Universal Psychology Postdoctoral Directory

Elements of quality clinically focused postdoctoral training

The University of Washington (UW) and Child Study & Treatment Center (CSTC) offer a 12-month postdoctoral fellowship in child and family clinical psychology. The primary goal of the fellowship is to hone clinical expertise in the practice of psychology with youth in an inpatient setting utilizing individual, group, and family therapy. A secondary goal is to support entry-level proficiency in psychological research and scholarship. 

Child Study and Treatment Center (CSTC) is a state and federally-funded long-term inpatient psychiatric hospital established to treat children and adolescents. CSTC serves children from throughout the state and is the only state-operated children’s psychiatric hospital in Washington. CSTC has a 65-inpatient bed capacity on four separate cottages (units). On-grounds elementary and secondary schools provided by Clover Park School District are an integral part of the treatment model. CSTC shares a campus with Western State Hospital (WSH), a state-operated adult psychiatric hospital. 

Training Scope and Sequence: The postdoctoral training program is focused primarily on clinical service provision. The majority of the fellow’s time is spent in clinical duties with children aged 5-12 and their families on Camano Cottage. This clinical component includes individual, group, milieu, and family therapy. Fellows are also expected to participate in Treatment Plan Reviews and weekly Team Meetings. Fellows also have opportunities to provide supervision to interns and practicum students as well as engage in periodic psychological testing. 

The research component of the fellowship is generally conducted on an as-needed basis. Several major research projects continue, and the fellow will be given information as to the specific goals and opportunities during the interview process. 

Training in inpatient treatment and psychotherapy with CSTC patients is provided. Fellows will utilize modalities including Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (adapted DBT), and evidence-based parent management interventions. Didactics, consult groups, clinical rounds, and Journal Club are opportunities for the fellow to continue to develop their knowledge and skills. 

Supervision & Support: Fellows are primarily supervised by one licensed psychologist and the attending psychiatrist. As CSTC is a multi-disciplinary facility there are extensive opportunities to interact with other licensed clinicians and child mental health professionals for additional support and feedback. In addition to two hours per week of individual supervision, fellows also participate in one hour per week of group supervision. This group includes practicum students from regional doctoral programs and interns from Western State Hospital’s APA-accredited internship program. 

Salary and Benefits: The stipend for the postdoctoral fellowship in psychology is approximately $70,000 per year. The University of Washington funds the fellowship, and the amount is established on a biannual basis by the state legislature so the final amount will be determined at the time of the formal offer letter in approximately August 2025. Benefits include vacation leave, sick leave, educational leave (as negotiated), and medical insurance. Fellows are entitled to due process procedures as University of Washington School of Medicine Faculty. 

Licensing: Many fellows will choose to sit for the licensing examination during the training year. Fellows are provided some on-site time in order to prepare for the EPPP and jurisprudence exams.

Additional information about this position can be found at https://psychiatry.uw.edu/fellowship/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-fellowship.