Psychological Services Associate 1 (Local Government)

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension plan

Student loan reimbursement

Flexible spending account

Paid holidays

Job summary

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is seeking a Psychological Services Associate 1 to provide counseling across outpatient, school-based, and group settings. The role involves creating treatment plans, coordinating care, and collaborating with school staff and crisis teams.

Requirements include a Master’s degree in psychology or a closely related field and eligibility to graduate within three months. Some positions offer hybrid on-site and remote work arrangements.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in psychology or a closely related field.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements within three months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Responsibilities

• Therapy delivery: provide individual, family, couples, and group counseling using professional techniques.
• Treatment planning: create goal-based treatment plans and document progress in the EMR.
• Diagnostic evaluation: perform therapy diagnostic evaluations to enroll clients and identify service needs.
• Care coordination: coordinate with staff and crisis teams to support referrals and emergency responses.
• School support: offer therapy, assessments, and mental health consultation for school personnel and students.
• Group facilitation: lead outpatient group therapy sessions that promote self-care, self-management, and recovery.

Education

Master’s degree in psychology

Job description

THE POSITION

Thank you for checking out our position! Our vision is for every person and family that we serve to have a network of family, friends, advocates, and supportive services to live a full and productive life in our community. Learn more about us at www.dbhs.co .

THE POSITION

Thank you for checking out our position! Our vision is for every person and family that we serve to have a network of family, friends, advocates, and supportive services to live a full and productive life in our community. Learn more about us at www.dbhs.co .

This opportunity is for a Therapist to provide counseling services in an Outpatient Program to individuals of all ages. Under the guidance of a supervisor, establish a written goal-specific treatment plan and serve as a resource. Collaborate and consult with colleagues, community individuals, or agencies to assist in providing the highest quality of services. This position may also provide outpatient group therapy and School Based Counseling services. School Therapists work on site in schools to assess student needs, provide consultation and education to school personnel and make referrals.

Full-time positions include excellent benefits! Healthcare coverage, pension plan, student loan reimbursement program, flexible spending account, and paid holidays. We encourage work/life balance with a hybrid of remote & on-site work schedules for some positions. Family friendly agency with paid time off, paid sick time, employee assistance program, and family medical leave.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This position supports clients through therapy, assessments, referrals, and coordinated care across outpatient, school-based, and group therapy settings. As a Psychological Services Associate 1, you will perform the following duties:

• Therapy Delivery: Provide individual, family, couples, and group counseling using professional techniques
• Treatment Planning: Create goal-based treatment plans and document progress in the Electronic Medical Record
• Diagnostic Evaluation: Perform therapy diagnostic evaluations to enroll clients and identify service needs
• Care Coordination: Coordinate with staff and crisis teams to support referrals and emergency responses
• School Support: Offer therapy, assessments, and mental health consultation for school personnel and students
• Group Facilitation: Lead outpatient group therapy sessions that promote self-care, self-management, and recovery

Work Schedule and Additional Information

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 30-minute lunch.
• Hours must be adjusted as needed based upon consumer requests for evening appointments.
• On occasion, staff may need to work hours outside of the set work week to complete projects, meet work demands, or in the event of an emergency.
• This position reports to the DBHS Office for work. Upon hire, new staff begin training and are on probation for 6 months. New staff may be eligible for a hybrid of on-site and remote work after 3-months of employment.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

Required Experience, Training & Eligibility

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements

• A master’s degree in psychology or a closely related field.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within three months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Other Requirements

• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements

• You must pass a background investigation.
• This position falls under the provisions of the Older Adult Protective Services Act.
• Under the Act, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports, including but not limited to, PA State Police and FBI clearance.
• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
• Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

Veterans

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. 7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
• your score may be lower than deserved.
• you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.