Trueman Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Autism Treatment
Trueman Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Autism Treatment
The Trueman Fellowship in Autism Treatment is a post-doctoral psychology training experience based in the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD) at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Training opportunities for both 1- and 2-year positions are offered.
This fellowship was developed with the mission of establishing a unique opportunity for advanced training in evidence-based treatments of ASD, across a range of ages, treatment modalities, and levels of functioning, and is conducted in a department rich in resources related to professional development. Our goal is to train psychologists to demonstrate leadership in the areas of clinical service, training, research, and excellence in the provision of care for individuals with ASD and their families.
CASD provides a wide range of services for individuals with ASD and their families. Services are offered from 18 months to 21 years of age, across the range of the autism spectrum. Our mission is to provide a continuum of care using evidence-based practices to support the varied needs of autistic youth and their families. Services are offered within four main program areas:
- Behavioral Intervention Program – early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI or ABA) programs for toddler and preschool aged children, behavioral consultation, school consultation, and caregiver training/coaching
- Adolescent Transition Program – behavioral consultation, adaptive counseling, planning for transition to adult services, pre-employment training, social skills groups, and Project SEARCH
- Complex Behavior Program – assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior within both community and in-clinic day treatment contexts
- Autism Outpatient Psychotherapy Program – individual counseling and behavior consultation for children and adolescents with ASD and mental health concerns, CBT group treatments, and social skills groups
Additional opportunities are available related to Family Education and Community Outreach:
- Group and individual parent training (Triple P – Stepping Stones)
- Sibling support services (SibShops™)
- Summer camp programming
- Community education presentations
Other Psychology Fellowship Tracks at Nationwide Children's Hospital
What You Need to Know
Eligibility
Qualified candidates for the Trueman Fellowship should:
- Have completed a doctoral degree from an APA-approved clinical, school, neuropsychology or counseling psychology program
- Have completed an APA-approved internship
- Have prior experience with children/individuals with ASD in a clinical child/pediatric psychology setting
- Demonstrate their potential for excellence and a passion for improving the quality of care for children with ASD
Application Requirements
Applications for the 2025-2026 training year will be accepted through December 15, 2024. Applications materials will be uploaded through APPA CAS, which is free for application submissions. Please submit:
- A letter of interest
- Curriculum vitae
- Graduate transcript
- Copies of two clinical writings (e.g., assessment report, treatment plan)
- Three letters of recommendation
Background Check and Drug Screen
Our patients’ health and safety are in our hands. Upon hire, all new employees at Nationwide Children’s must complete and pass a background check and drug screen. The background check will include reference checking and a criminal background search complete with finger printing. Nationwide Children's follows the Ohio Revised Code to determine whether a felony or misdemeanor conviction or guilty plea is a disqualifying offense for applicants. Nationwide Children's primarily relies on the background check requirements found in Ohio Revised Code Sections 3701.881, 2151.86, and 109.572 and Ohio Administrative Code Section 5101:2-5-09.
All job candidates are required to successfully complete a drug screen as a condition of employment. Nationwide Children's is a drug-free workplace, and our 9-panel drug screen tests for:
- Amphetamine/Methamphetamine
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Cannabinoids (including medicinal marijuana)
- Cocaine
- Methadone
- Oxycodone
- Opiates
Program Setting
The Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD) at Nationwide Children's Hospital is one of a handful of facilities offering services that meet the wide range of critical needs of autistic youth. CASD is an interdisciplinary center with 170 employees, including Registered Behavior Technicians, Board Certified Behavior Analysts, licensed social works and counselors, licensed psychologists, and others. Our staff work closely with medical providers in psychiatry and developmental pediatrics to coordinate behavioral intervention strategies with medication management for symptoms of ASD as well as co-occurring mental health conditions.
The Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders is part of Big Lots Behavioral Health Services at Nationwide Children's Hospital, the largest pediatric behavioral health department in the nation. Behavioral healthcare has been highlighted by hospital administration as part of the previous and current five-year strategic plans, which have included the opening of the Behavioral Health Pavilion, a nine-story building serving individuals with acute levels of care; and currently is focused on further integrating behavioral health care into other systems, establishing leading research programs, and expanding provider capacity, talent development, and educational resources.
The Trueman Fellowship is one of the psychology fellowship opportunities at Nationwide Children's in behavioral health. Other fellowship tracks include intellectual and developmental disabilities, pediatric psychology, child clinical, neuropsychology, and acute services. Fellows across all programs participate in a joint seminar series, which focuses on professional development topics as well as clinical or quality improvement research projects.
Training and Experience
The Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD) at Nationwide Children's Hospital offers clinical training in evidence-based ASD interventions. This fellowship is designed to train clinical psychologists to demonstrate leadership in the areas of service, training, research, and excellence in the provision of care for individuals with ASD and their families. Fellows will be provided a range of clinical and didactic opportunities to develop advanced competencies in the specialty area of ASD and to prepare for independent practice as scientist-practitioners. Experiences available vary depending on whether the fellow completes a 1- or 2-year fellowship with CASD.
Fellows engage in clinical care focused in a primary and secondary clinical program in order to both broaden their clinical experiences while also focusing on an area to deepen skills and develop more expertise. Primary and secondary experiences are developed with two of our clinical program areas: Behavioral Intervention, Adolescent Transition, Complex Behavior, and Autism Outpatient Psychotherapy. Fellows with an interest in further developing psychological assessment skills may incorporate assessment experience into their training plan. Those who complete a two-year fellowship have opportunities to conduct structured umbrella supervision as a part of their training, as well as contribute to a leadership development project.
Diversity and Inclusion at Nationwide Children's Hospital
Diversity is an important part of Nationwide Children's Hospital’s vision and, as an organization, we strive to have our staff be reflective of the communities we serve. At Nationwide Children's, diversity is defined more broadly than the traditional definition of race and/or nationality and includes race, ethnicity, age, gender, socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, family structure, sexual orientation and physical ability. Across the hospital you will see multiple initiatives in line with this value:
- The hospital has ongoing efforts in their initiative, Stand Against Racism, Stand for Health Equity, led by the hospital's CEO and a diversity steering committee.
- The hospital also has Employee Resource Groups (ERG’s), which are teams of employees with common backgrounds, goals and interests, formed to act as a cultural resource for both group members and the entire organization.
- Behavioral Health has its own Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee that has members across Behavioral Health.
- CASD also has its own Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee that extends the mission of the hospital to create a culture that respects individual differences that best represent the community. Fellows can choose to participate in the DEI committee if it aligns with their goals.
Salary and Benefits
Fellows receive a competitive salary, set at $64,058 for the current 2024-2025 training year, and those completing a two-year fellowship will receive a salary increase for the second year. Additionally, fellows are eligible for the Nationwide Children's Hospital employee benefit package, which includes health, dental and vision insurance, as well as professional liability coverage.
The Trueman Fellowship also allows for a stipend for professional development related to ASD ($1500 per year). Incoming fellows are entitled to limited reimbursement for moving expenses (up to $3,000 for those who move from outside of central Ohio). Fellows are provided with 15 days of paid time off, 6 holidays (as identified by Nationwide Children's), up to 5 days of paid professional leave, and up to 6 days of paid sick time.
Fellows are typically given an appointment as a Clinical Instructor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University, a non-tenure track position.
Contact
Anya M. Froelich, PsyD BCBA, COBA
Psychology Supervisor/Training Director
Anya.Froelich@NationwideChildrens.org
(614) 355-7570
