Although there are no simple defining criteria for this award, major research or theoretical contributions to the field or other contributions in terms of public policy or scientific practice may be considered. The awardee must be prominent or eminent in clinical child and adolescent psychology. We especially encourage our members to nominate stellar candidates within any area of clinical expertise who have made contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the field. The recipient will receive a $2,000 honorarium to be used for travel to the APA Convention to present an invited address. A list of past Distinguished Career Recipients is posted on the SCCAP53.org website. 

The Smith Psychological Assessment Award to an individual, or organization that has made a major contribution to the field of psychological assessment broadly defined. The individual or organization selected must be committed to an evidence-based approach to assessment.  While the development or validation of a measure would be an appropriate achievement deserving of recognition, the award’s purpose is broader. For example, individuals who have addressed the ethical issues related to psychological assessment would be equally appropriate, along with practitioners who have developed an evidence-based protocol/approach to assessment using multiple modalities, e.g. custody evaluations, learning disabilities, neuropsychological assessment of traumatic brain injuries, etc. Essentially a best practice, evidence-based protocol for any context in which a psychological assessment would inform a decision or treatment would meet the criteria. With the above criteria it is possible that a clinical researcher would qualify but would not be preferred over a practitioner or group that created a model/protocol for an evidence-based assessment. The award recipient will provide an educational opportunity based on their work that is designed to instruct practitioners in the use of the psychological assessment measure, procedures, or on a topic that is clinically relevant to psychological assessment. This educational opportunity can be presented live or by way of a recorded webinar.

The Routh Dissertation grant provides support for student research with potential to make significant contributions  the area of clinical child and adolescent psychology. Up to four $2,500 grants will be awarded annually. The student’s dissertation project must be approved by an advisor and program faculty at the time of submission. The applicant must be a student member of SCCAP and enrolled in an APA-PCSAS and/or CPA-approved doctoral program at the time of application. 

The Richard “Dick” Abidin Early Career Award and Grant ($20,000) recognizes an early career psychologist who has established a program of empirical research that has had a major impact on the field’s understanding of psychopathology, prevention, assessment, treatment, or public policy. The grant is provided to enhance the awardee’s research program and/or to enable the awardee to initiate a new effort that extends their work. 

This award recognizes a practitioner who has made a significant and enduring impact to promoting awareness, accessibility, and/or implementation of evidence-based mental health services for children and adolescents. This recognition is designed to highlight the outstanding work of currently practicing clinicians who take scientifically derived clinical knowledge and promote, provide, or share it on a broader scale (i.e. state, national, or international), in particular with members of diverse, vulnerable, or underserved groups. Note that the focus here is not on scientific productivity (e.g., publications, grants received) but on efforts that facilitate and improve the quality of evidence-based services for children and adolescents more broadly and to the general public’s access to those services. 

The goal of this award is to provide graduate students and early career professionals (ECP’s) from diverse groups (e.g., ethnic and racial, sexual and gender diversity, individuals with a disability) the opportunity to gain new skills and promote their professional development by attending or presenting at professional conferences (online or in person).  The Diversity Professional Development Award is designed to promote attendance at the annual APA conference or an SCCAP- sponsored conference (e.g., Future Directions Forum, Miami International Child and Adolescent Mental Health conference). Conferences will be considered with a written justification of how the proposed conference will enhance your professional career. These funds may cover enrollment fees for webinars, classes or conference. 

These awards are designed to support the professional development of undergraduate and graduate students in APA- PCSAS and/or CPA-accredited programs. Up to six $375 professional development awards are available to support student conference attendance, online educational opportunities, and/or purchase of printed materials that relate to the student’s work. Preference will be given to students presenting posters at conferences. Applicants must be a member of SCCAP to apply for this award, and priority will be given to students with long standing membership. SCCAP is free to join for students (https://sccap53.org/join/).

The Student Development Committee invites applications for its annual Student Achievement Awards in Research. The research awards will recognize one undergraduate student, one early stage graduate student (for students in the first three years of doctoral training or in Master’s programs), and 1-2 late-stage graduate students. We seek to recognize students who have made a significant contribution to the field of clinical child and adolescent psychology, primarily through work on a recent research project but also through teaching, mentoring, clinical work, and other forms of community engagement. Undergraduates will also be evaluated based on their academic achievement.  

The Student Development Committee invites applications for its Graduate Student Achievement Award in Clinical Practice. The clinical practice award will recognize 1 graduate student of any stage who demonstrates innovative clinical service, clinical skill, and commitment to evidence-based practice. We seek to recognize students who have made a significant contribution to the field of clinical child and adolescent psychology, primarily through pioneering clinical work but also through research, teaching, mentoring, and other forms of community engagement. In addition, we seek to recognize students who have demonstrated exceptional clinical skills in evidence-based practice. Students are asked to submit a case conceptualization as an example of this skill set, with an emphasis on the course of treatment. This award is open to graduate students in APA, PCSAS, or CPA-accredited master- and doctoral-level programs.