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 The social work training program within the UTHSC Center on Developmental Disabilities offers a rich, immersive environment for graduate students to hone advanced clinical skills working with individuals and families affected by developmental disabilities. Staffed by experienced Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) and integrated within an interdisciplinary center that spans clinical care, research, and policy, the training opportunities here are uniquely poised to prepare future social work leaders in the field.

Mission & Philosophy of Training

• The social work program is grounded in the Center’s overarching mission to enhance independence and quality of life for persons with developmental and related disabilities and their families.
• Trainees engage in a team-based, interdisciplinary model (including clinicians in psychology, pediatrics, speech–language pathology, and more), reflecting real-world collaborative practice.
• The objective is to provide advanced clinical and community-based experience under rigorous supervision, preparing future social work professionals to serve as leaders, clinicians, supervisors, and policy influencers in the field of developmental disabilities.

Clinical Scope and Opportunities

Social work trainees at CDD may engage in a broad array of evidence-based interventions, under close supervision by licensed clinicians:

• Clinical work is closely coordinated with other disciplines in behavioral therapy, including parent counseling and training, and supervised treatment models such as Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
• Trainees may see clients across the age spectrum (infants, children, adolescents, adults) and with a range of diagnostic profiles.
• Supervision is offered in both individual and group formats, utilizing live or recorded observation, reflective case conferences, and ongoing professional mentoring.

Relationship with Graduate Programs & Trainees

• While not a degree-granting program itself, the CDD offers practicum placements that complement students’ formal education in social work.
• Students enrolled at institutions such as the University of Memphis, the University of Tennessee–Knoxville, and Belmont University have been placed within CDD’s training program.
• These placements enable graduate students to apply evidence-based practice under supervision in a specialized context for people with disabilities, while fostering professional networking and interdisciplinary exposure.