Regional Clinical Coordinator, Southeast Region

Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Taunton, MA

15h • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Youth Services (DYS) is the juvenile justice agency for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. DYS works with young people aged 12-21 who are detained or committed, providing detention, custody, diagnosis, education, and support. The department focuses on positive change and adolescent-focused rehabilitation in residential treatment. DYS employs staff from various professions to engage youth in positive development strategies. Direct-care staff are key members of the residential team, monitoring and intervening with DYS youth in residential facilities.

The Department of Youth Services (DYS) is seeking a dynamic, experienced, and licensed Psychologist to fill the role of the Regional Clinical Coordinator– Western Region. The selected candidate will develop and oversee the psychological services that Western Region DYS programs (both state and provider) provide to the youth in its care, participate as a senior staff member of the DYS Western Regional team, and provide interagency consultation and planning. The Regional Clinical Coordinator receives clinical supervision from the Agency’s Director of Clinical Services and clinically supervises the Clinical Directors from the Western Regional programs which include: pre-trial detention (bail), assessment, secure and staff secure residential treatment programs.

Requirements

• Proficient in the theory, principles, and practices of psychotherapy and developmental psychology including therapeutic techniques used in psychotherapy such as analytic, existential, non-directive, behavior modification.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the principles, practices, and techniques of counseling, motivation, and reinforcement techniques, interviewing techniques.
• Ability to identify types and symptoms of mental and/or emotional disorders.
• Understanding of psychological research principles, methods, and techniques as well as statistical methods, techniques, and statistical sampling.
• Experience with principles and practices of tests and measurements used in ascertaining intelligence, aptitudes, personality, and related mental and physical traits including WAIS, WISC, Rorschach, and Thematic Apperception Test.
• Ability to administer, score, and interpret the results of intelligence, aptitude, and personality tests.
• Ability to communicate effectively, interact with people who are under emotional and/or physical stress, make decisions, act quickly, and maintain a calm manner in stressful and/or emergencies.
• Capacity to supervise, including planning and assigning work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished, the capabilities of subordinates and available resources; controlling work through periodic reviews and/or evaluations; determining subordinates' training needs and either providing or arranging for such training; motivating subordinates to work effectively; determining the need for disciplinary action; and either recommending or initiating disciplinary action.
• Must have a valid License in Clinical Psychology
• Minimum Age Requirement: 21 years
• Must be able to perform the physical requirement of the job (i.e., Ability to properly restrain or subdue youth through appropriate use of handcuffs or other restraint techniques) if necessary.
• Able to talk and/or hear, stand and walk, run, kneel and climb stairs, as well as lift, carry, push, or pull up to 55 pounds with or without assistance and with or without the use of devices and/or equipment to assist in the lifting effort.
• Based on assignment, incumbents may be required to possess a current and valid motor vehicle driver’s license at a class level specific to assignment.
• Upon hire, incumbents must complete and maintain a valid certification in crisis intervention, suicide prevention, Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and first aid.
• Applicants must have a Doctorate in Psychology from school accredited by the American Psychological Association.
• Applicants must also have at least three years of years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience as a Licensed Psychologist in the application of psychological principles and techniques in a recognized agency providing psychological services or treatment, of which (B) at least one year must have included supervision over Post-doctoral Psychologists-in-training and/or Psychological Assistants.
• Current and valid registration as a Psychologist by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Psychology.
• Based on assignment, must meet the eligibility requirements for Designated Forensic Psychologist in 104 CMR 33.04(3)(b).
• Based on assignment, travel may be required. Those employees who elect to use a motor vehicle for travel must have a current and valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Operator's license or the equivalent from another state.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the treatment, counseling, and/or rehabilitation of juvenile/adult offenders in a residential setting.
• Proven practice working with adolescents and their families, expertise in crisis stabilization and management.
• Familiarity with principles and practices of the juvenile justice system, including considerable knowledge of state laws about juvenile justice and juvenile rights as well as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
• Experience working with female adolescents.
• Clinical Psychology Licensure.
• Thoroughness, independence, excellent organizational and written/oral communication skills.
• Strong clinical and organizational skills directly related to the functions of the Department of Youth Services.
• Ability to develop individualized treatment plans taking into account client needs and available services, using a full range of appropriate treatment modalities (including crisis intervention, psychotherapy, family therapy, supportive therapy, intermittent therapy, and/or behavior therapy).
• Demonstrated knowledge of substance abuse assessment training, Suicide Prevention/Intervention strategies.
• Proficient usage of Microsoft Office products including Word, Outlook, and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Direct the psychological services provided to youth in the care of DYS in their region, including diagnostic evaluations, counseling services, treatment planning, and crisis intervention and planning.
• Responsible for ensuring the access and coordination of behavioral health services for youth residing in the community and assigned to the Department’s District Offices.
• Review the psychological needs of youth detained or committed to the Southeast Region through the process of supervision of the Clinical Directors, reviewing critical incident data, developing treatment plans for high-profile youth with serious emotional disorders; and overseeing referrals of youth for specialized services, such as forensic evaluations, sex offender specific treatment etc.
• Evaluate the assessment needs of detained youth by consistently examining the intake and screening process for all Western Region committed youth to ensure consistency and adherence to DYS policies.
• Analyze the counseling services provided to DYS youth in detention, locked secure treatment sites, and residential group care programs, to determine their efficacy and consistency of service delivery.
• Provide training to DYS clinical and administrative staff on clinical-related topics, such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), suicide prevention, sex offender and violent offender treatment, and family counseling services.
• Develop and maintain interagency collaborations with other state agencies within the Southeast Region to develop resources for the treatment of DYS youth.
• Assist Community Reentry Staff in the linkage with Mass Health Payers and Network Providers ensuring access to behavioral health services within the Western Region.
• Provide annual reports to the Regional Director and Director of Clinical Services of their assessment of the clinical quality and service delivery within the Region and make recommendations for program and policy improvement.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Benefits
• outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package.
• work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree