Psychologist II - Forensic Evaluator - Statewide (Hybrid)

Department Information

This position has a residency waiver and will be accepting applications from residents and non-residents of Colorado. This announcement is open to potential candidates who are legal residents of the United States. All legal residents of the United States are eligible to apply and compete. If appointed to a position, applicants from outside of Colorado will be required to relocate to Colorado prior to their start date, at their own expense

Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details!

The Court Services Department is a statewide program with staff in Pueblo, Denver, and other locations. It provides forensic evaluations for defendants in criminal cases. These evaluations are performed in the jail, in the community, or at the Colorado Mental Health Hospitals (CMHHs) and are performed by psychologists and psychiatrists, as mandated in the Colorado Statute, 16-8.5. This work unit addresses the referral table for admission to the state hospital or jail-based restoration program from jails by managing incoming court orders and prioritizing requests for admission.

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Description of Job

Purpose of this Position:

This position exists to perform and ensure the quality and timely completion of court-ordered evaluations and restoration reports required by Colorado courts. The evaluator is authorized to represent the Department in communication with Judges and Courts directly. A forensic evaluator must be a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist by Colorado Statute. This position performs competency evaluations, restoration to legal competency evaluations, and sanity/mental condition evaluations (if the evaluator meets qualifications per statute). It also provides a written report containing their opinion to the courts and attorneys assigned to a defendant's case by timelines mandated in the Consent Decree. This position stays up to date on processes, legislation, and current best practices and is critical to the agency's mission and fundamental business operations in line with licensure requirements.

Primary Job Duties:

Restoration and/or Competency Evaluations:

This position completes an average of 6 restoration and/or competency evaluations (or the equivalent based on sanity and mental condition evaluations) per month. This position is based at the Denver or Pueblo office, to respond to in-custody competency evaluations and may be required to travel to locations throughout Colorado to respond to short deadlines and the need for prompt and in some cases immediate response to a court-ordered evaluation. This requires the maintenance of a valid regular-class Colorado Driver's license for the duration of employment.

• Develops, delivers, and defends to court, via expert testimony, and professional opinion regarding the diagnosis, prognosis, and legal issues related to competence to proceed.

• Interpret psychological assessments. Determine which tests are appropriate to the question of competency or restoration.

• Assure that all psychological opinions are independently determined without bias to prosecutors or defense attorneys.

• Assists the work unit when asked to make decisions about legislative, statutory changes, or internal recommended changes to process and/or procedure.

Supervision:

This position has a direct influence and accountability for supervision, consultation, education, and completing staff performance plans, reviews, and evaluations. Communicate goals, objectives, and announcements/news of the department through the most effective means (e.g., staff meetings, email, individual interactions, etc.). Facilitates staff development such as mentoring and coaching of direct reports and reinforces education and training by setting regularly scheduled supervision for individual and/or group supervision and case consultation. Reviews productivity numbers with employees, sets expectations, and administers performance improvement plans as needed. Performs quality control checks on evaluations at a minimum of two times per year (October and April) and provides feedback to employees. Trains employees to changes in process and procedure.

Assess performance and determine the evaluation of assigned staff.

• Resolve barriers to meeting settlement deadlines by direct reports through proactive and intuitive problem-solving.

• Understand when consultation with a supervisor is necessary to avoid report submission delays or to keep supervisory issues manageable at the lowest level.

• Provide assistance, support, and/or consultation on complex evaluation cases.

• Assess staff performance and ability to participate in incentive programs and work independently.

Restoration and/or Competency Assessment/Mandatory Training:

Provides input/consultation as requested for annual competency training. Has 100% attendance to statutorily and Forensic Services mandated training sessions to ensure good quality evaluations. This position stays up to date on processes, legislation, and current best practices and is critical to the agency's mission and fundamental business operations and provides training and information about these issues to the department. Stays abreast of best practices and current literature in forensic psychology.

• Makes decisions regarding how to format and present training materials to achieve the best outcome. Asks pertinent questions to ensure a high level of ability to perform both competency and restoration evaluations.

• Recommends topic areas for ongoing training for the Court Services Department that are relevant to the practice of Forensic Psychology and the training needs of the work unit.

• Facilitate staff development, such as mentoring and coaching of direct reports; reinforce education and training.

• Coordinate with Staff Education Dept., supervisor, and employee, to ensure that employees complete required training to include, but not limited to CMHIP/CMHIFL Orientation(s), CPR, Suicide Risk, Infection Control/Safety, and any other mandatory training as determined by hospital administration.

Other Duties as Assigned

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Minimum Qualifications:

Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience:

Current, valid licensure as a Psychologist from the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners (out-of-state candidate must already have a Valid out-of-state Psychologist license.)

and

Three (3) years of experience as a licensed psychologist or permitted psychologist candidate, two of which must have been at the level of a fully operating psychologist

No Substitutions

Special Qualifications:

• Current Licensed Psychologist with the State of Colorado
• 3 years experience working independently as a forensic evaluator. Experience with competency and restoration of competency evaluations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in Forensic Evaluations such as but not limited to mental condition, sanity, violence risk, conditional release, and unconditional release.

Conditions of Employment:

• Full background check and reference check required

• Must possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. Driver's License

• May require extensive travel between offices, Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo, and Fort Logan. May be required to utilize state vehicle

• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must (1) disclose that information on the application (2) provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position, (3) 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.

Supplemental Information

How to Apply

The Assessment Process

For additional recruiting questions, please contact cathy.hehr@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~

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