State of Maryland

A Psychology Associate, Doctorate is the Doctorate degree, non -licensed level of work for professional psychology associate staff rendering psychological services to residents, patients or clients in at Maryland Department of Health (MDH) designated Court Involved (CI) Facilities.  Employees in this classification perform psychological evaluations, psychotherapy and psychological interviews.  Employees in this classification perform specific duties determined by the program objectives of the hiring agency or institution in dealing with problems related to mental health, emotional disturbances, mental retardation, developmental disabilities and other psychological conditions.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive moderate supervision from a Psychologist licensed by the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work Sections of the class specification.

The Psychology Associate, Doctorate is differentiated from the Psychologist I in that the Psychology Associate, Doctorate has a Doctorate degree and performs non-licensed professional psychology associate staff work in State mental hospitals, community clinics, health centers, residential centers and emergency services programs while the Psychologist I is a licensed Psychologist and performs staff Psychologist work in State mental hospitals, community clinics, health centers, residential centers and emergency services and programs.

Selects, administers, scores and interprets psychological tests to assess intellectual functioning, personality structure, interests, aptitudes and other psychological factors;

Conducts individual, group, family and milieu therapy at a Court Involved Facility;

Carries out various forms of environmental manipulation, socialization experiences and other psychological procedures to effect changes in behavior;

Participates in interdisciplinary staff meetings to discuss and evaluate the adjustment of patients, clients or residents;

Develops treatment and rehabilitation plans;

Maintains therapy progress notes;

Participates in research programs in the area of specialization and may provide research consultation to other professional staff;

Participates in providing training in the theories and principles of psychology to students, paraprofessionals and professionals in other disciplines;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the theories, principles and practices of psychology;

Ability to do clinical work that includes using psychological interviewing techniques, performing diagnostic evaluations and conducting psychotherapy;

Ability to administer, score and interpret psychological tests;

Ability to prepare comprehensive, concise and useful evaluations and diagnostic and treatment reports;

Ability to make prognostic recommendations;

Ability to communicate and work effectively with others and to meet professional situations with understanding, fairness and good judgment.

Education:   A Doctorate degree in Psychology, as defined by the Health Occupations Article, Title 18-101 (g), Annotated Code of Maryland.

Experience: One year of supervised experience rendering direct psychological services, providing psychological assessments, and evaluating the delivery of psychological services.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the completion of a twelve month full-time or twenty-four month half-time internship in rendering psychological services for the required experience, provided the internship is a requirement for the Doctorate degree in Psychology.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience at a rank of Corporal/Petty Officer or higher as a commissioned officer in Clinical Psychology classifications or Psychology specialty codes in the Psychology field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Candidates for this classification may be given a medical examination to  determine their ability to perform job related functions.

2. Employees in this classification must be licensed as a Psychologist by the Maryland Board of Examiners of Psychologists within three years of appointment to a position.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions. Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit F, Social and Human Service Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.