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IMCES
Institute for Multicultural Counseling & Education Services
A Private Non Profit Organization Associated with DPI/NGO
with ECOSOC Status of The United Nations for Human Rights
Events
Dr. Tara Pir, PhD
CEO & Director
Dr. Pir is the Founder and Director of the Institute for Multicultural Counseling and Education Services, Inc. (IMCES), an outpatient community clinic. Under her leadership, IMCES has achieved many outstanding accomplishments; it has earned DPI/NGO status; Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); and APA accreditation for its Doctoral Intern program. As a private, non-profit organization, IMCES developed many successful programs, which have been awarded by Federal, State, and local governments in a private/public model of operation. Dr. Pir is an immigrant woman from a multicultural family. She is a Chief Psychologist and Diplomat in behavioral medicine and professional psychotherapy, with nearly three decades of experience in clinical practice, clinical training and supervision, mentorship, graduate level teaching, research, consultation, international speaking, human rights advocacy, and community service. Amongst her numerous accomplishments, she was appointed and elected to many leadership positions on a local and international level. Dr. Pir is Past President of the Inter-National Council of Psychologists (ICP), a longstanding international organization. Dr. Pir's commitment to promoting social justice and human rights is demonstrated by her developing and implementing two major parallel high standard services to the community: provision of clinical service for our underserved culturally diverse populations and development of a workforce development/clinical training program for mental health professionals. The aim is to provide highly effective, culturally responsive services to the most underserved populations in our community by professionals who are trained at the highest standard of practice.
James B. Pelk, LCSW
Assistant Director/Supervisor
Mr. Pelk is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 25 years of experience in community mental health and social services. His academic accomplishments include Master of Social Work, University of Kentucky and Bachelors in Psychology from Ohio State University. Development of expertise; Outpatient Community Mental Health, Quality Assurance, Clinical Documentation, Supervision, Program Development, Evidence Based Practice-Seeking Safety Trainer and Adherence Rater and Domestic Violence Batters’ Treatment. Mr. Pelk’s commitment to children, families and underserved communities has led him to serve the community as Director of Residential Treatment Centers, Director of Tribal Family Services for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Director of Community Based Social Service Agency and Director of Social Services for Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
Dr. Gilbert Morquecho, PhD
Clinical Supervisor
Dr. Morquecho is a licensed, bilingual Spanish speaking Clinical Psychologist who has 24 years of clinical experience working with children, families and adults. He has extensive administrative experience in community mental health agencies and school based programs for children in the Glendale, Burbank, and Los Angeles areas. Dr. Morquecho has provided supervision to master’s level interns, including licensed MFT’s, and pre and postdoctoral interns for over 15 years. He has many research projects in the context of culture. Dr. Morquecho achieved the status of Champion in Evidence Based Practice in order to provide EBP training and supervision.
Dr. Ali Jazayeri, PhD
Clinical Supervisor
Dr. Jazayeri holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology as well as a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from the Alliant International University in San Diego. He completed his internship in clinical psychology at the Community Mental Health Center focusing on psycho-diagnostic assessment, short term therapy, and crisis intervention. He has held positions as the chair of the clinical psychology department at the University of Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences and Iran Medical University and has taught a variety of courses in clinical assessments, psychopathology, group/family psychotherapy, and child clinical psychology. Along with his teaching positions, Dr. Jazayeri has done extensive research on substance abuse prevention, family violence prevention, psycho-social rehabilitation of chronic patients, suicide prevention among adolescence, and test standardization.
more info about our faculty and staff coming soon
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