State of Connecticut Executive Branch

In the Departments of Children and Families, Developmental Services and Mental Health and Addiction Services this class is accountable for directing and evaluating psychological services and providing leadership to psychologists within a statewide health system encompassing state facilities and community based services.

Receives executive direction from the Commissioner or other administrative official of higher grade.

Directs staff of psychological services.

• Directs staff and operations of psychological services within a statewide and community based health system;
• Coordinates, plans and evaluates psychological services throughout delivery system; 
• Formulates, evaluates and reviews department policies, procedures and professional standards with regard to psychological services; 
• Maintains contacts with individuals within and outside of psychological services who might impact on program activities; 
• Monitors quality assurance programs throughout delivery system by developing outcome measures to assess services; 
• Designs, implements and analyzes program evaluation studies; 
• Assists in planning and development of an information system for patient and/or individual tracking;
• Assists in preparation and monitoring of quality assurance plans developed to ensure delivery of treatment in conformance with federal, state and voluntary accreditation body standards 
• Assists in implementation of corrective actions recommended by federal, state and voluntary accreditation bodies; 
• Provides consultation and professional assistance to staff; 
• Identifies training needs of psychology professionals within state health system and plans, implements and evaluates comprehensive in-service and staff development programs to meet these needs; 
• Conducts investigations into unusual events or incidents related to psychological services;
• Assists department and facilities in recruitment of staff; 
• Assists in labor relations activities as necessary; 
• May design and conduct research; 
• May prepare grant applications;
• Leads the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection;
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of
  • and ability to apply management principles and practices; 
  • relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; 
  • theories, procedures, administration, practices and current trends of clinical psychology including abnormal psychology, projective personality techniques and research; 
  • professional standards of psychological practice; 
  • experimental design methods; 
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills; 
  • oral and written communication skills;
• Considerable ability to
  • evaluate quality and effectiveness of psychological services; 
  • develop, implement and evaluate successful human resource development programs; 
• Ability to
  • design studies; 
  • gather and organize data from diverse sources; 
  • manage data collection.

Six (6) years of postdoctoral experience as a licensed psychologist in a psychiatric setting.

Three (3) years of the General Experience must have been in the capacity of a manager of a comprehensive program of psychological services.

Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice psychology issued by the Connecticut  Department of Public Health.

This replaces the existing specification for the class of Director of Psychological Services in Salary Group MP 70 approved effective April 1, 2022. (Revised to adjust salary group) Item No. 22-123R