Developmental Specialist 1

DDS West Region•Waterbury, CT

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The State of Connecticut, Department of Developmental Services (DDS) – West Region – is accepting applications for a Developmental Specialist 1 position in Waterbury, CT. DDS is seeking a compassionate and dedicated Developmental Specialist 1 to support our Community Companion Homes (CCH) program. In this vital role, you will provide the clinical, behavioral, and regulatory expertise that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in achieving meaningful, person-centered outcomes within community-based settings. Working collaboratively with individuals, families, providers, and interdisciplinary teams, you will develop and implement individualized behavioral support plans, monitor progress, provide staff training, and ensure services promote independence, dignity, and quality of life. As a Developmental Specialist 1, you will play an integral role in behavioral assessment, treatment planning, data collection and analysis, and program evaluation while consulting with allied professionals and community partners to coordinate comprehensive supports. You will contribute to clinical case conferences, prepare professional documentation, and may provide therapeutic interventions, psycho-diagnostic assessments, family counseling, and specialized consultation. If you are passionate about empowering individuals, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and making a lasting impact in your community, we encourage you to apply and join DDS in its mission of supporting people to lead rich, meaningful lives.

Requirements

Master's or Doctorate degree in psychology, educational psychology, rehabilitative psychology, community psychology, experimental psychology or other related degree from a program accredited by a regional educational board.
One (1) year of experience in treating and/or working with the individuals in the appropriate specialty serviced by the agency.
Knowledge of general psychological theory and its application to treatment, rehabilitation and research programs.
Knowledge of statistics, data interpretation and experimental design.
Knowledge of diagnostic procedures and their use in developing treatment plans.
Considerable interpersonal skills.
Oral and written communication skills.
Ability to develop treatment plans.
Ability to conduct individual and group psychotherapy.
Ability to provide consultation and training services.
Ability to utilize computer software.
Must be a current State of CT employee of the agency listed above for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language.

Nice To Haves

Experience writing behavioral guidelines and Positive Behavior Support Plans.
Experience working with children and adults with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) and autism spectrum disorders.
Experience with complex clinical needs of individuals with significant mental health struggles and forensic involvement.
Experience collecting behavioral data to guide interventions and treatment.
Experience providing clinical behavior support for individuals living with families in the community, supported settings, or in their own homes.
Experience with biopsychosocial interviews, conducting mental status exams, motivational interviewing, and assessing risk.
Experience working in inpatient/outpatient psychiatric settings and with community mental health resources for individuals/families.
Experience with clinical assessment, including but not limited to diagnostic criteria using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-VTR).
Experience with problem solving and independently researching and finding solutions to complex situations.
Experience working collaboratively with other State Agencies and Programs including Beacon Health, DMHAS, hospitals, and school districts.
Experience with Microsoft Office, including but not limited to Outlook, Access, Word, Excel, Teams, social media platforms and other data systems.

Responsibilities

Develops and implements behavioral programs and/or individual treatment plans and trains direct care staff in their implementation.
Observes individual behavior.
Collects individual behavioral and environmental data.
Consults with allied professionals, families, direct care staff and community liaison workers on treatment planning, therapies and/or individual cases.
Prepares case notes and progress notes.
Participates in behavior analysis and adjustment, milieu therapy, research, educational/vocational assessment and placement, rehabilitation, data collection and analysis, program development and evaluation, behavioral techniques and community outreach.
Selects and administers objective and projective psycho-diagnostic tests.
Interprets test results.
Assesses individual intellectual status through observation and if individual abilities accommodate, conduct interview.
Writes reports including profiles on intellectual functioning and personality organization.
Provides individual and group therapy and family counseling.
Participates in clinical and interdisciplinary case conferences and staff meetings.
May provide consultation according to specialized expertise.
May serve as a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional.
Performs related duties as required.