Ferkauf Older Adult Program

Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University

Bronx, NY

This database is no longer actively maintained and is here for archival purposes only

Organization Type: 
Educational Institution
Program Type: 
Curriculum/Track
Education Level: 
Graduate
Educational Elements: 
Lecture/Didactic
Experiential including clinical contact with patients
Program Description: 

The Ferkauf Older Adult training program offers didactic coursework and clinical training experiences in the newly emerging field of clinical geropsychology. Ferkauf doctoral students who seek preliminary training in the assessment and psychological treatment of older adults have varied options regarding specialty coursework and/or supervised clinical training with older adults.

The development of the Ferkauf Older Adult Program was spearheaded by one-year (2002-2003) and three-year (2003-2006) Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) grant awards from the Bureau of Health Professions (US-DHHS) for training in clinical geropsychology. The training grant established Ferkauf as one of seven sites in the United States, and the only site in the New York metropolitan area, to provide programmatic doctoral-level training to psychology graduate students in clinical work with the elderly. The training program is a collaborative effort of the faculty of the Ferkauf Graduate School, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Jacobi Hospital Medical Center.

Students who seek a concentration in clinical geropsychology must take Assessment and Treatment of Older Adults, an overview of issues critical to the diagnosis and psychological treatment of psychological problems in older adults. Student must also take two other courses in geropsychology and receive advanced clinical training through a one-year clinical geropsychology externship.

In an effort to provide the most disadvantaged elderly with comprehensive mental health care, the program emphasizes pairing psychology trainees with medical residents to optimize integrated mental health service delivery to older adults in a primary care setting. The externship includes training in evidence-based techniques for psychological problems of older adults, including interpersonal (IPT), psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral and family-systems psychotherapy.

The overall goals of the one-year clinical geropsychology externship practicum include:

  • Didactic training in mental health and aging
  • Interdisciplinary training in the principles and practice of geropsychological assessment, psychotherapeutic intervention and consultation
  • Training in the provision of culturally sensitive interventions to ethnically diverse and disadvantaged older adults
Evaluated: 
No
Targeted Professions
Psychology: 
Clinical
Clinical Health
Program Website
Self-Reported Competencies
PCPCC’s Education and Training Task Force identified 16 interprofessional training competencies critical for preparing health professionals for practicing in team-based, coordinated care models such as patient-centered medical homes. Listed below are the self-reported competencies that this program has achieved, which have been organized by the five core features of a medical home as defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Patient-Centered Care Competencies: 
Advocacy for patient-centered integrated care
Cultural sensitivity and competence in culturally appropriate practice
Development of effective, caring relationships with patients
Patient-centered care planning, including collaborative decision-making and patient self-management
Comprehensive Care Competencies: 
Population-based approaches to health care delivery
Coordinated Care Competencies: 
Care coordination for comprehensive care of patient & family in the community
Interprofessionalism & interdisciplinary team collaboration
Quality Care & Safety Competencies: 
Evidence-based practice
Accessible Care Competencies: 
Promotion of appropriate access to care (e.g., group appointments, open scheduling)
Last updated July 21, 2014

* Please note: Information contained in this database is self-reported by representatives from each program. It does not represent an exhaustive list of education and training programs and inclusion does not constitute an endorsement from the PCPCC.

 

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