Psychologist II – Clinical Psychologist

Job Description

About Company

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is dedicated to creating a positive impact in the lives of Texans by providing specialized care. It is committed to fostering an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and can grow personally and professionally. HHSC, including its component HSCS, operates nine psychiatric hospitals, one youth residential treatment facility, and thirteen state-supported living centers. The psychiatric hospitals are recognized as centers of excellence for forensic mental health and complex psychiatric care, all accredited by The Joint Commission, offering recovery-oriented and science-based treatment.

HHSC emphasizes a work culture that values dependability, trustworthiness, hard work, and teamwork, aiming to provide hope and healing through compassionate, innovative, and individualized care. The commission offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time eligible employees, including 100% paid employee health insurance, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, and numerous opportunities for career advancement.

Job Description, Detailed

This posting is for a Psychologist II – Clinical Psychologist within the Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC), specifically in the Adm AcuteCarePsych Psychology Department at the Dallas State Hospital.

Functional Title: Psychologist II – Clinical Psychologist
Job Title: Psychologist II
Agency: Health & Human Services Comm
Department: Adm AcuteCarePsych Psychology
Facility Location: Dallas State Hospital (4855 HARRY HINES BLVD, DALLAS, TX)

Brief Job Description:
The Psychologist II (Clinical Psychologist) performs advanced and/or managerial (senior-level) psychological work under the direction of the State Hospital Director of Psychology. This role involves coordinating psychological activities and programs, conducting psychological evaluations, diagnosing, and counseling clients, and conducting psychological research. The Psychologist also provides clinical supervision, consultation, and technical assistance to program staff, and offers guidance to graduate psychology trainees as requested. The position operates under limited supervision, allowing for moderate latitude in initiative and independent judgment. Additionally, it requires active participation in supporting the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation, which may involve alternate shift patterns or locations. This position is Regular, Full-time, and Exempt, with a Day shift, potential for extended/rotating hours, and up to 10% travel. It is not eligible for telework.

Essential Job Functions (EJFs):
• Provides individual or group counseling (20%): Offers therapeutic sessions to youth, adults, and families to address mental health issues, improve coping strategies, and support overall well-being.
• Administers and interprets psychological tests and conducting psychological assessments and diagnoses (15%): Utilizes standardized psychological tests to evaluate clients’ mental health, accurately interprets results, and diagnoses psychological conditions.
• Supervises the work of others (10%): Oversees the activities of other psychologists or mental health professionals, providing guidance, support, and ensuring work meets required standards.
• Implements specialized treatment programs (10%): In conjunction with the treatment team, ensures programs effectively meet patients’ unique requirements and continually monitors their effectiveness.
• Develops and coordinates training programs (10%): In conjunction with the treatment team, designs educational and training sessions for staff, clients, or other stakeholders to enhance understanding and skills related to psychological practices and mental health.
• Designs and monitors behavior modification and skill acquisition plans (10%): In conjunction with the treatment team, assesses patients’ behaviors, creates plans to modify undesirable behaviors, and helps patients acquire new skills.
• Coordinates and evaluates mental health and psychological delivery services (10%): Creates and manages mental health initiatives, ensuring they meet patient needs, assessing effectiveness, and making adjustments.
• Provides training, education, and expert consultation (10%): Offers comprehensive continuing education programs, tailored outreach initiatives, and collaborative efforts to multidisciplinary teams and community stakeholders on psychological services.
• Performs other duties as assigned (5%): Includes actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities (KSAs):
• Knowledge of: Interviewing techniques with individuals and families, current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) diagnostic criteria, psychotherapy (CBT, DBT, behavior therapy, empirically supported psychotherapeutic modalities), administration, scoring, and interpretation of various psychological tests (personality and intellectual instruments), The Joint Commission (TJC) standards and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) conditions of participation relating to psychological services.
• Skills in: The use of psychological instruments to evaluate personality, neurocognition, adaptive functioning, suicide risk, and malingering (e.g., MMPI, HCR-20, VRAG, TOMM, MFAST, and SIRS).
• Ability to: Provide direct services in accordance with accepted professional standards, function as a member of the psychology management team, provide individual and family education regarding serious mental illness, complete treatment documentation in an electronic medical record using a computer, communicate assessment data and treatment/discharge implications to team members, courts, and patients, educate staff in correct implementation of individual and group therapy programs as well as Individualized Intervention programs, operate a computer and applicable software, and train and supervise the work of others.

Registrations, Licensure Requirements Or Certifications:
• Must be licensed as a Psychologist by the State of Texas or a reciprocity state.
• A doctoral degree based on a program of studies whose content is primarily psychological in nature (transcript indicates a major in psychology) or its equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education.

Initial Screening Criteria:
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a doctoral degree in psychology.
• At least one (1) year of supervised experience by a licensed psychologist in the field of psychological services; this may be interpreted as an academic year of full-time supervised internship in an approved clinical program.
• One year of experience conducting individual and group psychotherapy with forensic populations in an inpatient psychiatric setting.

Salary Range: $5,797.66 – $9,508.25 (Monthly)