Psychologist I - Evaluator Court Services - Pueblo

Full Job Description

Located within the Colorado Department of Human Services, the Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health (OCFMH) is responsible for policy development, service provision and coordination, program monitoring and evaluation, and administrative oversight for the public behavioral health system. OCFMH funds, supports and monitors numerous mental health and substance abuse community programs and providers. OCFMH also operates the Colorado Mental Health Hospitals at Fort Logan and Pueblo and the Forensic Services
Division. OCFMH executes the States’ federal responsibilities as the State Mental Health Authority and State Substance Abuse Authority for the purposes of administering federal mental health and substance abuse block grant funds.

The Court Services Department employs forensically practicing psychologists to provide evaluative services statewide, with staff in Pueblo, Denver and other locations. Evaluators complete all court ordered forensic evaluations for defendants in criminal cases as so ordered by the court. These evaluations are performed in the jail, in the community, at Mental Health Hospitals and are performed by psychologists and psychiatrists, as mandated
in the Colorado Statute, 16-8.5.

Requirements

Hybrid Work: This position is required to report to the office at least 2x a week.

Please note: These working arrangements are subject to change.

Our teams work within various settings including community agencies, jails, courts, and hospitals. The locations can include locked units and secure facilities and our clients may at times be unpredictable due to their mental health needs. Our team is required to make critical decisions in dynamic and fast-paced environments in order to ensure a high level of accountability for patient care. Our staff are required to maintain updated skills, knowledge, abilities, and competencies necessary to the position through continuing education, clinical supervision, literature review, and discipline and team development. This position may be required to travel throughout Colorado to meet the needs of the department.

Additionally as a Psychologist I you can expect to:

Complete the equivalent of 12 court ordered evaluations for competency, restoration of competency or sanity/mental condition (if the evaluator meets qualifications) per month including a written report detailing their opinion regarding competency or sanity/mental condition, and if their opinion is incompetent includes an explanation of barriers to competency, clearly detailed in their reportThe Psychologist I may be subpoenaed to testify to provide the court with information regarding their opinion.

Evaluations may occur in various settings including hospitals, jails or in the community and this position responds to the location specified in the court order.

This position requests collateral information as needed to inform their opinion and seeks consultation from their supervisor or colleagues on difficult, complex or ambiguous cases.Develop and deliver to courts, via expert testimony, professional opinion regarding the legal question of competency, restoration and in some instances sanity and mental conditionAttends annual and ongoing competency training to statutorily and Forensic Services mandated training sessions to ensure evaluators stay informed of current trends and research in the field of forensic psychology.Present and provide feedback to peers during case presentations for continued growth and development and may be asked to submit evaluations for quality assurance and/or peer reviewThis position may be called upon to perform tasks or undertake special assignments or projects deemed necessary by OCFMH, but not specifically referenced in the above dutiesOther duties as assigned Qualifications Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience:Current, valid licensure as a Psychologist from the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners

AND

• One (1) year of experience as a licensed psychologist or permitted psychologist candidate

No Substitutions

Special Qualification:

• Valid licensure as a Psychologist

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in the area of Forensic Evaluations

• Experience in conducting and writing evaluations of competency to proceed

• Ability to work independently with little or no direction

• Clear and effective written and oral communication skills

• Previous State experience

• Ability to use independent judgment to accomplish tasks to meet deadlines
  
  
  

Conditions of Employment:

• CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers)
• Must possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. Driver's License
• May require extensive travel between offices, CMHHIP, CMHHI-FL, and
  various detention facilities.
• 2-step TB (tuberculosis) screening is required of all new employees upon hire and any required vaccination
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:

  • Disclose that information on the application.

  • Provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position.

  • Provide the employee number from the applicant’s prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

Appeal Rights:

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative.

This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

Additional Information

How to Apply

The Assessment Process

For additional recruiting questions, please contact cynthia.nunez@state.co.us

About Us:

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS).

Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado.

In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan www.copera.org plus 401(k) and 457 plans

• Medical and dental health plans

• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account

• Paid life insurance

• Short- and long-term disability coverage

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave

• BenefitHub state employee discount program

• Employee Wellness program

• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more

• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more

information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs.

Our Values:

We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

ADAA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals.

As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship.

If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.

~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~