PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSISTANT - UNDERFILL

State of Nevada (NV); Nevada (IA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Division of Public and Behavioral Health: Rural Clinics (RC) has a full-time opening for a Psychological Assistant underfill for a Licensed Psychologist 1. The role covers rural state clinics and may involve travel statewide to provide psychotherapy to adults, children and families, and to conduct assessments.

Responsibilities include administering tests, writing reports, crisis intervention, and team-based treatment planning.

Qualifications

• Experience conducting psychological assessments and providing psychotherapy to diverse clients.
• Ability to supervise and train behavioral health trainees when needed.
• Experience with multicultural practices and ethical standards in psychology.

Responsibilities

• Administer, score and interpret a broad range of diagnostic tests and write comprehensive reports.
• Provide crisis intervention and de-escalation as needed.
• Deliver individual, group, and family therapy and substance abuse counseling.
• Conduct psycho-sexual evaluations for specific populations as required.
• Review and monitor psychosocial assessments to evaluate treatment effectiveness.

Skills

Psychological assessment

Psychotherapy

Crisis intervention

Clinical interviews

Education

Doctoral psychology internship

Job description

The Division of Public and Behavioral Health: Rural Clinics (RC) has an opening for a full-time Psychological Assistant (underfill for a Licensed Psychologist 1) located in any of our Rural Clinics, to include Carson City, Gardnerville, Yerington, Pahrump, Ely, Elko, Winnemucca, Lovelock, or Silver Springs. The position will travel and/or provide services Statewide. This position serves as a direct care provider, carrying a small caseload of 8-12 clients, providing psychotherapy services to adults and/or children and adolescents and their families, including conducting psychological assessments and providing consultation to other providers. Licensed Psychologists with Rural Clinics are expected to take on a leadership role within the agency and may be asked to perform other services including program development, research, and evaluation. A successful candidate will have demonstrated experience and/or competency in multiculturalism and human diversity standards of practice. In addition, this position may be asked to provide clinical supervision and training to behavioral health trainees within the agency, possibly including one or more doctoral psychology intern(s) enrolled in the APA Accredited Nevada Psychology Internship Consortium (NV-PIC). The State of Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health provides unique opportunities to provide psychological services to smaller communities.

Rural Clinics provides an array of outpatient behavioral health services for both adults and children in 16 clinics which are located in 12 counties across Rural Nevada. Services are generally provided Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Services assist individuals to achieve self-sufficiency and recovery and follow Agency procedures and reimbursement guidelines.

We provide an excellent benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision insurance, participation in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), both sick and annual leave, and paid holidays. Rural Clinics provides ongoing training including release time to attend training not Agency-sponsored.

Licensed Psychologists provide psychological testing, evaluation, psychotherapy, counseling, and consultation to clients or inmates in residential, inpatient and outpatient settings, at a mental health, intellectual disabilities, or correctional facility, or in other settings where psychological services are provided. Professional duties are performed in accordance with license requirements of the State of Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners.

An active doctoral psychology internship agreement and/or a certificate of successful completion of a doctoral psychology internship program is required at the time of application.

• Administer, score and interpret a wide variety of diagnostic and projective tests in order to evaluate and diagnose clients, patients, parolees, students or inmates; write comprehensive psychological reports to include test results, clinical observations, findings and recommendations; document services provided in client charts.
• Provide crisis intervention services; de-escalate clients who are hostile, combative or physically aggressive, following established agency policies; refer clients to community resources or other agencies; arrange for residential or inpatient admissions as necessary.
• Participate in treatment team meetings to discuss the status and progress of clients and recommend specific courses of treatment; develop treatment plans or individualized functional analysis programs; provide individual, family and group therapy and substance abuse counseling utilizing a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques.
• Perform psycho-sexual evaluations on sex offenders to include diagnostic classification and a report summary identifying the diagnosis, risk assessment, mental health assessment, education level, family and medical history, statement of amenability to treatment, and suggested treatment interventions.
• Review psychosocial assessments written by other clinicians to monitor and evaluate treatment effectiveness, determine eligibility for program services or benefits applying the appropriate laws and regulations; consult with treating clinicians; ensure service delivery goals are met; and documentation is completed according to agency policy and applicable regulations and/or accreditation requirements.
• Record information necessary to bill for services and recommend third party payments as appropriate.
• Provide oral and written court testimony as a witness regarding the mental status of clients and evaluation findings which may include recommendations for involuntary commitments.
• Plan, develop and coordinate program services to meet the needs of the population served; participate in committees and facility activities in developing service delivery needs assessments and evaluations, policies and procedures; assist in writing and administering grants; prepare documentation required for budget development and monitor expenditures; and participate in accrediting and quality review programs.
• Develop and conduct presentations or training programs for clients, families, community groups and agency staff as assigned.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Under general direction, incumbents perform the duties described above and may be assigned full supervision of professional staff and support personnel, and may also provide clinical supervision (peer review) for doctoral level psychologists.

Working knowledge of:

• American Psychological Association Code of Ethics and State laws and regulations related to the practice of psychology
• reference books including psychological treatment, diagnostic and statistical manuals
• theories, principles and practices of psychological testing and interpretation of test results

General knowledge of:

• types, etiology, and treatment of mental disorders
• clinical assessment methods
• detailed therapeutic principles and techniques used in providing psychological services to clients with mental illness, intellectual and related disabilities
• psychopharmacology
• crisis intervention techniques
• agency and community resources
• normal and abnormal human behavior and development
• educational and learning disorders
• client rights and confidentiality of information

Ability to:

• establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, inmates, co-workers, and the public
• conduct clinical and mental status evaluations and interviews
• administer, score and interpret psychological tests
• communicate test results in written and oral form
• diagnose mental illness, intellectual and related disabilities
• assess client behavior and develop goals for therapy
• facilitate therapeutic individual, group, and family counseling sessions