DSHS Maple Lane Psychology Associate

State of Washington • Thurston County - Grand Mound, WA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Join our team as a Psychology Associate at our newest behavioral health treatment campus, Maple Lane, located near Centralia, Washington. BHTC Maple Lane Campus' primary mission is to provide behavioral health care for residents who have been determined to require involuntary care and/or treatment. BHTC's mission is to promote recovery, resilience, and rehabilitation for those residents, leading to successful community transition. The Psychology Associate is an integral position that will be responsible for delivering psychosocial interventions to residents. Evidence-based group and individual therapy and promoting effective interpersonal skills on the treatment milieu are essential components of the Psychology Associate position. The Psychology Associate will function as a key member of an interdisciplinary treatment team that includes medical, psychiatry, nursing, psychology, social work, and institutional counselors. About Maple Lane Behavioral Health Treatment Center Maple Lane provides innovative treatment for residents who are civilly committed or adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). Through smaller, community-based residential units, Maple Lane supports Washington State’s vision of behavioral health care delivered closer to home, family, and support systems, helping residents maintain meaningful community connections. The Behavioral Health and Treatment Center at Maple Lane Campus is a pioneering competent within the Department of Social and Health Services Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration. Our dedicated staff provide residents with enriching opportunities and therapeutic experiences outside of a hospital setting, supporting a successful transition back into the community. This is an excellent opportunity to join a team committed to modernizing and strengthening behavioral health treatment across Washington State.

Requirements

• A master’s degree in psychology, social work, mental health counseling, or marriage and family therapy from an accredited institution
• Registration as a Washington State Agency Affiliated Counselor or professional licensure in the State of Washington
• Ability to be competent in basic computer skills, including word processing and navigating a web browser in order to utilize the Electronic Health Record (EHR).
• Must be able to effectively communicate with management, peers, clients, and the public as required to carry out the assigned duties of the position.
• Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license.
• Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

Nice To Haves

• In-depth working knowledge of group behavior and dynamics.
• Experience in intervening and de-escalating crisis/dangerous situations.
• Knowledge of all hospitals, state, and federal regulatory standards, policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of mental illness and recovery principles.
• Ability to work with difficult or angry residents in a therapeutic, non-threatening manner.
• Ability to work as a team member and to resolve personal conflicts in a calm, non-threatening manner.
• Demonstrate proficient operation of the following equipment: Computer, copy machine.
• This position also requires full competency in the designated EHR system following the completion of requisite EHR Training as assigned.

Responsibilities

• Actively guide treatment team meeting, providing relevant resident history for assigned caseload, contribute observations, and capture treatment response data to help formulate resident conceptualizations for treatment plans.
• Obtain historical psychosocial or other relevant documentation through records requests of past treatment.
• Engage residents in social skills activities when indicated.
• Collaborate with other disciplines to ensure residents are appropriately oriented to facility.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary team to develop a comprehensive community success plan.
• Provide group sessions and/or therapy utilizing evidence-based and clinically promising clinical practices assigned to residents.
• Understand and apply established treatment models to resident care.
• Contribute to integrated treatment plans by helping to formulate treatment goals.
• Conduct individual therapy sessions for your case load and meet as needed in consultation with the treatment team to promote progress and stability.
• Monitor residents’ progress regarding established treatment goals and documents in progress notes.
• Monitor warning signs and risk factors for suicide, self-harm, and violence towards others.
• Notify nursing and clinical staff when risk is detected to provide concerns and to help formulate a safety management strategy in accordance with the integrated treatment plan and clinical consultation.
• Complete associated assessments when need is indicated.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary treatment team, including psychiatry, social work, medical, nursing, and other institutional staff.
• Respond to email, messages, and phone calls in a timely manner.
• When differences arise between disciplines, work to understand interests and obligations of other disciplines and adapt to integrated treatment needs.
• Actively engage with residents daily to establish and maintain rapport.
• Contribute to a therapeutic milieu by intervening to de-escalate residents by utilizing Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) and other facility approved techniques.
• Therapeutically engage resident post-crisis to re-establish rapport and engage resident in behavioral chain analysis.
• Maintain current, accurate, and behaviorally descriptive clinical documentation in the Electronic Health Record (EHR).

Benefits

• Opportunities performed on-site at this work location at least three days a week may be eligible for an additional 5% premium pay in addition to the advertised salary.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level