Forensic Psychologist
Company: Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Executive Office of
Location: Lawrence
Posted on: May 18, 2023
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Job Description:
Description The Department of Mental Health (DMH) is seeking an
experienced Forensic Psychologist who will provide forensic
services and evaluation to individuals with mental illness and
substance abuse who become involved with the courts and the
criminal justice system; or who present with need for a risk
assessment.
The incumbent will conduct court ordered evaluations and risk
assessments for individuals at court or in community settings, and
for patients within DMH facilities; court ordered forensic
evaluations on pre-trial and post-adjudication defendants such as
competence to stand trial, criminal responsibility, and aid in
sentencing. The incumbent will conduct court statutory evaluations
pertaining to involuntary commitment to the mental health or
substance abuse inpatient systems; assess mental status and answer
dispositional questions, providing the court with other
non-statutory evaluations and with clinical consultation. The
Psychologist also provides consultation to inpatient and
community-based staff on forensic issues, participates in forensic
education and training activities, and performs related work as
required.
Please Note: The incumbent will be assigned to a primary site but
will also cover cases and courts outside of the primary site as
needed or assigned.
Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and
not all inclusive):
Provides timely court based evaluations for competency to stand
trial and criminal responsibility, pursuant to MGL c.123, *15(a),
(b) and *15(f); aid in sentencing under *15(e); persons detained on
Warrants of Apprehension for commitment of a mentally ill person
under *12(e); commitment for observation and evaluation under
*16(a); commitment under 16(b/c); hospitalizations of mentally ill
prisoners under *18; determination of mental condition of parties
or witnesses under *19; and evaluations of the commitment of an
alcoholic under *35
Conducts Forensic Risk Assessments as requested by the DMH Forensic
Mental Health Services at DMH inpatient facilities or in community
settings. This may involve meeting with patients and their
treatment teams, reviewing patient's records and making
recommendations concerning inpatient privileges and/or community or
inpatient treatment planning to the treatment providers.
Provides testimony as requested by the court in role of expert
witness and in conjunction with evaluations conducted for the
purpose of providing assessment and evaluation concerning a client
facing judicial proceedings.
Provides consultation to the court and probation staff as well as
to community providers who are involved with forensic clients
(mental health agencies, DCF, DYS, DDS, schools, residential
programs, etc.) through either referral from the court or probation
staff or as a result of a request from a community provider or
resulting from an evaluation on a client now being serviced by the
community provider with the purpose of providing assessment and
evaluation regarding mental status and/or dispositional
questions.
Establishes and maintains good working relationships with these
sources and must be very knowledgeable about DMH priority
populations and available services by maintaining regular contact
with these agencies through regular meetings and training for the
purpose of maintaining an effective job performance.
Conducts psychological evaluations and psychological testing of
individuals when clinically indicated, using assessment instruments
that are generally accepted as reliable and valid in the field of
psychology.
Completes data entry and data collection forms as required by the
Department of Mental Health.
Maintains a current working knowledge of developments, trends,
policies, and procedures in the generic mental health treatment
system and in the provision of substance abuse services to persons
involved in the civil and criminal justice system through training
offered by Forensic Services and through regular and required
continuing education as necessary to maintain a current
license.
Responsible for maintaining current level of expertise through
obtaining of CEUs and other training.
Provides clinical consultation on problematic cases being followed
by other team staff, when requested, as an expectation of a
collegial team relationship.
Provides review and feedback on other team members' evaluations,
when requested, as an expectation of a collegial team
relationship.
Participates on committees, training and supervision as
requested.
Required Qualifications:
Considerable knowledge of types and symptoms of mental, emotional
and substance abuse disorders.
Ability (a) to recognize symptoms of mental, emotional and
substance abuse disorders; (b) to interact with people who are
experiencing varying levels of distress and dysfunction; and (c) to
analyze psychological data, draw conclusions, and make appropriate
recommendations.
Knowledge of behavioral techniques; familiarity with theories of
psychotherapy and counseling, and an understanding of current
treatment approaches available for individuals with serious mental
illnesses, including sever personality disorders.
Knowledge of human services and criminal justice systems.
Ability to work under considerable time pressure, to work on
multiple tasks at one time, and to produce high quality reports
according to applicable standards and guidelines.
Ability to complete high quality written forensic reports and
evaluations.
Appointment as a designated forensic psychologist or eligibility to
become a designated forensic psychologist within one year of date
of hire.
Preferred Qualifications:
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to
work collaboratively with a wide variety of constituents.
Proficient usage of Microsoft Office products including Word,
Excel, and Outlook.
Given the population served, bilingual or multilingual fluency.
DMH Mission Statement:
The Department of Mental Health assures and provides access to
services and supports to meet the mental health needs of
individuals of all ages, enabling them to live, work and
participate in their communities. The Department establishes
standards to ensure effective and culturally competent care to
promote recovery. The Department sets policy, promotes
self-determination, protects human rights and supports mental
health training and research.
Pre-Offer Process:
A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended
candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive
Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being
hired. For more information, please visit
Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in
accordance with the Human Resources Division's Hiring
Guidelines.
Education and license/certification information provided by the
selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public
Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth's website.
If you require assistance with the application/interview process
and would like to request an ADA accommodation, please click on the
link and complete the
For questions regarding this requisition, please contact the
Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Human Resources at
1-800- 510-4122 Ext. #2
Qualifications First consideration will be given to those
applicants that apply within the first 14 days.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Current and valid registration as a Psychologist by the
Massachusetts Board of Registration in Psychology. Applicants must
also have at least three years of years of full-time, or equivalent
part-time, professional experience as a Licensed Psychologist in
the application of psychological principles and techniques in a
recognized agency providing psychological services or treatment, of
which (B) at least one year must have included supervision over
Post-doctoral Psychologists-in-training and/or Psychological
Assistants. Based on assignment, must meet the eligibility
requirements for Designated Forensic Psychologist in 104 CMR
33.04(3)(b).
Special Requirements: Based on assignment, travel may be required.
Those employees who elect to use a motor vehicle for travel must
have a current and valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Operator's
license or the equivalent from another state.
Comprehensive Benefits
When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered
an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall
value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a
work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your
future.
Want the specifics?
Executive Order #595: As a condition of employment, successful
applicants will be required to have received COVID-19 vaccination
or an approved exemption as of their start date. Details relating
to demonstrating compliance with this requirement will be provided
to applicants selected for employment. Applicants who receive an
offer of employment who can provide documentation that the vaccine
is medically contraindicated or who object to vaccination due to a
sincerely held religious belief may make a request for
exemption.
An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females,
minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly
encouraged to apply.
The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not
discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender
identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability,
national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by
appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black,
Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of
opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We
encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to
thrive to apply for this role.
Official Title: Psychologist IVPrimary Location: United
States-Massachusetts-Lawrence - 2 Appleton StreetJob: Medical
ServicesAgency: Department of Mental HealthSchedule:
Full-timeShift: DayJob Posting: May 8, 2023, 8:35:26 PMNumber of
Openings: 1Salary: 93,917.72 - 152,897.16 YearlyIf you have
Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity
questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact
Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator: Saned
Diaz/Saned.Diaz2@mass.gov - 6172892784Bargaining Unit: 07-MNA -
Professional Health CareConfidential: NoHybrid Work Eligible:
Yes
Keywords: Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Executive Office of, Lawrence , Forensic Psychologist, Healthcare , Lawrence, Massachusetts
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