Now Enrolling Fellows

IOP Step-Down Fellowship
in New Jersey

Therapy Aligned™

7–10 Fellows

Step-Down Specialization

Practice Ownership Pathway

A 2-year fellowship with a direct pathway to practice ownership — specializing in the critical juncture where higher levels of care hand off to outpatient treatment. Led by Andrew H. Kim, LCSW, LCADC, one of New Jersey’s most experienced clinicians in HLOC transition work and step-down care continuity.

Clinical setting for step-down care training — IOP Fellowship at Therapy Aligned

IMPORTANT: Therapy Aligned does not currently provide NJ licensure supervision. Provisionally licensed applicants (LSW, LAC) must have their own external supervision already arranged prior to joining the fellowship. The clinical mentorship and group supervision provided within this fellowship are separate from state licensure supervision requirements.

Track Overview

Mastering the transition from intensive to outpatient care

The IOP Step-Down Fellowship trains clinicians in one of behavioral health’s most clinically demanding and underserved niches: supporting clients as they leave intensive outpatient (IOP), partial hospitalization programs (PHP), residential treatment, or inpatient care and transition into outpatient therapy.

This is where relapse most often happens. It’s also where the right outpatient clinician — one who understands ASAM step-down criteria, continuity of care planning, and the psychological terrain of leaving a structured treatment environment — can make all the difference. Andrew H. Kim has extensive experience providing and supervising step-down care, and he brings that expertise directly to fellows in this track.

Fellows will develop fluency in ASAM Level of Care criteria, step-down treatment planning, communication with HLOC providers, relapse prevention in a newly outpatient context, and how to help clients rebuild a sustainable routine when the structure of intensive treatment is removed. This fellowship is deeply integrative: the clinical work draws from motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, attachment-based approaches, CBT, DBT, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) literacy.

Fellowship cohorts are expected to include 7 to 10 fellows, with the complexity of this clinical work balanced by close, individualized supervision. Fellows will not just be trained — they will be genuinely mentored.

ASAM Level of Care Step-Down Planning Relapse Prevention Motivational Interviewing Trauma-Informed Care DBT CBT MAT Literacy Care Coordination

Fellowship at a Glance

2-year step-down specialization — individual supervision weekly (provisional fellows), biweekly group supervision for all fellows, with a supervised caseload focused on HLOC transitions and step-down care. All supervision included at no additional cost. Fellows are expected to maintain a minimum of 10 client sessions per week. Completion leads to eligibility for your own TA-affiliated practice.

Andrew H. Kim

LCSW, LCADC — Co-Founder, Therapy Aligned™

Andrew is a dual-licensed clinician with extensive step-down care experience, specializing in co-occurring disorders and higher level of care transitions. He is a lecturer at Rutgers University School of Social Work and has contributed to federally funded research including $2.3M+ in grants focused on behavioral health technology and systems.

View Andrew’s full profile →

Supervision Structure

Supervision as close as the clinical work demands

Step-down work surfaces clinical urgency quickly. Fellows receive the close supervision structure they need to navigate high-stakes transitions with competence and care.

Included Supervision

Provisionally licensed fellows: 1 hour of weekly individual clinical mentorship with Andrew H. Kim — focused on case guidance, clinical skill development, and professional growth. Note: Therapy Aligned does not provide NJ licensure supervision. Provisional fellows must arrange their own external licensure supervisor (LSW → LCSW or LAC → LCADC) prior to joining.

All fellows (provisional and fully licensed): 1 hour of biweekly group supervision led by Andrew H. Kim — step-down focused case consultation and HLOC transition case review.

No extra cost — all supervision is covered as part of the fellowship.

Step-Down Caseload

Carry a caseload of clients transitioning from IOP, PHP, residential, or inpatient treatment from day one.

HLOC-Informed Supervision

Weekly individual (provisional) and biweekly group supervision emphasizing ASAM criteria and step-down treatment planning.

Specialized Training

Training in care coordination, relapse prevention, MAT literacy, and working with clients at high clinical risk during transitions.

Practice Ownership

After 2+ years in good standing and full licensure, open your own TA-affiliated practice specializing in step-down care.

Eligibility

Who should apply

This fellowship is ideal for clinicians interested in working at the interface of higher levels of care and outpatient treatment. Experience in IOP, PHP, or residential settings is a strong asset but not a requirement. What matters is genuine interest in this clinical population and the willingness to learn how to navigate complex step-down transitions.

Eligible applicants include fully licensed clinicians (LCSW, LCADC, LPC) and provisionally licensed clinicians (LSW, LAC) who already have an external supervisor in place. The fellowship pathway is built around three milestones: a minimum 2-year commitment, achieving full licensure during or by the end of the fellowship, and remaining in good standing throughout. These three milestones form the pathway to practice ownership — not obstacles, but the investment that makes step-down specialization sustainable and lasting. 7 to 10 fellows per cohort, with close, individualized mentorship built into the experience.

Eligibility Summary

Fully licensed in NJ (LCSW, LCADC, LPC) or provisionally licensed (LSW, LAC) with external supervision already in place. Minimum 2-year commitment, full licensure achieved during or by end of fellowship, and good standing throughout. 7 to 10 fellows per cohort. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Caseload Requirements

Fellows are expected to maintain a minimum of 10 client sessions per week. Supervisors in the Supervisor Track are expected to maintain a minimum of 5 client sessions per week (3 sessions per week for supervisors who have previously held personal payer contracts). Fellowship sizes are expected to be between 7 and 10 fellows per cohort.

Apply

Apply for the IOP Step-Down Fellowship

Ready to specialize in step-down care? Submit a fellowship inquiry to connect with Andrew and explore this track.

Start Your Application

Takes about 5 minutes. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Other fellowships led by Andrew H. Kim

Andrew leads three fellowship tracks at Therapy Aligned. Explore the others below.

General Fellowship

Led by Andrew H. Kim, LCSW, LCADC

View Track →

Co-Occurring / Addiction Fellowship