The Brief Treatment Clinic (BTC) provides intensive training in clinical behavior analysis (ABA) for children and adolescents through a behavioral outpatient continuum of care. As a part of the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s APA-accredited training program, BTC offers both full-year and half-year paired tracks. Clinicians trained within the BTC are equipped to work in a variety of settings following their doctoral internship year, including hospitals/medical centers, schools, outpatient therapy clinics, and academic settings. Clinical supervisory staff includes licensed psychologists, nationally certified school psychologists, and board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs). Trainees who are eligible to sit for the board exam in behavior analysis may receive supervised hours from our doctoral-level behavior analysts during their internship year.
Doctoral interns who train in the BTC will receive training in the provision of brief, standard dosage outpatient behavioral treatment, as well as time limited, high dosage behavior therapy through the clinic’s Intensive and Day Treatment programs. This continuum of care serves children and families with a wide range of behavior concerns associated with diagnoses including, but not limited to, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), disruptive behavior disorders, anxiety disorders, habit disorders, tics, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), and rare genetic disorders (e.g., SYN1, SCN2A, SYNGAP, STXBP1). Trainees are provided advanced training in empirically supported treatments including behavioral parent training, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and habit-reversal therapy through a clinical applied behavior analytic framework. Opportunities to participate in community outreach by providing presentations/trainings (e.g., daycares, schools, after-care programs, parent groups, professionals, medical staff) exist throughout the training year. Some mentoring and supervisory opportunities exist through involvement with undergraduate and graduate-level research assistants. Opportunities for participation in the clinic’s active applied research program also exist, with previous doctoral interns presenting their work at local and national conferences.
Candidates for BTC’s rotation typically have an interest in serving preschool and school aged children and their families and providing early intervention/prevention services to families. Interest and experience in applied behavior analysis and/or pediatric behavior therapy are important prerequisites to a successful training year at BTC. Use of data-based decision making, empirically supported interventions using single case design, and behavioral skills training with caregivers are core features of intervention within the BTC. Trainees will learn to utilize functional interviewing and functional analysis in their case conceptualization and will gain experience in graphing and interpreting data in order to provide performance feedback to families. Trainees can expect to gain experience working within interdisciplinary and/or multidisciplinary teams as the BTC has active collaborations with several departments and centers at the Institute (i.e., Behavior Psychology Clinical Outcomes Department, Psychiatry, Synaptopathies Clinic, and the Tourette Syndrome Center of Excellence).
Doctoral interns in the BTC are provided with a structured, sequential orientation and training covering conceptual, clinical, and administrative topics before assuming the role of primary therapist for assigned cases. Clinical and professional development are monitored on a weekly basis through individual and group supervision, didactics, clinical rounds, and research meetings. Interns work closely with designated supervisors and may be provided opportunities to co-treat cases. Management of disruptive behaviors in treatment sessions is common and offers trainees the opportunity to acquire advanced skills in direct application of behavioral management strategies and techniques.