Psychiatric Evaluation Specialist

Full Job Description

Public Health — Seattle & King County is seeking interested applicants for a Psychiatric Evaluation Specialist position within our Jail Health Services Division.

Psychiatric Evaluation Specialist's (PES) provide mental status/diagnostic evaluations and related evidence-based interventions, suicide risk assessment, and mental health treatment planning for jail resident-patients. In this role you will monitor resident-patients throughout their incarceration and may provide both individual and group treatment to improve the overall functioning of the resident-patient. Additionally, to assist in more streamlined continuity of care, you will ensure appropriate referral to diversion or treatment and may provide testimony in court (ITA) regarding resident-patients. The PES will make psychiatric housing decisions and refer residents to community mental health providers or into involuntary treatment, as needed. Other responsibilities also include performing chart reviews/triage functions, providing training on areas of expertise, consultation with other professions, community outreach and engagement, and participating in ongoing process improvement efforts within Public Health — Seattle & King County and Jail Health Services (JHS).

This recruitment will be open until the position is filled, with first consideration given to those applicants who apply before 11:59pm PST on February 16th, 2026.

This posting will create a list of qualified candidates that may be considered for selection of additional vacancies of the same position type over the next 6 months.

Background

Jail Health Services provides needed health and social services to the incarcerated population located in the King County jails. The primary services we provide include medical, dental, mental health, social and release planning services, treatment of substance use disorders, and pharmaceutical services. We care about the patients we serve and their health outcomes. The purpose of JHS is to assure that high-quality health and human services are available to the incarcerated population in the King County adult correctional facilities: the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent. The JHS vision is "Opening doors to healthier, happier lives, and the mission is to assess and stabilize serious health problems for the detained population of the King County Correctional Facility and the Maleng Regional Justice Center with a focus on transition from jail". We are staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, providing a broad range of health care to all individuals booked into the jails. For patients with serious mental health or medical conditions, special housing units (psychiatric and infirmary) along with a higher level of services and medical monitoring are provided. Since the patient population varies both in numbers as well as in acuity of health conditions, staffing is adapted and flexed to meet the constantly changing needs of the population. JHS staff manage the complex health needs of underserved populations, many of whom come to the facility without access to care in the community and with decompensated acute and chronic health conditions. Our division includes over 250 employees and an annual budget of over $60 million.

Public Health – Seattle & King County ("PHSKC", "Public Health", or "the department") is the Public Health Department for King County, Washington which includes 39 cities, including the City of Seattle, and unincorporated areas. Public Health is one of the largest metropolitan health departments in the United States with over 1,600 employees. With a biennial budget of nearly $1 billion, the department serves approximately 2.3 million people of King County who reside in urban, rural, shoreline, foothill, and mountain communities with distinct environments and unique public health needs. We operate primary care, dental, sexual and reproductive health, parent child health, and other health care-related services throughout King County across 40 sites and mobile clinics. King County is an international port of entry, welcoming nearly 40 million visitors annually. Over 100 languages are spoken by King County residents.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice
Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

To learn more, please visit: http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx.

Work Schedule
The typical work week is Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week which may include some evening and weekend coverage (evening coverage and weekend coverage is evenly divided amongst team members; the team provides coverage daily from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm). Typically, each PES closes one shift per week, and has approximately 10-12 weekend shifts per year (Saturdays primarily). This position is designated as hourly/non-exempt under the regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which means it is overtime-eligible. You must receive prior approval from your supervisor before working any necessary overtime hours to meet your position responsibilities.

Work Location
King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) – 500 Fifth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104. You may be required to provide coverage at the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent as needed. This position will be working in-person, the option to telecommute is not available.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Work Conditions
JHS Employees are Mission Critical Employees. A Jail Health Physician may be required to report to the jails or alternative sites in the event of an emergency situation (including Public Health emergencies). Staff may be required to play an active role in the event of a Public Health emergency, which may include changes in responsibilities, work location, and working hours.

Requirements

• Initiate psychiatric assessments; conduct formal diagnostic assessment in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5); provide evidence based individual and group therapeutic intervention based on the specific psychiatric needs of the resident-patient; identify medical conditions and make referrals to medical professionals, chronic mental illness, developmental disability, suicide-risk and depressed inmates; determine need for involuntary treatment; develop a treatment plan; and provide witness testimony regarding patient's presentation and behavior.
• Assess substance dependence, abuse, intoxication, withdrawal, and other substance-related disorders. Provide brief interventions and refer appropriately for longer term care.
• Conduct case management and follow up. Work with Release Planners to ensure continuity of care and referral to community mental health services.
• Make psychiatric housing decisions within the jail; assess need for additional intervention and mental status evaluations and provide additional intervention(s) when needed; and track resident-patient's progression through the legal system.
• Develop mental health treatment plans; communicate and coordinate care with Psychiatric Providers and other JHS staff; act as liaison between the resident-patient, correctional staff and courts to ensure diversion or release for appropriate treatment.
• Lead regularly scheduled unit meetings to review cases and utilization of various treatment approaches.
• Provide in-service training to all health and corrections staff on various areas of expertise, including suicide prevention.
• Attend various community organizational meetings as representative of JHS and provide trainings on the operations and services of JHS.
• Review charts and evaluations performed by psychiatric hospital personnel and develop treatment plans and/or refer accordingly.
• Act as consultant to other disciplines (including the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention; DAJD) and professions on the presentation of mental illness in a correctional setting.
• Perform release interviews with resident-patients and refer them to a Designated Crisis Responder (DCR) for additional evaluation, if necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum Qualifications):

• Working knowledge of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5).
• Working knowledge and past experience with evidence-based practices for mood, psychotic, and personality disorders.
• Working knowledge of the principles of behavior and motivation.
• Working knowledge of psychiatric medication.
• Knowledge of the Washington State Criminal Code, rules of court procedure and legal definition of competency.
• Knowledge of community mental health resources and criteria for providing services.
• Working knowledge of personality disorders and malingering and how to differentiate these from other psychiatric disorders.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Suicide-risk assessment skills.
• Demonstrated ability to perform psychological and behavioral interventions.
• Demonstrated skill in defusing hostile or violent behavior.
• Demonstrated ability to perform evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of resident-patients.
• Demonstrated ability to detect the signs, symptoms and behavioral effects of depression, mental illness and poly-substance chemical dependency.
• Demonstrated skill in gathering clinical and psychiatric data to establish a diagnosis.
• Demonstrated skill in gathering and interpreting court and law enforcement records pertaining to a particular inmate-patient's case.
• Demonstrated skill in determining an inmate-patient's competency to participate in legal proceedings.
• Proficiency in a language other than English, particularly Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, African Languages, or Chinese Languages.
• Experience working in correctional facilities and/or inpatient psychiatric hospitals.
• Experience working with electronic medical record systems.
• Experience working on continuous process improvement systems.

Additional Information

To ApplyIf you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Who May Apply

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants.

JHS strongly encourages applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, including people with lived experience, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ communities.

This emphasis on diversity and inclusivity reflects our commitment to advancing health equity and justice for all residents of King County.

Application Process

The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• NEOGOV Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Resume (Your resume should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Letter of Interest – Please share why you are interested in this position and any aspects of your education, training, and/or experience that you feel make you a highly qualified candidate for this position.

(Please note: Cover letters, resumes, and additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process if not outlined as a required application material as outlined above).

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in your application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

ContactIf you have questions or would like more information about the application process, please contact Falisha Forgash, HR Analyst at fforgash@kingcounty.gov.

Union Membership This position is represented by Washington State Council of County and City Employees, Local 21 (WSCCCE). Necessary Special Requirements

• The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
• The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS)/CPR.
• The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation and Pre-employment Physical, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
• For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en.
• Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Public Health – Seattle & King County relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
• Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health – Seattle & King County positions.

When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description.

This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.

• If you need a disability accommodation in the application or testing process, please call the contact number listed on the job announcement.

Public Health – Jail Health Services follows and maintains federal and state requirement standards including, but not limited to, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards which apply to all public and private institutions that house adult or juvenile offenders.

PREA standards preclude the department from hiring or promoting anyone who has engaged in, or been convicted of any conduct which would violate PREA standards related to sexual assault including:

• Sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution.
• Convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse; or,

Additionally, PREA standards require that the department consider any incidents of sexual harassment involving an inmate or detainee in determining whether or not to hire or promote anyone.

The above is in compliance with PREA and its implementing regulations, 28 C.F.R. Part 115, Subpart A, Section 115.17, Hiring and Promotion Decisions.

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce.

To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity.

Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards.

We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) EmployerNo person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.