Summer Treatment Program for ADHD & Related Disorders (Camp STAR) Internship

Camp STAR is a unique treatment program for children with ADHD and related difficulties implemented in a therapeutic summer day camp setting. Camp STAR adheres to the evidence-based Summer Treatment Program (STP) model developed by William E. Pelham, Jr., Ph.D., a leading psychologist in the field of ADHD research.

Why work at Camp STAR? Although staff receive a stipend (amount varies by position), Camp STAR is more than a summer job. It’s a unique training opportunity for students interested in pursuing careers in the field of clinical/school/counseling psychology, special education, social work, pediatric medicine or any child-oriented career path.

• For undergraduate students, Camp STAR provides an intensive training and field work experience rarely available at the undergraduate level. 

• For graduate students, Camp STAR provides training in evidence-based treatments and more clinical contact hours than typical graduate programs provide in one year! These hours are supervised and may count towards departmental requirements (check with your academic department to determine if this could apply to you).   

When: Dates of employment are Monday, June 5th through Monday, August 7th 2017. Staff attend training during the first two weeks, and Camp STAR officially begins on June 19th.

• Hours during training are generally 9:00 to 5:00 (Monday through Friday).

• Once the children start on June 19th, the staff day begins at 8:00. Campers leave at 4:30, and the staff day ends after daily charting and data management is completed (typically by 6:00). One night per week, staff help with evening childcare while parents attend a parent training group.

• Staff also attend on-site professional development seminars one evening per week. Seminars include presentations from experts in different areas of psychology/mental health and a graduate school panel. Dinner is provided to staff on seminar nights!

Camp STAR interns and staff are typically upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in psychology, education, pre-med, social work or other related mental health fields. Competitive applicants will also have:

• GPA 3.5 or higher
• previous experience working with children and/or in the field of mental health

Our fantastic paraprofessional staff (that’s you!) provides treatment to a group of 12 to 15 similar aged children over the course of the summer.

• Recreational counselors lead recreational and sports activities while using an extensive token economy system to shape children’s behavior and improve their social skills.

• Educational counselors lead academic and art learning centers to help children increase academic aptitude and boost their self-esteem.

Counselors also implement social skills training, problem-solving training and time-out when necessary. All staff receive supervision from experienced senior clinical staff and a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in ADHD and related disorders.