Forensic and Clinical Services
The College's passion for serving our community in practical, high-impact ways is realized through our targeted service centers. In addition to providing clients with much-needed resources, treatment, and support, each service provides invaluable opportunities for our students to gain hands-on clinical experience and to deepen their skills in their future area of practice.
The Alliance for Aging
The Alliance for Aging, which represents a wide range of connections and collaborations across William James College faculty and numerous local and regional institutions and centers, was established to help adults age wisely and well. We invite you to learn who we are, what we do, and how we are improving the quality of life for aging adults.
Dr. Leon O. Brenner Center for Psychological Assessment and Consultation
The Brenner Center provides comprehensive psychological assessment to address problems of learning, memory, mental health, and adjustment for children, adolescents and adults. Senior psychologists, doctoral students, and post-doctoral fellows work as a team to provide comprehensive evaluations, jargon-free reports, consultation, and advocacy to facilitate the implementation of assessment recommendations.
The Brenner Center is part of our APA-accredited Internship Consortium.
Center of Excellence for Children, Families, and the Law (CECFL)
The Center of Excellence for Children, Families and the Law recognizes that life-changing decisions happen when children and families come before courts. The Center promotes multidisciplinary professional education, training, and research to support informed professional practice, thoughtful jurisprudence, and effective prevention and intervention through classes for high conflict co-parents and evaluations of children and families. The Center offers postdoctoral fellowships for psychologists.
Learn more about the Center for Children, Families and the Law here.
Child and Family Forensic Evaluation Service (CAFFES)
The Child and Family Forensic Evaluation Service (CAFFES) is a forensic service that operates as a component of our Center of Excellence for Children, Families, and the Law. CAFFES offers forensic and clinical mental health expertise for courts, attorneys, state protection agencies and others who are involved in court, mediation, or other contexts in which the resolution of disputes would be assisted by forensically sound behavioral health evaluation and recommendations.
Independent Qualified Examiner/Community Access Board Program (IQE/CAB)
The Independent Qualified Examiner/Community Access Board Program (IQE/CAB) is operated under an agreement with Wellpath Inc., and the Massachusetts Department of Corrections (DOC). This program is jointly staffed by WJC and Independent Contractors (licensed psychologists or psychiatrists) under the organization, supervision, and collaboration of the Program Director. This program services the entire Commonwealth. In this program, the IQE/CAB members are highly skilled psychologists and psychiatrists who have expertise in forensic assessment and sexual risk assessment. They provide court-ordered evaluations offering expert opinions in writing and testimony on whether a convicted sex offender meets statutory criteria to be designated as a Sexually Dangerous Person (SDP) as defined by MGL Ch. 123a[1].
Juvenile Court Clinic Operations (JCCO)
The Department of Community Engagement assumed operation of Juvenile Court Clinics in Suffolk and Norfolk Counties in July 2017, including joint staffing at Boston Juvenile Court Clinic with Department of Mental Health clinicians and collaborative provision of a multidisciplinary training program in juvenile forensic mental health. Juvenile Court Clinicians provide court-ordered evaluations in cases including Care and Protection (child abuse and neglect), Delinquency and Youthful Offender, Child Requiring Assistance (truancy, stubborn, habitual school offender, runaway, sexually exploited child), and civil commitment for psychiatric inpatient care or urgent substance abuse detoxification and treatment. Reports include recommendations for stabilization, care and treatment of court-involved children and families, and the William James College Juvenile Court Clinic staff now includes a designated person to facilitate access to behavioral health, social services, educational supports, and other resources.
Office of Continuing Education Programs
William James College offers a wide range of continuing education programs throughout the year. Workshops, seminars and conferences are designed to provide professionals with the knowledge needed to take careers to the next level.
Youth and Family Psychotherapy Services (YFPS)
The mission of Youth and Family Psychotherapy Services (YFPS) is to support the wellbeing of youth and families across a wide array of emotional, behavioral and developmental circumstances. We strive to serve our community through the delivery of exceptional culturally responsive care.
Richard I. and Joan L. Freedman Center for Child and Family Development
The Freedman Center connects adults, children, and families, with appropriate mental health information, service providers, and resources. The Freedman Center programs focus on the promotion of mental wellness and the prevention of mental illness. When families receive the support they need to foster mental wellness, the community where they live, work, and learn benefits, too. The Freedman Center is part of our APA-accredited Internship Consortium.
Center for Crisis Response and Behavioral Health
Launched in Fall 2021, the Center for Crisis Response and Behavioral Health will train first responders on effective response methods for encounters with individuals in psychiatric, substance-related, or mental health crisis.
More information about The Center for Crisis Response and Behavioral Health is forthcoming. Read the Center announcement here.