Psychology Associate - Chehalis

Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community."

Job Title: Psychology Associate
Location: Chehalis, WA
Closes: Friday, December 20, 2024
Salary: $82,512.00 - 110,940.00 Yearly. The salary does not include an on-site 24/7 facility 5% premium.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is looking for Psychology Associate to observe behavior, make assessments, and prepare youth for reentry to the community. This job is located at Green Hill School and is part of a growing state-wide clinical team that is dedicated to supporting young people with complex behavioral health needs who have been committed to state custody by their local juvenile and adult courts. DCYF Juvenile Rehabilitation is expanding our mental health treatment support in the residential mental health units at our two secure residential facilities in Chehalis and Snoqualmie. Our vision is world class treatment that is culturally responsive, healing centered, and informed by clinical best practices. We are a deeply dedicated team of diverse professionals who believe in the vision of opportunity, hope, and healing. We strive to contribute to the journey into healthy and vibrant adulthood for the young people in our care.

Click here to learn more about DCYF.

The Opportunity:
In this role you are part of a clinical team that includes psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, peer support specialists, occupational therapists, milieu counselors, and program/campus leaders. Under the supervision of a licensed doctoral or master's level mental health clinician, you perform initial and ongoing screening and assessment, evidence-informed intervention, coordination of services, and aftercare planning for youth who reside in the Mental Health Unit. You will also provide guidance to the living unit team and facilitate clinical program consultation teams.

Some of what you will do:

• Coordinate interventions for youth with high-risk behavior, affective disorders, or who are seen as prone to self-harm behaviors.
• Perform interventions with youth to reduce the use of isolation and room confinement.
• Provide diagnostic evaluation and develop individual service and discharge plans.
• Assists in monitoring the effect of medications under the general direction of a physician.
• Perform behavioral and functional assessments.
• Serve as Designated Suicide Prevention Specialist (DSPs). Facilitate suicide prevention strategies, provide educational materials and crisis intervention to youth, and provide training to staff regarding prevention and reporting methods.
• Provide clinical consultation for direct mental health services using cognitive-behavioral treatment principles.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate individualized treatment plans. Provide consultation for program planning.
• Educate youth and staff in the principles and practices of JR's Integrated Treatment Model (ITM).
• Provide training and consultation regarding mental health services and delivery to JR managers and supervisors.
• Implement proper JR and facility policies and procedures in the case of suspected or reported sexual victimization of a resident. Maintain knowledge of and access to state laws, department, and administration policies and procedures.

Required Qualifications:
A Master’s degree in psychology, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, or Mental Health Counseling from an accredited graduate school whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher education.
AND
One year of clinically supervised, post-graduate experience providing treatment services to clients with behavioral health needs and/or justice system involvement.
AND
Clinical licensure or affiliate status within the state of Washington OR eligibility to obtain Certified Agency Affiliated Counselor credential as defined in WAC 246-810-010 based on qualifying education and supervised experience in the State of Washington or in another state or federally recognized tribe with equivalent requirements deemed sufficient for probationary or full credentialing (see RCW 18.83.170), as determined by the Washington State Department of Health.

Degree must be obtained from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or foreign equivalent verified by a NACES-approved organization at naces.org.

Foreign Equivalency certification must be attached to the application for degrees obtained outside the U.S. Incomplete applications may be screened out of the recruitment process.

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• One year experience providing direct services in a mental health facility or like agency to JR.
• Experience in training and/or providing Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
• Experience with providing guidance and consultation to para-professional staff in a behavioral health setting.

How do I apply?
Complete your applicant profile and attach the following documents to your application:

• Current resume detailing work history and education.
• Cover letter detailing your qualifications for the position.

Supplemental Information:
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) was created to be a comprehensive agency exclusively dedicated to the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children, youth, and families regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other socioeconomic factors. We believe our workforce should reflect the communities we serve and are actively searching for candidates that reflect that diversity.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.

Applicants selected for an interview are required to pass a national fingerprint background check and complete a questionnaire mandated by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) inquiring about any sexual misconduct. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but is considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the job.

This position requires a valid unrestricted (other than corrective lenses) driver's license.

This position is in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). For more information: https://wfse.org/.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Benefits eligibility for this position may be different than what’s listed in the benefits tab of this recruitment announcement, for more information on employee benefits eligibility visit- Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB).

If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment or if you would like to request an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact David Ozment (Talent Acquisition Specialist) at david.ozment@dcyf.wa.gov If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855)524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 902-2276 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (800) 833-6388.

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