Forensics Psychologist Jobs in Springfield, MA (NOW HIRING)

• Facility: Capitol Region Mental Health Center (CRMHC)
• Team: Outpatient Forensic Services Team
• Location: Hartford, CT
• Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week, 1st shift, Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
• PCN: 154874

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• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees

• Engage in a rewarding career;
• Showcase your talents in a meaningful role;
• Thrive in an exciting environment;
• Provide support to a division that is passionate about the work we do;
• Work together in a collaborative team environment.

This position is mission critical to ensuring that clients receive adequate care and treatment and their clinical and risk management needs are met. This position is located on the Outpatient Forensic team, with a specific focus on the management and supervision of clients under the auspices of the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB). This position acts as a liaison to the other clinical programs at the agency to ensure clinical staff is aware of when clients present in the criminal justice system and to ensure that their clinical needs are met and that a plan of care is presented to the court or the probation officers.

Job duties include but are not limited to:

• Providing supervision to Acquittees under the auspices of the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB) on Transitional Leave from Whiting Forensic Hospital (WFH), this includes at least weekly meetings with Acquittees.
• Reviewing conditions of Memorandum Of Decision.
• Maintaining regular contact with all service providers and residential providers.
• Monthly room inspections, review of sign out logs, conducting random urine drug screenings and conducting random breathalyzers.
• Writing monthly reports for those on Transitional Leave, and documenting in electronic health record.
• Attending monthly treatment planning meetings at WFH and engagement visits at WFH twice per month.
• Providing testimony at PSRB hearings.
• Monitoring treatment provided by clinical staff and residential sites.
• Providing transportation to and from WFH for Acquittees and in the community as needed.
• Conduct a weekly group called PSRB Community Transition Group.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve.

CRMHC is a community based mental health center, operated by DMHAS, which provides an array of innovative clinical and community support services to individuals with a psychiatric disability, in many cases with co-occurring problems of substance abuse.

In addition to the function of providing individuals with behavioral health services, CRMHC also collaborates with the Greater Hartford DMHAS-Funded Mental Health Programs that is comprised of 15 non-profit agencies located in Hartford and West Hartford. These agencies work together to provide a comprehensive array of behavioral health services to nearly 3300 individuals and families.

Please note: A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment. All state employees must adhere to Connecticut’s Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.

In the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) or the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB) this class is accountable for providing monitoring, evaluation, competency restoration and consultation services involving complex forensic cases.

• At a DMHAS facility, restoration to competency services program, or other PSRB related programs, provides evaluation and consultation services to inpatient treatment teams responsible for providing direct treatment to clients with complex psychological and social problems;
• Initiates consultation and collaboration with other DMHAS staff and mental health providers to assess current services;
• Collaborates with consulting psychiatrists in monitoring and evaluating PSRB and restoration to competency patients, their privileges, and treatment programs;
• Monitors and evaluates the ability of community programs to meet statutory mandates;
• Provides consultation and technical and/or clinical advice to community programs, facilities and/or DMHAS staff;
• Performs comprehensive clinical assessments;
• Evaluates patients for risk factors for violence;
• Develops data for statistical and planning systems and/or research and publication;
• Prepares statutorily required six-month reports, competency status reports and other clinical or special reports for the PSRB;
• Testifies before and responds to questions at PSRB hearings or at state Superior Courts;
• Compiles current clinical statistics for PSRB, court clinic or competency restoration;
• Represents program or agency during hearings or serves as a liaison with other community agencies and resources;
• May monitor and evaluate the development of individual patient treatment and/or service plans;
• May monitor compliance with PSRB orders;
• May provide in-service educational presentations concerning PSRB/Competency services and the means to access them;
• May present information on mental illness, mental health and forensic issues and services, and PSRB to family members, treatment teams, and community employers, residential programs, and medical or mental health treatment providers;
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of social, cultural, economic, political, religious, medical, psychological and legal issues which influence behavior of clients, families, service programs, and society at large;
• Knowledge of statutes, regulations and standards relating to mental health and the PSRB; state law governing professional standards for their respective disciplines;
• Considerable interpersonal skills;
• Oral and written communication skills;
• Considerable ability to independently apply in practice current psychiatric treatment modalities including but not limited to behavioral, cognitive, object-relations, crisis intervention, and psychosocial rehabilitation approaches;
• Ability to integrate theory and case material in assessing and devising comprehensive treatment and/or service plans for difficult and/or complex cases;
• Collaborate with in- and outpatient treatment teams;
• Effectively lead interdisciplinary meetings and arrive at a consensus.

A Master’s degree in a mental health or related health care discipline and three (3) years of experience providing assessment, treatment planning, and direct treatment services to persons with severe and prolonged psychiatric disabilities.

• Possess licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor or Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
• Experience collaborating within a multidisciplinary treatment team and coordinating with clinical and residential service providers.
• Experience conducting forensic clinical assessment and providing treatment to individuals under psychiatric or legal supervision.
• Experience delivering formal presentations or providing testimony in hearings, including those related to forensic or clinical matters.
• Experience preparing clear, professional written communication such as monthly reports, treatment summaries, and documentation within electronic health record systems.

• Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain appropriate current licenses, certifications or permits during employment in this class.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have knowledge of sign language and communication ability with the deaf and hearing impaired in designated positions.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to have ability in Spanish oral and written communications in designated positions.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to be a certified substance abuse counselor.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.