Clinical Child Psychology Internship

This APA-accredited internship is structured to provide general clinical psychology experience while providing interns with specialized training in the assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families. Interns will provide outpatient diagnostic evaluations and evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems. They will conduct psychological and neuropsychological evaluations with children and adolescents who have cognitive and neurodevelopmental disorders. Interns will also provide consultation/liaison services at the local children’s hospital, evaluating acute suicidal ideation and psychological factors affecting medical treatment. Clinical experiences with an adult population will be available on the intern's switch day to another WCPIP agency.

Faculty and intern offices are located at the University of Kansas School of Medicine

Clinical Experience

TThe intern’s clinical experience in this track will be approximately half therapy and half assessment.

Child psychotherapy experience will take place at the KUSM-W outpatient Child Psychiatry and Psychology Clinic under the supervision of Nicole Klaus, PhD, ABPP and Kirsten Engel, PhD. The intern will see patients with a variety of presenting complaints, including anxiety, mood, behavior, and adjustment issues. The intern will complete comprehensive diagnostic evaluations using semi-structured interviews and a variety of clinical rating scales to develop an initial case conceptualization and treatment plans drawing on evidence-based treatment approaches. Training is provided in cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, parent management training, and other evidenced-based psychotherapies. Patients are typically referred by their pediatrician or psychiatrist, and interns will gain experience collaborating with these providers in the child’s care.

Assessment experience will take place at the KUSM-W Neuropsychology Clinic under the supervision of Kelli Netson-Amore, PhD, ABPP. Presenting concerns include neurodevelopmental disabilities, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, and genetic or medical conditions affecting the child’s cognition or development. Interns will gain experience with battery selection, clinical interviewing, test administration and scoring, interpretation of test results, report writing, and provision of feedback to families. Specific training in ADOS-2 administration is available.

Interns may have the opportunity to participate in consultations at Wesley Children’s Hospital. Psychologists are engaged in a number of multidisciplinary activities with colleagues from multiple specialties. Many collaborations take place in the outpatient psychology clinic after children are discharged from the hospital. Opportunities are available for short- and long-term therapeutic interventions with chronically ill children.

Didactics and Supervision

Multidisciplinary Child Seminar

This bi-weekly seminar is attended by members of our child and adolescent psychology and psychiatry team. We present shared and challenging cases, explore current literature, share updates from recently attended conferences, and invite guest speakers on topics of interest.

Behavioral Pediatrics Case Conference

This bi-monthly meeting is attended by clinicians from psychiatry, psychology, neuropsychology, genetics, and developmental pediatrics. Various specialists within the group take turns presenting on topics of interest, clinical cases, and research updates.

Clinical Psychology WCPIP Seminar

This two-hour weekly seminar features guest speakers presenting on a variety of clinical psychology topics in keeping with the American Psychological Association’s guidelines for training doctoral level psychologists. These seminars are attended by all WCPIP Interns.

Psychiatry Grand Rounds

The Department of Psychiatry conducts these bi-weekly didactics on topics related to mental health issues in accordance with the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association’s guidelines for training doctoral and post-graduate clinicians. Invited local and national speakers offer expertise on a range of topics related to the practice of psychiatry.

Other Experiences

Additional didactics include Grand Rounds in the Department of Pediatrics, journal clubs, and annual conferences in child mental health.

Child & Adolescent Training Faculty

Zachary Blackhurst, PhD, LP

Clinical Assistant Professor

Licensed Psychologist, State of Kansas

Brigham Young University, 2020

Primary Interests

  • Child and Adolescent Psychology

  • School-based mental health

Kirsten S. Engel, Ph.D., LP

Clinical Assistant Professor

Licensed Psychologist, State of Kansas

University of North Dakota, 2016

Primary Interests

  • Child and Adolescent Psychology

Nicole Klaus, Ph.D., ABPP

Associate Professor

Licensed Psychologist, State of Kansas

The Ohio State University, 2006

Primary Interests:

    • Child and Adolescent Psychology

    • Youth Suicide Prevention

    • Expanding access for pediatric mental health care

Kelli L. Netson-Amore, Ph.D., ABPP CN

Director of Neuropsychology Clinic & Training Associate Professor

Associate Professor

Licensed Psychologist, State of Kansas

University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008

Primary Interests:

    • Pediatric Neuropsychology

    • Medical Psychology

    • Psycho-Oncology

    • Healthcare Administration

Contact Us

Kelli L. Netson-Amore, PhD, ABPP | University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita| 8533 E 32nd St N | Wichita, KS | 67226 | 316-293-3850 | knetson@kumc.edu