Staff/Senior/Lead Psychologist

Description

Under general direction, provides psychological services to groups and individuals and provides advice and consultation to staff members.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Staff Psychologist is the entry-level classification in this job series. Incumbents have a doctoral degree, are approved by the State of California for licensure as a psychologist but do not yet have a psychology license. They must perform their duties under the direction of a licensed Senior Psychologist and require supervision under the current rules and regulations of the California psychologist licensing body. They must be eligible for promotion to Senior Psychologist and, as such, be able to obtain Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) medical staff privileges through the Department of Psychology.

Senior Psychologist - is the licensed professional level classification in this job series. Incumbents independently perform psychological duties within the scope of practice as determined by their training, license, and VCMC medical staff privileges.

The Lead Psychologist differs from the Staff and Senior Psychologists in that it is the lead level classification in this job series. Incumbents are responsible for leading, instructing, and providing clinical supervision over the assessments, diagnoses, and therapeutic treatments provided by Staff and Senior Psychologists.

APPROXIMATE SALARIES
Staff Psychologist: $2,238.95 - $3,140.59 Biweekly
Senior Psychologist: $2,463.67 - $3,454.84 Biweekly
Lead Psychologist $3,774.79 - $4,907.23 Biweekly

EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE: Some positions may be eligible for educational incentive. This incentive may be 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% for incumbents in eligible positions based on completion of an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree that is not required for the classification.

BILINGUAL INCENTIVE: Some positions may be eligible for bilingual incentive depending on the applicable memorandum of agreement and the needs of the department. In order to qualify for this incentive, incumbents in eligible positions must take and pass the applicable bilingual fluency exam.

DEPARTMENT/AGENCY: Health Care Agency - Behavioral Health

Staff/Senior/Lead Psychologist are represented by the Service Employee International Union (SEIU) and are not eligible for overtime compensation.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term), Intermittent, and Extra Help vacancies for these positions only. There are currently eight (8) Regular vacancies.

NOTE: If appointed at the lower level, incumbent may be promoted to the higher level without further exam upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with the business needs of the department.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
OPENING DATE: November 9, 2020
CLOSING DATE: Continuous and may close at any time; therefore, the schedule for the remainder of the process will depend upon when we receive a sufficient number of qualified applications to meet business needs.

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

Staff Psychologist:

• Conducts diagnostic clinical interviews with clients to assess their strengths and challenges; interviews relatives and other collateral contacts to obtain psychologically relevant history and background data;
• Selects, administers, scores, and interprets a wide variety of objective and projective test instruments including intelligence, personality, aptitude, and achievement tests for the purpose of diagnosis and informing treatment options for clients;
• Prepares comprehensive psychological reports and other documentation which present interview findings, testing results, diagnostic impressions, and recommendations for treatment; communicates findings as appropriate;
• Conducts a minimum of three (3) psychological batteries quarterly (or twelve (12) per year); which may be reduced depending upon other projects assigned;
• Provides training and supervision of psychology students, interns and other staff as assigned; reviews and approves diagnoses and treatment plans;
• Provides consultation services on complex clinical cases as part of treatment review teams;
• Serves as a mentor to psychologist trainees or psychology interns;
• Participates in County mental health program system needs assessment and program development in coordination with the Behavioral Health Department; assist with long-range program planning to integrate design and functioning of unit with other components of the Behavioral Health Department and with the design and needs of the larger system as a whole;
• Plans and assists with activities of the Quality Assurance/Quality Management Department; designs, recommends and/or develops instruments and methods, and selects criteria for data collection; to be used in audit and evaluate contract agencies;
• Researches and makes recommendations regarding best practices, evidence based practices, and outcome measures in assigned program region(s);
• Reviews tools in order to compare, analyze, and audit outcome measures of various programs;
• Prepares administrative reports and recommendations regarding assigned program activities and objectives; may be assigned special research or other projects;
• Provides policy direction for staff; works with other staff to assist in the development of department-wide policies and procedures; provides for training of staff; assists in long-range program planning;
• Attends staff meetings, participates in treatment reviews of designated team(s) and program evaluation; attends training sessions related to professional development;
• Provides vacation coverage and temporary relief as required to other regions within the Behavioral Health Department; other duties as assigned;
• Develops and participates in training on a variety of topics such as prevailing diagnoses, cultural competency, clinical practice, and compliance and makes presentations to local agencies and community groups regarding issues related to mental health or substance abuse and legal/forensic interactions;
• Provides administrative support services including outreach and information about how to access and apply for state and federal programs (such as Medi-cal), performs pre-screening, and assists in paperwork completion to determine eligibility;
• Provides 5150 evaluations and writes holds as appropriate;
• Participates as a member of a committee or team as assigned and develops and/or delivers related training materials to other staff, consumer/family members, or the public;
• Completes forensic assessments as requested and authorized and provides expert opinion and/or testifies in court as called upon; serves as a mental health liaison to the legal community;
• Demonstrates a general understanding of the law, court proceedings, civil and penal codes, and applicable commitments; provides the legal community with clinical consultation as it relates to the range of treatment/placement options (i.e., continuum of care); and
• Performs other related as required.

Senior Psychologist:

• Reviews referrals, assigns testing assignments and monitor workflow of Testing Psychologists;
• Consults with Clinic Administrators and Behavioral Health Managers regarding needs for psychological services within the region(s) and programs assigned; and coordinates resources to meet needs;
• Conducts audits of written reports of Staff/Senior Psychologist(s) as needed;
• Approves selection and orders of County wide testing assessments, protocols and materials;
• Attends current trainings to stay informed of current best practices, updated assessments and protocols in order to provide supervision and guidance to Staff/Senior Psychologist(s);
• Provides back-up support to Staff Psychologists with caseload management;
• Provides input for performance appraisals annually and as needed;
• Assists with interviewing, hiring and training of psychologist(s);
• Ensures adherence to Board of Psychology supervision requirements for all unlicensed staff; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

Lead Psychologist

• Conducts diagnostic clinical interviews with clients to assess their strengths and challenges; and interviews relatives and other collateral contacts to obtain psychologically relevant history and background data;
• Provides psychological services including clinical assessment, consultation, forensic evaluation, psychotherapy, psychological testing, research, and neuro-psychology, privileged by Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) Psychology Department, to individuals and groups as a member of an outpatient, day treatment, or inpatient team;
• Selects, administers, scores, and interprets a wide variety of objective and projective test instruments including intelligence, personality, aptitude, and achievement tests for the purpose of diagnosis and informing treatment options for clients;
• Prepares comprehensive psychological reports and other documentation which present interview findings, testing results, diagnostic impressions, and recommendations for treatment; and communicates findings as appropriate;
• Trains and advises social workers, nurses, probation officers, teachers, and other professionals on psychological problems and behavior therapy; and provides advice and consultation for community groups and other agencies;
• Participates in the County Mental Health Program system needs assessment and program development; and assists with long-range program planning to integrate design and function of the unit with other components of the Behavioral Health Department;
• Researches and makes recommendations regarding best practices, evidence-based practices, and outcome measures in assigned program areas; and prepares administrative reports and recommendations regarding assigned program activities and objectives;
• Provides clinical supervision to treatment team members, including review and approval of the assessment, diagnosis, therapeutic treatment, and rehabilitative plans; reviews clinical charts and cases to ensure effectiveness of treatment plans; and oversees case discussions and reviews;
• Provides clinical supervision over psychological testing programs; and approves selection and orders of testing assessments, protocols, and materials;
• Provides guidance to staff on department philosophy, clinical methodology and practices, program goals and objectives, and department policies and procedures through casework meetings and work review; and assists and participates in the development of department-wide policies and procedures;
• Ensures that clinical staff members are informed of and in compliance with the department's policies and procedures for delivering clinical services;
• Monitors the workflow of Psychologists; consult with Clinic Administrators and Behavioral Health Managers regarding needs for psychological services within the regions and programs assigned; coordinates resources to meet needs; and provides back-up support to Psychologists with caseload management;
• May assist with activities of the Quality Assurance/Quality Management Department; designs, recommends, and develops instruments and methods for monitoring quality; and selects criteria for data collection to be used to audit and evaluate contract agencies;
• May be required to conduct audits of written reports by Staff/Senior Psychologists as needed;
• May assist with interviewing, hiring, and training of psychologists; provide input for performance appraisals; and ensure adherence to Board of Psychology supervision requirements for all unlicensed staff; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the exam process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE

Staff Psychologist
Possession of a PhD or PsyD degree from an American Psychological Association (APA) approved program with specialization in clinical, child clinical, counseling, or education psychology. After review of the curriculum and at the discretion of the Director Behavioral Health, other areas of specialization may be considered as qualifying.
AND
Completion of a university approved internship in clinical psychology equivalent to one full year of supervised training of at least 1800 hours (the internship must be in addition to practical work associated with specific academic courses).

In lieu of the completion of an APA approved program, membership in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology will suffice.

Senior Psychologist
Possession of a PhD or PsyD degree from an American Psychological Association (APA) approved program with specialization in clinical, child clinical, counseling, or education psychology. After review of the curriculum and at the discretion of the Director Behavioral Health, other areas of specialization may be considered as qualifying.
AND
Completion of a university approved internship in clinical psychology equivalent to one full year of supervised training of at least 1800 hours (the internship must be in addition to practical work associated with specific academic courses).

In lieu of the completion of an APA approved program, membership in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology will suffice.

Plus, two (2) years of postdoctoral, post-internship experience involving assessment and treatment and either training, research, consultation or program planning in mental health services, law enforcement or corrections.

Lead Psychologist
Four (4) years of postdoctoral, post-internship experience involving assessment and treatment, and either training, research, consultation, or program planning in mental health services, law enforcement, or corrections.
AND
Possession of a PhD or PsyD degree from an American Psychological Association (APA) approved program with specialization in clinical, child clinical, counseling, or education psychology. After review of the curriculum and at the discretion of the Director Behavioral Health, other areas of specialization may be considered as qualifying.
AND
Completion of a university approved internship in clinical psychology equivalent to one full year of supervised training of at least 1,800 hours (the internship must be in addition to practical work associated with specific academic courses).

In lieu of the completion of an APA approved program, membership in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology will suffice.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Staff Psychologist:

• Staff assignments in the Behavioral Health Department require eligibility for promotion to Senior Psychologist and as such be able to obtain VCMC medical staff privileges through the Department of Psychology.
• In state applicants must become a licensed psychologist within 5 years of the date of hire. Out of state applicants who have sufficient experience to gain admission to a licensing examination will have 3 years in which to become a licensed psychologist.
• At the time of hire a waiver to practice in an unlicensed capacity must be obtained by the Psychologist candidate.

Senior Psychologist

• Possession and maintenance of a current California license to practice as a psychologist as granted by the California Board of Psychology.
• Staff assignments in the Behavioral Health Department require eligibility for VCMC medical staff privileges through the Department of Psychology.

Lead Psychologist

• Possession and maintenance of a current California license to practice as a psychologist as granted by the California Board of Psychology.
• Staff assignments in the Behavioral Health Department require eligibility for VCMC medical staff privileges through the Department of Psychology.

DESIRED

• Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Staff/Senior Psychologist
Thorough knowledge of: theories and research in personality, intellectual growth and development, human motivation, and disordered behavior; techniques of behavior modification; administration and interpretation of psychological tests and measurements; functions of psychology in various mental health services; current trends in the field of mental health.

Thorough ability to: assess behavior; identify normal and abnormal behavior tendencies; modify problems, attitudes and behavior; conduct research; evaluate psychological data; teach and participate in professional training; serve as a consultant; establish and maintain effective relationships with patients, staff, and community groups; prepare reports; speak and write effectively.

Lead Psychologist
Comprehensive knowledge of: principles and techniques of leadership, clinical supervision, and training; theories and research in personality, intellectual growth and development, human motivation, and disordered behavior; techniques of behavior modification; administration and interpretation of psychological tests and measurements; psychometric and statistical theories and methodologies; functions of psychology in various mental health services; current trends in the field of mental health; and federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing mental health services and patients' rights.

Comprehensive ability to: interpret, explain, and apply applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures; plan, organize, and prioritize the work of self and others; evaluate clinical performance of staff and provide constructive feedback; assess behavior and identify normal and abnormal behavior tendencies; modify problems, attitudes, and behavior; conduct research; select, administer, and score various psychological assessments; design appropriate treatment interventions, evaluate results, and make modifications as needed; evaluate psychological data; teach and participate in professional training; establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients, staff, management, and representatives of community-based organizations; establish and maintain records of the clinical treatment services provided; prepare reports; and communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.

To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

Note to Applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here (Download PDF reader) for additional information.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE – qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this exam AT THE TIME OF FILING. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the exam process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

APPLICATION EVALUATION – qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

WRITTEN EXAMINATION/PRACTICAL EXAMINATION - 100%: A job-related examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating applicants' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Applicants must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

NOTE: If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an oral exam will not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.

Applicants successfully completing the exam process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information and driving record may be required for this position.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Anna Ford via email at anna.ford@ventura.org or by telephone at (805) 677-5153.