Associate Post Masters
Mental Health Fellowship

San Francisco

West Bay Consortium (San Francisco and South San Francisco)

The City and County of San Francisco (2018 estimated population 864,816) is the fourth-largest city in the state of California. San Francisco has unique characteristics when compared to other major cities in the U.S., like its multi-storied buildings situated on steep hills and its eclectic mix of architecture including Victorian style houses and modern skyscrapers. Landmarks include world-famous cable cars and Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco is home to a vast multi-cultural population dwelling in diverse communities and neighborhoods.

The patient population consists of Kaiser Health Plan members who possess prepaid benefits, and covers a broad ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic spectrum. All age groups and virtually all dual diagnostic categories are represented. The ethnic diversity of our members includes Euro-Americans, African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians. Participating clients also include monolingual families who speak languages such as Spanish or Tagalog. We see approximately several hundred patients a week.

Program Highlights

We are a dedicated group of clinicians and support staff who work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team setting. We rely on nearly daily group consultation in order to develop the best treatment plans and outcomes for our members and families who are suffering from the disease of addiction. That said, we also are very respectful of each patient’s goals and “meet them where they are at” in terms of their Stage of Change. In addition to an intensive abstinence-based program, we have developed a robust harm reduction program in which clinicians work collaboratively with the patient instead of dictating what they should do. We have a strength-based attitude towards our patients and celebrate their successes and remarkable transformations. We also are nonjudgmental and invite patients to consider other treatment options if they are struggling in their goals. We also express daily gratitude and appreciations of one another as clinicians. We also have a temperate sense of humor in order to deal with the challenges of addiction medicine treatment.

The Addiction Medicine and Recovery Services (AMRS) provides treatment for patients with Substance Use Disorders, as well as limited services for their family and friends. The program provides multiple levels of treatment including: Adult Intensive Day Treatment; Evening and/or Morning Intensive Outpatient care; Continuing Care; Adolescent/Family Substance Abuse/Substance Use Disorders, and Intensive Outpatient care; Co-Occurring Disorders treatment; Harm Reduction; and Spanish language treatment. Treatment modalities include individual, couples, family and group therapy, psychoeducational groups, outpatient medical detoxification, and psychiatric services. AMSR provides Day Treatment services for every day of the year.

San Francisco Addiction Medicine Recovery Services has a very diverse population. There is a significant number of patients who are Latino and African Americans who would greatly benefit from bilingual and bi cultural therapist. We also regularly have Cantonese-speaking patients as well as periodically patients who need Thai, Mandarin and Russian interpreters. We also regularly have Persian, Farsi speaking patients. There is also a significant LGBT population. We are a diverse staff always looking to increase our diversity and cultural competence.

Since 2013, we have hired 5 Post-Masters Associates as full-time permanent staff. Recently we celebrated our 25-year anniversary in that Addiction Medicine Recovery Services started in 1993.

Clinical Service Opportunities

• Facilitate several Day treatment Groups
• Conduct Intake Assessments
• Co-facilitate the Family and Friends Group
• Individual Sessions
• Clinical Meetings 4 times a week
• Business Meeting once a week

Specialty Tracks

• Family and Friends Program
• Suboxone Group
• Dual Diagnosis Group
• Day treatment Team
• Assessment Team
• Family Team

Schedule

• Direct Patient Care: 20 hours
• Non-Patient Care: 20 hours
• Individual Supervision: 1-2 hours depending on number of
• Group Supervision: 2 hours
• Didactic Training: 2 hours
• Cultural Conversations: 1 hour
• License Prep: 1-2
• Community Benefit Project: 32 hours over the course of the year
• Other

Didactic Training

Testimonials