Chaplain Resident Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $27.11 Hourly
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: IIC 07362 08/092026
Department: Colorado Department of Human Services
Division: OBH (Office of Behavioral Health)
Opening Date: 08/14/2026
Closing Date: 8/28/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Type of Announcement: This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Primary Physical Work Address: 3520 West Oxford Avenue, Denver 80236
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt; position is eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information: curtis.padilla@state.co.us
How To Apply: Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.
Department Information
This position is open to current Colorado residents only
Please note: This posting will be used to fill multiple postings. Position shifts available for: Days, Nights, Weekend, and Float.
This is on-site only.
We offer shift differentials for Nights and Weekend between 14 - 20% above base pay!
Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details!
About Us
The Colorado Mental Health Institute in Fort Logan (CMHHFL) is one of two state hospitals serving our community. The vision of CMHHFL is to provide the highest quality mental health services to persons with complex, serious, and persistent mental illness within the resources available. Our mission is to support those individuals in achieving their recovery goals and reaching their full potential. CMHHIFL provides inpatient treatment to adult patients, generally between the ages of 18-59. The hospital currently has 138 adult inpatient beds and over six treatment milieus serving civil and forensic individuals. Medical services, occupational therapy, neuropsychological-rehabilitation services, and trauma-informed care services are available for all patients throughout the hospital.
Through our core values listed below, CMHHFL staff is committed to:
Individual dignity and respect

• Person-centered, evidence-based care
• Trauma-informed recovery
• Multidisciplinary collaboration
• Diversity and inclusion
• Strong family and community partnerships

The Clinical Mental Health Clinician III works in the 24-hour state psychiatric hospital with individuals voluntarily and involuntarily committed for treatment. Patients receiving treatment at CMHHIFL have severe and persistent mental illness and may have traumatic brain injury, trauma disorders, and other complex dynamics. Each treatment team is multidisciplinary, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, addiction specialists, occupational therapists, recreation therapists, creative arts therapists, nurses, physicians, and mental health clinicians. In addition, the hospital offers dietary, peer, and chaplain services.
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Description of Job
Purpose of this position:
The Clinical MHC III is an unlicensed staff member who operates under the supervision of a licensed nurse within Nursing Services. This position is generally responsible for utilizing knowledge, evidence-based research, and interpersonal skills to establish therapeutic rapport and assist in treatment provision. The MHC III is responsible for the provision of psychoeducational treatment groups and assistance with clinical treatment groups. This position will contribute to the creation of group materials, evidence-based treatment interventions, and the establishment of treatment schedules across the hospital. The Clinical MHC III will support the psychology team in the creation, training, and maintenance of support and behavior plans across the hospital. In addition, this position will be responsible for assisting with group assignments, patient movement to and from treatment group locations, documentation, and safety checks throughout off-unit events. The Clinical MHC III may assist with off-campus clinical outings for those in our care and in partnership with other disciplines. This position will work under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist and/or other licensed clinical professional. In order to best support the patients across the hospital, the Clinical MHC III may attend and contribute to various treatment team meetings, including treatment planning and debriefings.
Primary Job Duties:
Provide Therapeutic Patient Care:
Under the direction and supervision of a registered nurse, engage with patients to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship which supports the patient's psychiatric recovery and mental health. Model and maintain professional boundaries with patients and their families. Assist patients in developing insight into their mental illness while exploring symptoms and ways of decreasing, coping with, or eliminating distress while eliciting ways to live a more productive, satisfying life. Engage in one-on-one interactions with patients regularly and guides therapeutic psycho-educational groups and activities with a focus on assisting patients to build interpersonal and life management skills. Facilitates psychoeducational groups, utilizing principles of group facilitation with a focus on assisting patients to build interpersonal relationships and life management skills. Evaluate planned strategies continuously and exercise judgment about whether strategy remains appropriate or requires adjustment.
Act as patient advocate and provides patient and their family with support and education on patient's rights. Address and resolve patient issues when possible and refer issues to the hospital Patient's Rights Specialist, as indicated. Model solution-focused problem-solving strategies.
Supports patient in accomplishing activities of daily living (ADLs) through monitoring, teaching, supporting and assisting as needed. This includes such activities as personal hygiene, shaving, brushing teeth, care of personal items, laundry, toileting, and showers, as needed, based on the patient's ability and current status. Assures that patient is treated with dignity and respect, maintaining patient's privacy.
Escort patients to activities and appointments on grounds and in the community, including driving patients to appointments. Assumes responsibility for paperwork, assuring confidentiality. Communicates patient's whereabouts to charge nurse and treatment team though sign-out/sign-in systems on the unit. Communicate to provide or exchange information while keeping registered nurse and other staff informed of patient status and patient issues. Documents patient care and patient response to treatment as required by hospital policy.
Milieu Management:
Assure a safe and therapeutic treatment environment through effective Milieu Management. Closely monitor and maintain surveillance of the unit to assure a safe milieu. Model professional interactions with patients, families and staff. Facilitate solution oriented problem-solving strategies, and encourage patient input and self-determination, whenever possible. Monitor, identify and address safety violations in patient care areas. Using therapeutic clinical skills, anticipate and initiate intervention at an appropriate level in crisis situations (i.e., physical or verbal assault against a person or property, suicidal behavior, etc.) by adhering to nursing standards and hospital policies and procedures in order to provide a safe and therapeutic environment.
Monitor the milieu, conduct safety checks and monitors for unsafe items and/or unsafe conditions, and act promptly to secure unsafe items and correct unsafe conditions. Utilize appropriate techniques from Verbal Defense and Influence (VDI) and Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) to manage aggressive patient behavior, and de-escalates situation whenever possible, reducing the potential for physically aggressive behavior or injury. During episodes of patient physically aggressive behavior, minimize risk of injury to patient and staff by utilizing CPI approved methods. Initiates interventions at the appropriate level in a crisis situation by adhering to Nursing and Hospital Policies and Procedures.
Engage patients in unit activities, including impromptu groups, discussions, and games that support patient's well-being and build appropriate interpersonal skills. Monitors patient's needs for structure and/or downtime and works in collaboration with unit staff to intervene as indicated. Monitors patients during meals including monitoring for issues with swallowing/choking, food intake, and interactions with others. Intervene as indicated and communicate any concerns to the registered nurse.
Interdisciplinary team treatment implementation:
Work as part of the interdisciplinary team and participate in treatment planning and the development of the plan of care for patients. Contribute information and treatment approaches to support patient health and wellness. Incorporate information from multiple sources and provides input into treatment planning. Advocate for patient's interest and input into their plan of care. Supports Mental Health Clinician I staff in further development of their skills in working with patients and managing the milieu. Other duties as assigned for this position.
Maintains and updates skills, knowledge, abilities and competencies:
Maintain updated skills, knowledge, abilities, and competencies necessary to the position through continuing education, clinical supervision, literature review, and participating in discipline and team development. Responsible for utilizing supervision with supervisor to apply learning to direct practice. Actively participates in team meetings utilizing a solution-focused approach. Learns, completes, and maintains competency in patient care, including taking vital signs, patient hygiene, and personal care. Shares own learning and ideas with others and supports.
Individual Intervention:
The Clinical MHC III will be responsible for assisting with the creation of support and behavior plans, which consists of research, consultation, drafting interventions, plan-related documents, assist with training staff members, and assist with refresher training and data collection for plan maintenance. These plans are the responsibility of the licensed psychologist and the Clinical MHC III will work under that supervision to support the process, as opposed to lead the process. There may also be times when an individual intervention is approved by the licensed psychologist to be facilitated by the Clinical MHC III after adequate training is received (i.e., cognitive remediation).

• Determines select materials for support and behavior plan creation, initiation, training, and maintenance
• Determines real-time needs when facilitating an individual intervention

Documentation:
The Clinical MHC III is responsible for documenting all patient contact interactions, including group and individual intervention. Documentation is also required for other clinically relevant interactions, collateral engagement, team meetings, and training or consultations. All documentation is completed in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) and should adhere to HIPAA requirements and privacy laws. Documentation is expected to be neutral, unbiased, and based on FAIR charting principles.

• Determines when and how to complete documentation in the EHR
• Determines how to apply FAIR charting principles

Consultation and Training:
The Clinical MHC III is required to support hospital-wide clinical intervention and treatment needs, including via consultation with individual team members, teams, and departments. Similarly, the Clinical MHC III will support training specific to clinically driven individual and group treatment interventions. This position may accompany the licensed clinician overseeing the intervention or may independently lead consultation or training for an aspect of it.

• Determines what training is needed and how to offer it
• Determines if any support materials may be needed for consultation

Other Duties as Assigned:
Any other duties that aren't covered in the above duty statements but need to be completed to meet the mission of the division and the department.
This entry level position offers great opportunity for advancement! Ask us how!
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Minimum Qualifications
Experience Only:
Six (6) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position
OR
Education and Experience:
A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position equal to six (6) years
This experience must be clearly documented on your application.
Part-time experience will be pro-rated.
Substitutions:
Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis.
Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree
• 1+ years Knowledge and Experience as Mental Health Care Clinician II at a State of Colorado Mental Health Institute.
• Experience providing therapeutic and related services to mental health patients in a mental health setting
• 1+ years professional inpatient mental health-care experience in a psychiatric locked/secure setting,
• Ex