 50 integrated psychological assessment reports and/or have provided evidence-based treatments (cognitive behavioral therapy, parent-child interaction therapy, trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy) with youth with a range of clinical diagnoses. An interest in neurodevelopmental disabilities, as evidenced by research or clinical involvement in this area, is required. 

Stipend, Benefits, and Resources

Postdoctoral fellows are hired as full-time employees of the University of California and receive an annual gross stipend of $62,000, subject to standard deductions. Benefits include:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage under the UC Davis Resident and Fellow Welfare benefits.
  Paid Time Off (PTO): Up to 36 days of paid time off (20 vacation, 12 sick, and 4 professional development days). Unused vacation is paid out at the end of the training year.
• Professional Development Funds: Up to $1,000 is allocated to each fellow annually to support regional/national conferences, clinical trainings, or certifications.
• Support and Facilities: Trainees receive dedicated shared office space, computer/laptop access, scoring databases, and confidential counseling via the Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP).

Core Program Policies

• Telesupervision: In-person meetings serve as the primary supervision format. High-quality, real-time video telesupervision is used during telehealth clinical service delivery or in weather/public health emergencies. Video-based supervision sessions are never recorded.
• Vacation and Leave Guidelines: Vacation requests must be submitted at least six weeks in advance. Vacation cannot be taken during the first four or final four weeks of the fellowship to protect clinical continuity.
• PHI Security and HIPAA Compliance: No original or copies of clinical protocols, files, or PHI may leave the premises. All documentation must be created and stored on MIND Institute-issued laptops. De-identified work samples must be approved by a supervisor.
• Moonlighting: Because the fellowship is a full-time, intensive clinical and educational commitment, clinical moonlighting or external private practice is strictly prohibited.

The MIND Clinical Psychology Training Program is a member of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). Please submit your application via APPA CAS (program code 9251). A complete application will include the following:

• A completed application
• Cover letter
• Up to date Curriculum Vitae
• Three letters of recommendation. Letters from doctoral internship supervisor, practicum placement supervisor, and graduate school faculty are strongly preferred.

Please note: Applicants should ensure that their cover letters speak to the following points:

• Interests and training goals, including their alignment with the mission and values of the MIND Institute.
• Experience working with individuals from varied backgrounds.
• Commitment to equitable access to care.
• Experience with the ADOS-2 and any cognitive assessment measures.
• Commitment to evidence-based practice.
• Theoretical orientation
• Any experience providing services in a language other than English.
• Any lived experience the applicant wishes to share (not required).

Application deadline is Dec. 1, 2026.

Applicants will receive notification by Dec. 21, 2026, as to whether they are invited for an interview. Candidates will have the opportunity to meet with current trainees and virtually tour the MIND Institute and clinic. These interviews help both the program and the applicant to determine if there is a good fit between the applicant’s experience and training goals and the program’s needs and training objectives. Interviews will be held virtually on Jan. 26-29, 2027. Please note that these dates are tentative; final dates will be provided to you if you are invited to interview. Offers will be extended pending final budgetary approval.

If you have any questions, please contact the Director of Training Office at 916-703-0263 or MIND_PsychTraining@health.ucdavis.edu.  

Selection Procedures

Fellow selection is conducted by a committee comprising the Training Director, Associate Training Director, and training supervisors. Candidates are evaluated holistically based on:

• Clinical training in assessment and psychotherapy
• Academic coursework and letters of recommendation
• Clinical and research interests
• Alignment between applicant goals and program opportunities
• Demonstrated commitment to health equity and working with patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities

Applicants whose goals and interests best match the opportunities offered by the program will be invited for an interview.

UC Davis Health Pre-Employment Requirements

Offers of employment are conditional upon meeting the following UC Davis Health pre-employment requirements:

Background Checks

A background check is required and covers criminal convictions and pending charges since age 18, as well as degree verification.

• Process: The check is conducted online through Universal Background Screening (no fingerprinting required). Selected candidates will receive a direct email from Universal to complete the form.
• Review: UC Davis Health conducts a confidential, individualized, and holistic assessment of all background check results, balancing the interests of both the candidate and UC Davis Health. Disqualifications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about UC Davis Health background checks.
  

Health Clearance

Trainees must complete a mandatory pre-employment health clearance appointment prior to their official start date.

Non-Discrimination Statement

UC Davis Health and the MIND Institute Clinical Psychology Training Program are committed to the highest standards of scholarship, professional practice, and a campus climate that promotes equal opportunity.

UC Davis Health does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, age, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, service in the uniformed services, or status as a covered veteran. In accordance with Title IX, UC Davis Health does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs, admissions, employment, or other activities. 

Administrative Structure of the Training Program

The training program is guided by a clear administrative framework to ensure high excellence and compliance with APPIC policies:

• Training Director (Dorcas Liriano Roa, Ph.D.): Holds primary clinical and administrative responsibility for program quality, APPIC compliance, applicant recruitment, and execution of due process/grievance policies.
• Associate Training Director (Carrie Silver, Ph.D.): Coordinates non-direct care training, didactics, and administrative aspects, supports recruitment, manages records, and expands professional networking.
• Training Committee: Composed of the Training Directors, the LEND Director, and clinical supervisors. The committee meets monthly on the third Friday to evaluate program alignment with core aims, review self-assessments, monitor trainee progression, and adjudicate formal procedures.
  Supervising Psychologists: Additional supervisors oversee trainees’ work in assessment, therapy, and other clinical experiences.

• Danielle Haener, Psy.D.
• Lesley Deprey, Ph.D.
• Janice Enriquez, Ph.D.
• Elyse Adler, Ph.D.
• Mel Mello, Psy.D.
• Sally Ozonoff, Ph.D.
• Breanna Winder-Patel, Ph.D.

MIND Institute Leadership Administration:

• MIND Institute Executive Director: Aubyn Stahmer, Ph.D.
• MIND Institute Chief Administrative Officer: Michele Ono, M.S.
• Executive Assistant: Dawn Lloyd