Training Program
Family Support Services (FSS)
Family Support Services (FSS) is a psychology and MFT training program which supports the past and present families staying at the Ronald McDonald House and the staff who work at the House.
Each family’s health and well-being is our upmost priority. We developed FSS many years ago after an extensive needs assessment of the desires and requests of families and staff.
As a result a team of well-trained strength and resilience based mental health professionals provide the following services 7 days a week, 365 days a year, 9am-9pm:
- Private supportive meetings for individuals, families and couples
- Host support groups
- Lead educational workshops for staff and families
- Facilitates therapeutic activities for children, families and adults
All of this is available to all past and present RMH families. All services are provided in English and in Spanish and they are offered live and via telehealth.
This practicum is available to students who are in good standing in both doctoral level clinical psychology, enrolled in a PsyD or PhD program, and to those enrolled in a masters level marriage family therapist (MFT) program. This year long practicum has been created to provide support to the Ronald McDonald House as well as training in couple and family/child psychology which is seriously lacking in most practicum settings. The training year commitment is 20 hours a week commencing in mid-July.
The Family Support Services practicum is located at the following locations:
- Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House,
- Pasadena Ronald McDonald House,
- Inland Empire Ronald McDonald House,
- Stanford Ronald McDonald House
For more information about the training program, please contact the Director of Family Support Services Dr. Susan Regas at sregas@rmhcsc.org
Social Justice Mission
FSS is actively committed to a social justice perspective. While we appreciate differences, we also attempt to look at the ways in which we are situated differently and the ways in which everyone possesses power but not everyone possesses it equally. This is addressed in our support of families as well as in training. Our belief that social justice is about rectifying fractures and ills that may be attributable to the inequitable distribution of power. We recognize that some voices are louder than others, that some people have greater access to power than others. We spend time in training discussing how to manage these inequities and our resolve to alter that.
Spanish Training Track
Cultural and language diversity are of the utmost importance to the FSS team The Spanish Track was created for trainees interested in receiving training, didactics and supervision in Spanish. Given that most education in the United States is received in English, the Spanish Training Track seeks to bridge the discrepancy between the lack of appropriate training in the US and the need for more linguistically and culturally competent providers. Practicum students receive additional supervision in Spanish.
Spanish Training Track
Cultural and language diversity are of the utmost importance to the FSS team The Spanish Track was created for trainees interested in receiving training, didactics and supervision in Spanish. Given that most education in the United States is received in English, the Spanish Training Track seeks to bridge the discrepancy between the lack of appropriate training in the US and the need for more linguistically and culturally competent providers. Practicum students receive additional supervision in Spanish.
About RMH
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC)
The mission of RMHC is to keep families together and near the medical care they need.
Our network of local Chapters has been helping millions of families with sick children find comfort and support when they need it most. Our programs, tailored to meet the urgent needs of each community, can now be found in 65 countries and regions across the globe.
Since 1974, RMHC has created programs that strengthen families during difficult times. RMHC provides vital resources and compassionate care to children and their families being served by leading hospitals worldwide. Core RMHC programs — Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile programs — provide access to health care and enable family-centered care. RMHC has helped lessen the burden for millions of families.
FSS Training Program for Mental Health Professionals
Award Winning Training
RMHC Hearts and Hands Awarda
The Family Support Services program won the prestigious Hearts and Hands: Expand Reach and Impact at the Ronald McDonald House Charities International Conference (2015). Competition was fierce as chapters submitted proposals from across the globe.
American Psychological Association: Diversity Award
Family Support Services was recognized by the American Psychological Association, Society of Couple and Family Psychology with a Diversity Program Award (2016). FSS is known to address the concerns of those whose race, ethnicity, gender identification, income, disability, or other social factors fall outside the majority. Issues that arise for minority groups, such as oppression, racism and marginalization are relevant and recognized.
The Family/Child and Couple Emphasis (FACE) at the California School of Professional Psychology- Los Angeles (CSPP) at Alliant International University (AIU) collaborated with the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) of Southern California in order to develop a training site that was mutually beneficial.
The FACE faculty created a training site where graduate level students in clinical psychology and MFT programs could receive excellent systems-based training when working with children, adults, couples and families. The leaders of the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) saw a need for psychological assistance, consultation, therapy, workshops, and groups for their past and present families and for their staff.
The RMH training site helps to facilitate the mission of the Ronald McDonald House by supporting the health and well-being of children with cancer and other serious illnesses, as well as their families during this very difficult time in their lives. The Clinical Training Program provides a variety of strengths-based clinical services to Ronald McDonald families, children and staff. These clinical services are sensitive to the ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious backgrounds of the children and families being served.
The Family Support Services training program has been awarded the Division 43 Diversity Program Award in 2016 by the American Psychological Association for the strong emphasis on multicultural training with a very diverse population.
