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This is an OTD residency opportunity in the Advanced Clinical Practice track.

Pediatric Mental Health (UCEDD & VIP)

About Pediatric Mental Health

The USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy is seeking OTD residents to work in pediatric mental health. Children with adverse childhood experiences, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and behavioral health needs at home and in the community receive services from occupational therapists in alliance with authorized mental health professionals to engage in the things they need and want to do. When a child’s ability to engage in meaningful occupations are impacted due to behavioral and mental health needs occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to evaluate, intervene, and promote engagement from a top-down and bottom-up approach with children, families, and interdisciplinary professionals. 

Clinical Experiences

Therapeutic services occur on site in our clinical offices, specialized gym spaces, family residences, the community, and virtually. OTD Residents will maintain an active caseload of children, adolescents, transitional age youth between 0 and 21 years of age. Services include interdisciplinary evaluations, consultation, and direct client care.

Residency Sites

With expertise across specialty areas such as sensory integration, feeding, developmental trauma and associated behavioral and neurodevelopmental challenges, our clinicians are located across the following Program sites.

• USC UCEDD at CHLA
• VIP

Leadership Experience [CA-LEND]

CA-LEND trainees are a diverse group of graduate, post graduate, postdoctoral and family support leaders. We select academically prepared applicants who have leadership potential, outstanding experience and commitment to improving the quality of life for children with neuro-developmental disabilities and special health care needs. Learning modalities include seminars, clinical cases, small group exercises, presentation skill development, interdisciplinary team modeling, service system engagement, family-based experiences, policy and advocacy work, research methodology, self-reflective leadership training, and clinical exposure. The long-term training culminates in a Leadership Project in an area of interest with a tangible policy, research or community education product.

Residency Pre-requisites

The advanced clinical OTD residency track is a 12 month program, 30 hours per week, where students must meet the following prerequisites to be considered for the interview and selection process:

1. Meets USC OTD admission criteria
2. Applicants must pass the NBCOT within 10 weeks of the start of Residency
3. Must complete Level II Fieldwork with one of our Pediatric Mental Health Sites (VIP/UCEDD)
4. Spanish-speaking individuals strongly preferred

Financial Support

This opportunity offers financial support including 24 units of paid tuition, a paid student worker position, as well as health and dental insurance and the student health center fee.

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USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE). The USC entry-level OTD degree program (cost of attendance) has been granted Candidacy Status by ACOTE. View our program’s ACOTE standards public data. ACOTE c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, (301) 652-6611 x2914, acoteonline.org

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.