Psychological Consultation Center
The Psychological Consultation Center (PCC) is the Psychology Department's campus-based clinic. Students are engaged in weekly supervised experiences with families and children to develop their assessment, consultation and counseling skills using a team approach.
Vertical Team is a cooperative learning team format that is designed to provide direct practicum experience and to help students integrate theory and research with their clinical work. The teams are "vertical" in the sense that each comprises students at a variety of levels of training. Thus, more advanced students have the opportunity to model and practice supervision skills and less experienced students have the opportunity to observe more sophisticated clinical activities.
Similar to SPRIG, Vertical Team comprises two major components:
1. All students meet regularly in a large forum to discuss issues arising from their clinical work in the PCC and in the field. These meetings frequently include guest speakers such as local psychologists, attorneys, special education directors, and other professionals. Various topics are discussed. The frequent theme of the guest speakers for the large Vertical Team meetings is "the scientist-practitioner." Local psychologists lead discussions about the importance of their own research activites to daily professional practice. Vertical Team topics have focused on diversity, and included discussions of cultural and ethical issues associated with assessment, suicide, educational philosophy, and poverty.
2. Students are assigned to a small Vertical Team that is headed by an advanced student and supervised by an adjunct facutly member who is an appropriately certified school psychologist or licensed school psychologist. Participation in these Vertical Team practica continues to for a minimum of three (3) years, and is optional beyond that time. These teams staff the PCC, providing consultation and evaluation services to children and their families. Recently, teams have been assigned to off-campus locations increasing the diversity of the client population served and expanding services to include intervention and non-traditional service-delivery approaches.
