Multicultural Community-Clinical Psychology Emphasis Area - Los Angeles

The Multicultural Community-Clinical Psychology (MCCP) Emphasis Area was established at the Los Angeles campus in 1990. A synthesis of the previous Ethnic Minority Mental Health and Community-Clinical Emphasis Areas, MCCP exemplifies a state-of-the-art training philosophy, curriculum, and set of applied experiences that are critical for producing clinical psychologists with special competence in multicultural and community psychology. Intercultural Processes and Human Diversity, a year-long course required of Clinical Psychology students in all emphasis areas, provides minimum competence in multicultural issues. The MCCP Emphasis Area provides the additional opportunity for students to develop:

1. More advanced conceptual and intervention skills relevant to psychotherapy with culturally diverse populations
2. Competence beyond individual psychopathology that includes conceptualization and intervention with community-level distress and social problems
3. An understanding of socio-political and sociocultural influences on psychological functioning and well-being
4. Knowledge of community psychology theory and practice

The mission of MCCP is to nurture the development of clinical psychologists who will work to understand, prevent, and reduce psychological and community distress, as well as enhance the psychological well-being of historically underserved, stigmatized, and oppressed groups. In doing this, special attention is paid to the cultural and socio-political context of the individuals, families, and communities we serve. Faculty members in MCCP are committed to fostering a climate of inclusion, respect for differences, and a sense of community both within and outside of CSPP. Ultimately, faculty members strive to empower individuals and communities and to facilitate personal and social healing. 

Through coursework, field experiences, and mentorship, students learn theory, research, and intervention strategies applicable to working with adults, adolescents, children, families, groups, and communities. Students share the core curriculum (about 90% of the curriculum) in Clinical Psychology with students from all emphasis areas. This includes basic coursework in lifespan development, clinical interviewing, psychodiagnostic assessment, and clinical interventions. However, MCCP students build upon this basic curriculum by learning alternative theories and strategies for intervention with communities, institutional systems, and specific “minority” groups. Faculty aim to train clinical psychologists who are critical thinkers about the etiology of psychological distress and who can conceptualize multiple pathways to healing individuals, families, and communities.

Required courses unique to MCCP students:

• Psychopathology: Diagnosis & Etiology in Sociocultural Context
• Seminar in Community Clinical Issues.

MCCP students also take six units (usually two 3-unit courses) of MCCP-designated advanced clinical electives. Following is a sample of the offerings that change somewhat from year to year:

• Ecopsychology
• Introduction to Teaching Psychology
• Multicultural Infant Mental Health
• Multicultural Family Therapy
• Multicultural Case Conceptualization
• Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual Affirmative Therapy
• Multicultural & Community Consultation 
• Belief Systems and Psychotherapy
• Adventure Therapy 
• Multicultural Grant Writing
• Psychobiology of Mind-Body-Healing
• Psychotherapy with Asian American Clients.

MCCP students also take non-MCCP-designated advanced clinical electives, such as Loss, Grief, and Bereavement; Couples Therapy; and Group Therapy.

The population of the metropolitan Los Angeles area is extremely diverse and thus provides for tremendous opportunities for clinical field training experiences with diverse cultural groups in a variety of settings, such as community-based clinics, community mental health centers, schools, hospitals, and prisons. Upon graduation, all MCCP students have met pre-doctoral licensing requirements.