Psychologist (Clinical) (40 Hour)

Do you possess a doctorate in clinical or counseling psychology with one (1) year of post-doctoral experience? If so, we invite you to learn about an exciting opportunity we have in state service!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Correction (DOC) is seeking to fill two positions for highly motivated and experienced Clinical Psychologists. 

Provision of high quality medical care is essential to our mission of leading safe and secure facilities while ensuring the wellness of our inmate population, our staff and the general public. We invite you to read along to learn more and apply today!

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• Full-time, 40 hours per week
• Schedule: 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Work locations including: Bridgeport Correctional Center (Bridgeport, CT) and Garner Correctional Institution (Newtown, CT)

BENEFITS AND BALANCE AT THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

State of Connecticut employees participate in a competitive benefits plan that includes:

• A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings.
• Sick, vacation, and personal leave.
• Student Loan Forgiveness - the State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
• We encourage a healthy work/life balance to all employees.
• Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
• Network within a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
• Engage in a rewarding career.
• Make a difference in the public sector.
• Work together in a collaborative team environment.

As a DOC Employee, you may also benefit from:

• A Hazardous Duty pension plan (State Employees Retirement System Tier IV).
• State license reimbursement;
• Eligibility to apply for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Program.

YOUR ROLE

Psychologists within the correctional setting provide a range of clinical functions to persons in custody. The incumbent in this position will have the opportunity to work within a clinically rich setting, with opportunities to provide a mix of clinical, supervisory and administrative functions, including scheduling, staffing, clinical supervision, clinical team leadership, and a range of clinical functions including

• Psychological testing
• Individual & group psychotherapy 
• Behavior management 
• Providing clinical consultative services within the facility for complex cases. 

Psychologists at the Department of Correction work within a dynamic, fast-paced, multidisciplinary team comprised of social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and APRNs, as well as medical personnel and custody staff, all sharing the common goal of providing high quality, service oriented care to the incarcerated population.

More details about this role can be found in the class specification.

MORE ABOUT THE AGENCY & OUR FACILITIES

OUR MISSION

The State of Connecticut DOC shall strive to be a global leader in progressive correctional practices and partnered re-entry initiatives to support responsive evidence-based practices aligned to law-abiding and accountable behaviors. Safe and security shall be a priority component of this responsibility as it pertains to staff, victims, citizens and offenders.

GARNER CI

The Garner Correctional Institution incarcerates both pretrial and sentenced offenders. Through proven programmatic innovation and intervention, the Garner Correctional Institution provides positive alternatives for inmates to assist in their successful reintegration into the community as productive members of society. Care and treatment for adult male offenders with significant mental health issues throughout the Department of Correction were consolidated at this level 4 high-security facility.

Based upon their mental health needs, offenders from throughout the system, both pretrial and sentenced, are assigned here. The facility's staff utilizes a highly progressive mental health treatment approach. Individualized treatment plans, based upon an offender's level of functionality include extensive programming and therapy, in a group and one on one setting. The staff at the facility, both custody and mental health, operate through an integrated team approach which insures a continuity of custody, care, treatment and control. The program is designed to return as many of these offenders as is possible to the ability to function in either a general population prison setting or ultimately to life in the community.

BRIDGEPORT CC

Bridgeport Correctional Center provides substantial programming to all inmates incarcerated at this facility. This programming is designed to assist them in the acclimation of incarcerated life and their eventual return to society as productive citizens. To this end, the facility offers inmate programming in Addiction Services, Recreational Services, Educational Services, Volunteer Services, and Religious Services. As it is a part of our mission to provide a safe environment for inmates, it is of paramount importance that the time spent incarcerated is as productive and non-violent as possible.

Start With Us. Stay With Us. Grow With Us.

Learn more about what it's like to work with the DOC Healthcare Services Team: 

This is a non-examined recruitment, open to the public.

Please include all licensing credentials within your application.

For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e. Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

TO APPLY:

• In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
• Please select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

• Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AFTER YOU APPLY:

• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
• Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
• Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.

CONNECT WITH US:

• Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Samantha.Rivera@CT.Gov
• Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn.

In a state facility, this class is accountable for performing the full range of psychotherapy or other professional psychological services including diagnostic testing, behavior modification, program development and evaluation, community outreach, education and training, rehabilitation and/or research.

Participates in and coordinates clinical psychological services for a complex ward or group of wards or comparable units staffed by psychiatric, nursing or other individual care personnel; provides consultation on difficult cases representing complex intellectual, emotional and/or social problems; engages in diagnostic and psychotherapeutic services; attends staff meetings; coordinates psychological treatment modalities with other disciplines and services; develops and implements new service programs; conducts research and reports findings in a manner suitable for professional publication; consults with community agencies and organizations; conducts training sessions for interns and staff and may participate in training of psychiatric residents; may address lay and professional groups; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of abnormal and clinical psychology; considerable knowledge and skill in selection, administration, scoring and evaluation of intelligence, achievement, personality and diagnostic tests; considerable knowledge of psychological research methodology including experimental design, data analysis and application of findings; knowledge of other psychological disciplines; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable ability to make clinical diagnosis and prognosis and develop treatment plans; considerable ability to conduct psychotherapy; considerable ability to write case histories, discharge summaries and professional reports; ability to coordinate clinical services with comprehensive and multidisciplinary treatment plans.

A doctorate degree in clinical or counseling psychology and one (1) year of post-doctoral experience as a psychologist working under the supervision of a licensed psychologist.

1. Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice psychology in Connecticut. Any person employed by the State of Connecticut prior to July 1, 1985 with a title in the Psychology series of the classified service shall be exempt from the above licensure requirement pursuant to Public Act 613, Section 119(c). For certain positions the appointing authority may require state licensure.
   
2. Incumbents in this class must possess and maintain eligibility for participation in federal health care programs as defined in 42 U.S. § 1320a-7b(f).
   
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to be fluent in a foreign language or proficient in the use of American Sign Language.
   
4. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Incumbents in this class may be required to lift and restrain individuals or inmates; may have some exposure to communicable/infectious diseases and to risk of injury from assaultive/abusive individuals or inmates; may be exposed to disagreeable conditions.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.