Family Evaluation Clinic: Training Psychiatrists to Think Systemically.

A family evaluation training program, Family Evaluation Clinic (FEC), was conducted in an outpatient child psychiatry clinic serving a low-income, African-American, urban population. To determine the success of the program in meeting its training goals, the authors reviewed patient attendance rates and collected survey data from trainees who participated in evaluations conducted between 1994 and 2000. Patient attendance rates were high, and trainees indicated that the program was helpful and valuable to them in their current practice. The authors discuss advantages and disadvantages of FEC as a training method and share recommendations for future family evaluation training in a general residency program.