Postdoctoral Residency – South Sacramento
Sacramento Valley Consortium (Sacramento/Roseville and South Sacramento)
Sacramento, “The City of Trees,” is the heart of California’s Central Valley and the state’s capitol. The city has experienced significant growth and development in recent years and includes top farm-to-fork restaurants, professional sports teams, and access to amazing outdoor activities. The cost of living is moderate compared to other California communities and more affordable than the SF Bay Area. The city of Sacramento and its suburbs has a population of approximately 500,000 and is one of the most ethnically and racially diverse urban regions in the country. Entertainment venues range from professional sports (Sacramento Kings of the NBA), Mondavi Center for Performing Arts, to local theater and museums. The city’s economy has historically been dominated by state and federal government employment. Sacramento is an easy day trip to San Francisco, Napa, or Lake Tahoe. Outdoor activities are popular, especially from April to November, when the weather is warm and dry. The winter affords skiing opportunities in the Sierras.
Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento is the largest not-for-profit health care provider in the southern region. More than 233,000 members—or 56% of the area’s commercially-insured population—receive care at the South Sacramento Medical Center and two medical office buildings in Elk Grove. KP is one of the largest employers in the area. A large building expansion project was completed in 2011 and included a new five-story hospital tower with a larger ED and trauma unit, additional outpatient space and a second medical office in Elk Grove. KP South Sacramento is the area’s only Level II Trauma Center and has the fifth busiest Emergency Department in the state.
The South Sacramento Psychiatry Department is comprised of the following programs and teams: adult outpatient and intensive outpatient services, child and adolescent outpatient and intensive outpatient services; addiction medicine and recovery services, memory care, behavioral health education, behavioral medicine, transgender care, triage and urgent care services, TMS and ECT services. The diversity of South Sacramento is reflected in our patient population with major ethnicities such as Caucasian, Latino/a, Asian, African American as well as others represented.
Join our Team: Discover South Sacramento
Program Curriculum
Equity, Inclusion & Diversity
Equity, Inclusion, & Diversity (EID) are key focuses of the training program in South Sacramento. Our region is one of the most diverse in California and provides the opportunity to work with an economically, ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse community.
EID is a key focus of both our regional and Sacramento-based weekly didactics. Previous and future didactic seminars have included the following:
- Cultural Humility and Unconscious/Implicit Bias
- Introduction to Multicultural Assessment
- Tele behavioral Health: Ethical, Clinical, and Cultural Considerations
- Culturally Aware Feedback Informed care
- Working with African Americans in a Medical Setting
- Muslim American Populations in Behavioral Health Settings
- Black Men’s Experience of Police Harassment
- Gender Affirming Surgery Evaluations
Postdoctoral residents also can participate in our local EID Committee. This committee is dedicated to improving the wellbeing of Kaiser members and staff in our Department of Psychiatry through expanding formal and informal spaces to explore, process, and become educated in areas related to EID, increase awareness of issues to improve staff morale, and to plan trainings, cultural encounters, discussions, celebrations, and other culturally affirmative experiences to improve culturally affirmative care for our diverse communities here in South Sacramento.
In addition, we are proud to offer Cultural Conversations to our trainees. This weekly program is unique to the South Sacramento and Elk Grove postdoctoral fellowship program. Cultural Conversations is an advanced training in diversity which encourages residents to assess their backgrounds, identities, and awareness of cultural factors that influences their practice as clinical psychologists. It also provides a safe space for residents to process diversity factors pertinent to their training and professional development. Cultural Conversations is frequently mentioned as a strength of our training program. We wholeheartedly believe this process is essential to becoming an ethical licensed psychologist.
Didactic Training
Regularly scheduled weekly didactic seminars, formerly held at the consortium level, are now organized, and administered regionally for all KP NorCal postdoctoral residents. Residents are required to attend a two-hour weekly virtual seminar, which focuses on developing competencies and expertise in clinical areas most relevant to their day-to-day work.
Our Regional Mental Health Training Program also sponsors seminars for continuing professional development. The seminars are offered at select times during the year for all KP mental health trainees and staff at Kaiser Northern California Medical Centers. We bring in local and national experts on a variety of cutting-edge topics in mental health treatment and research. Residents are required to attend these monthly seminars. Regional seminar dates and a list of speakers and topics can be found on the Regional Mental Health Training Programs website. In addition, many of the presentations are recorded and available under the continuing education lecture library webpage.
In addition to regional mental health trainings, fellows receive monthly didactics on health psychology topics including: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, Comprehensive Behavioral Interventions for Tics, Diabetes management, Interventional Psychiatry, Pediatric elimination disorders, Postpartum conditions, and Traumatic brain injury/Concussion.
Seminars and Meetings
Along with weekly individual and group supervision, residents participate in an hourly, weekly Office Hours led by the local training director.
This weekly meeting provides space focused on acculturation to the Kaiser Permanente organization and to discuss topics related to administrative issues and professional development, along with general support.
Other meetings include the following:
- Monthly Departmental Meetings for Adult Outpatient Program, Child Outpatient Program, and Behavioral Medicine Services
- Monthly Psychiatry Department Meetings
- Weekly Clinical Consultation meetings led by a department psychiatrist
- Quarterly Psychologist Discipline/Guild Meetings
- Quarterly Psychologist Continuing Education Trainings, focused on Psychological Testing and Specialty Services
- Residents are provided 1 hour a week to complete their research project.
- Residents are provided 1 hour per week to prepare for their licensure exams.
Supervision
All postdoctoral residents are supervised by licensed clinical psychologists and are assigned to a primary supervisor and a secondary supervisor. These clinical supervisors meet with their assigned resident one hour or more per week for individual supervision. In total, residents receive a combined 4 hours of individual and group supervision weekly.
The primary and secondary supervisors are responsible for overseeing the direct delivery of clinical services. The primary supervisor takes the lead role in developing the resident’s learning plan, monitoring their progress, and evaluating their training schedule. The primary supervisor is also responsible for completing the resident’s evaluation after gathering input from other supervisors and staff who may have provided supplementary supervision during rotations or while co-facilitating groups with the resident.
Community Partnership Program
Reflecting Kaiser Permanente’s core commitment to mental health and wellness in our communities, each trainee will spend at least 32 hours during their training year on a Community Partnership Project that focuses on improving mental health in the local community beyond our Kaiser Permanente patient members. Projects may include presentations on mental health topics or career mentoring in such settings as community colleges/schools, after school programs, and health advocacy or other organizations dedicated to assisting those in need.
The goal of this project is to provide outreach to underserved populations to promote health and advancement. Anchors for the project include developing alliances with individuals and/or systems to improve the lives of those served; providing education and training based on the empirical literature; and presenting relevant outcomes data to partnership stakeholders. Residents will meet with the Community Partnership supervisor to assist with placement and the development of a project.
Psychological Assessment
Psychological assessment is a major focus of the postdoctoral fellowship program. Trainees participate in weekly supervision and bi-monthly psychological assessment training. Trainees receive invaluable experience in psychological assessment, practicing at top of scope, throughout the medical center. Examples include presurgical psychological evaluations in the Bariatrics Surgery Department, Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic, and other specialty health psychology evaluations as they become available.
Program Evaluation
Each resident is required to undertake a program evaluation project during their training year. The project is selected based upon the resident’s interests and skill set and should fall within the regular scope of departmental services.
It may involve collecting and analyzing data to improve administrative operations, or a quality improvement project aimed at improving or assessing a treatment program or process. Examples include developing and evaluating a treatment group, intake procedure or other new programming; evaluating factors associated with treatment outcomes; or a needs assessment of a service that may be enriched by psychological consultation. Residents meet with the program evaluation supervisor as a group regularly over the course of the training year to review progress on their projects.
Tracks and Rotations
Pediatric Primary Care Psychology
Postdoctoral fellows in the Pediatric Primary Care Psychology track spend most of their time, embedded within the local pediatrics clinics, providing brief, psychological consultations, evidenced based treatments, and suicide risk assessments within the primary care setting. Fellows work collaboratively with physicians, nurses, and medical assistants to deliver quality services to our families. In addition, fellows receive advanced training in screening/evaluating pediatric neurodevelopmental conditions.
Fellows apply for two, 6-month minor rotations during their training year. Minor rotations include
Developmental Psychology: fellows receive specialized training and clinical opportunities providing behavioral screening and treatment for children 0 to 5 years old. Trainees actively consult with primary care pediatricians and developmental pediatrics provide services to our youngest members.
Fit4Life: pediatric lifestyle medicine provides support, coaching, and education to pediatric members and families, within an evidenced based, trauma-informed framework to address the unique needs of members.
Obstetrics/Gynecology: fellows provide consultation and supportive services for members, decreasing barriers to accessing mental health services. In addition, fellows receive invaluable training and clinical opportunities in management and treatment of post-partum conditions.
Sports Medicine: fellows are embedded within the local sports medicine department to provide brief, evidenced based consultations for athletes. Common presenting concerns in this rotation include medical treatment compliance, supporting psychological factors impacting return to play/exercise, and post-concussion treatment.
Adult Primary Care Psychology
Postdoctoral fellows in the Adult Primary Care Psychology track spend most of their time, embedded within the local Adult and Family Medicine Clinics, providing brief, psychological consultations, evidenced based treatments, cognitive screening, and suicide risk assessments within the primary care setting. Fellows work collaboratively with physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and medical assistants to deliver quality services to our members.
Fellows apply for two, 6-month minor rotations during their training year. Minor rotations include
Chronic Pain: fellows receive training and clinical experiences providing services in the adult chronic pain program. Trainees in this rotation provide individual consultation, psychotherapy, and facilitate groups/classes.
Obstetrics/Gynecology: fellows provide consultation and supportive services for members, decreasing barriers to accessing mental health services. In addition, fellows receive invaluable training and clinical opportunities in management and treatment of post-partum conditions.
Pediatrics: Fellows receive are embedded within the local pediatrics department, providing brief consultation and screening/evaluation for pediatric neurodevelopmental conditions.
Sleep Medicine: fellows receive invaluable training on a variety of sleep problems and evidenced based treatments including CBTi. Trainees provide individual psychotherapy and facilitate groups/classes in this rotation.
Schedule
- Individual Treatment Face to Face Hours: 16 hours/week
- Psychological Testing Face to Face Hours: 2-4 hours/week
- Non-Patient Care: 10 hours/ week
- Individual Supervision for Primary Rotation: 1 hour/ week
- Delegated Supervision for Secondary Rotation: 1 hour/week
- Psychiatry Consultation Group: 1 hour/week
- Assessment Supervision: 1-2 hours/week
- Office Hours: 1 hour/week
- Cultural Conversations Group: 1 hour/week
- Didactic Training: 2 hours/week
- License Prep/Other Projects: 1 hour/week
- Program Evaluation Project: 1 hour/month
- Community Volunteer Project: 32 hours/year
Please keep in mind that postdoctoral residents are expected to work in-office for the entire duration of their training year.
Program Graduates
2023 Cohort
Graduate | University/Institute | Track/Specialty Rotation | Current Position, Specialty & Location |
---|---|---|---|
Selina Coleman | John F. Kennedy University, School of Psychology | Outpatient Adult Psychiatry, Adult and Pediatric Behavioral Medicine Services rotations | Psychological Assistant in Outpatient Adult Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Luisalfredo Plascencia | University of San Francisco | Outpatient Adult Psychiatry | Psychological Assistant in Behavioral Medicine Services, Kaiser Permanente San Francisco |
2022 Cohort
Graduate | University/Institute | Track/Specialty Rotation | Current Position, Specialty & Location |
---|---|---|---|
Tamara McGillicuddy | Midwestern University | Outpatient Adult Psychiatry, Chronic Pain, and Adult & Family Medicine | Psychologist in Outpatient Adult Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Jeremy Jed Marquez Joves | Palo Alto University | Pediatric Behavioral Medicine / Fit 4 Life | Child Psychologist at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento |
Rae Justine Dimaano | Alliant International/CSPP, Los Angeles | Behavioral Medicine Services, Oncology | Behavioral Medicine Specialist/Behavioral Health Consultant at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento and Elk Grove |
2021 Cohort
Graduate | University/Institute | Track/Specialty Rotation | Current Position, Specialty & Location |
---|---|---|---|
Natalia Diavatis | John F. Kennedy University | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health, Psychological Testing | |
Pratima Pathania | Wright Institute | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health, Bariatric Evaluations | Psychological Assistant, Initial Assessment Coordinator, Kaiser Permanente Rancho Cordova |
Casey Taylor | Fuller School of Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy & Fuller Theological Seminary | Pediatric Behavioral Mental Health, ADHD Clinic, Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry |
2020 Cohort
Graduate | University/Institute | Track/Specialty Rotation | Current Position, Specialty & Location |
---|---|---|---|
Christina Parker | Alliant International University | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health | Psychological Assistant, Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Roseville |
Shushan Tigranyan | Alliant International University | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry,Behavioral Mental Health, Trauma | Psychological Assistant, Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Melissa Walters | Adler University | Pediatric Behavioral Mental Health | Pediatric Behavioral Mental Health, Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento |
2019 Cohort
Graduate | University/Institute | Track/Specialty Rotation | Current Position, Specialty & Location |
---|---|---|---|
Alonzo Lamas | Wright Institute | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health | Clinical Psychologist, Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Rachel Mapenzi | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health | Clinical Psychologist & Primary Supervisor for Postdoctoral Training Program , Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Chelsey Richeson | Alliant International University | Pediatric Behavioral Mental Health, ADHD Clinic, teen IOP, Pediatric Weight Management (Fit for Life) | Psychological Assistant, Pediatric Behavioral Mental Health, Kaiser Permanente Redwood City |
2018 Cohort
Graduate | University/Institute | Track/Specialty Rotation | Current Position, Specialty & Location |
---|---|---|---|
Ryan Cardinale | University of Michigan | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health Psychological Assistant | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Joshua Carlson | William James College | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health Clinical Psychologist, HR Consultant | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Felicity Gazowsky | Alliant International University | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health | Clinical Psychologist, California Correctional Care Services, Sacramento |
2017 Cohort
Graduate | University/Institute | Track/Specialty Rotation | Current Position, Specialty & Location |
---|---|---|---|
Charis Morris | Biola University | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health | Clinical Psychologist, Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Xiaolong Li | PGSP-Stanford | Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Behavioral Mental Health, Bariatrics | Clinical Psychologist & Primary Supervisor for Postdoctoral Training Program, Adult Outpatient Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Melody Kang | Queen’s University | Pediatric Behavioral Mental Health, ADHD Clinic, teen IOP, Pediatric Weight Management (Fit for Life) | Behavioral Health Consultant (BHC) in the Adult Family Medicine (AFM) Department, Kaiser Permanente Elk Grove |
Current Opportunities
Position | Track(s) |
---|---|
Adult Primary Care | Adult |
Pediatric Primary Care | Pediatric |