Chief Clinical Psychologist

The Chief Clinical Psychologist is located in the Family Court Social Services Division of the District of Columbia Superior Court. The incumbent functions in a forensic environment and will supervise a comprehensive child and adolescent mental health clinic.

Qualifications:

A doctoral degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology from an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited psychology program from an accredited college or university, a license to practice psychology in the District of Columbia, four (4) years of experience where the candidate had to apply established scientific methods and principles of psychology, plus two (2) years of supervisory experience.  

Graduation from the Courts’ Management Training Program may substitute for one (1) year of supervisory experience. Documentation of education and licensing must be included with your application or it will not be considered.

Candidates licensed to practice psychology in another jurisdiction may apply.  If selected, candidate must obtain a D.C. License within 180 calendar days of appointment.  Failure to obtain a D.C. License will result in termination.

Additionally, first-time appointees to the clinical psychologist position must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants 37 or over who have previous federal law enforcement officer experience under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System and who have either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-law enforcement officer position may have their previous law enforcement officer experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement (Application of previous law enforcement provision only applies to those considered federal law enforcement officers and have paid into either Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System, all other law enforcement (state or municipal not paid into either retirement system) will not be considered eligible.

Please note that if you are applying for consideration as a non first-time appointee and you have reached or exceeded your 37^th birthday you must attach your SF-50 or your application will not be considered.

Preferred Experience

• Experience working with juveniles
• Clinical applied research experience
• Clinical forensic experience
• Judicial consulting experience

Additional Requirements: 

• Authorization for the release of your adult criminal record revealing any convictions and forfeitures, and any criminal cases currently pending before the courts is required.  If you are selected for the position a criminal history records check will be conducted.

• Documentation of your education and licensing must be included with your application.

• Copy of your driver’s license must be included with your application.

• SF – 50 (if applicable)

The incumbent should be an enthusiastic and engaged professional who enjoys working with a diverse group of Court personnel and customers and lives the DC Courts’ values of Accountability, Excellence, Fairness, Integrity, Respect, and Transparency.

Responsibilities:

The Chief Clinical Psychologist brief description of duties:

• Manages and administers a series of standard psychological and educational tests to determine intellectual, educational, and personality functioning, screening for signs of neuropsychological impairment and diagnoses using the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), for a population ranging in age from approximately ten to eighteen for pre-and post-adjudicated youth. 
• Ensures utilization of computer technology for scoring test instruments and production of a final report product. 
• Ensures an analysis, interpretation, synthetization, and integration of test results into clinically sound, cohesive, practical, and functional written evaluations appropriate to a forensic domain. 
• Manages, supervises, and provides clinical expert testimony to Court officials in matters related to evaluations and clinical procedures and findings.
• Serves as a clinical supervisor for graduate and post-doctoral level psychology trainees and interns including, but not limited to, psychological evaluations, individual, group, and family psychotherapy, case consultation, and case conference. 
• Oversees the Child Guidance Clinic within the Court Social Services Division. The CGC is responsible for the provision of a host of forensic psychological evaluations to court involved youth, providing limited individual and family therapy to indigent youth and families, operating a free-standing adolescent sex offender treatment program, and a nationally accredited doctoral internship program.
• Provides overall leadership and supervision of Clinic staff psychologists including their clinical supervision of graduate psychology trainees and reports and opinions submitted to the Court.
• Guides, directs, and participates in case conferences and consultation with Court officials such as judges, probation officers, social workers, case managers, or affiliates regarding psychological issues related to adjudication and/or disposition of youth and their care and treatment. 
• Supervises and conducts face-to-face interviews with youth, family and identified individuals active in the maturation of the youth.
• Ensures the evaluation of each youth’s mental health and risk to public safety (including risk of violent reoffending and risk for sex trafficking/commercial sexual exploitation) and develops associated psychological reports for the judiciary. 
• Responsible for maintaining monthly data and processes related to referrals received for court-ordered evaluations.
• Ensures and manages CGS staff in required Court Social Services divisional activities.
• Performs other senior management and high-level division level duties such as clinical research projects or interagency assignments, as assigned by the Director or Deputy Director. 
• Ensures the preparation of accurate and proficient reports and makes oral and written presentations of facts, which impact the judicial decision-making process as well as the rehabilitation of the youth and his/her family. 
• Serves as a key member of the Senior Management Team and other committees.  Also leads special initiatives as assigned by the Director or Deputy Director.

First-time appointees to positions covered under federal law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants 37 or over who have previous federal law enforcement officer experience under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System and who have either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-federal law enforcement officer position may have their previous federal law enforcement officer experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement (Application of the previous federal law enforcement provision only applies to those considered federal law enforcement officers and have paid into either Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System, all other law enforcement (state or municipal not paid into either retirement system) will not be considered eligible.