Psychological Services Associate 1 (Local Government) – Bedford County MH/ID

Reference #: 4683358
THE POSITION
Thank you for checking out our position!  Bedford-Somerset DBHS has been serving the Bedford and Somerset communities for 55 years. Our vision is for every person and family that we serve will 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 School Based Counseling services in local schools. School Therapists work on site in schools to assess student needs, provide consultation, and education to school personnel, and make referrals. This position also provides counseling services in an Outpatient Program to individuals of all ages. Under guidance of the Supervisor, the therapist will establish a written goal-specific treatment plan, serve as a resource, collaborate on mental health cases and consult with colleagues, community individuals, or agencies on cases to assist in providing the highest quality of services.

We offer a supportive work environment, an excellent benefit package, and opportunities for career advancement. Plus, a NEW Student Loan Reimbursement Incentive program!  Apply today!

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This Psychological Services Associate will provide school-based counseling services in schools and outpatient services in the Bedford County Clinical Services Unit. This professional will be responsible for attending individual and group supervision meetings and assisting with presentations/trainings to other agencies, community organizations, and/or other interested parties regarding County Clinical Services and Developmental & Behavioral Health Services as requested. This therapist will also have the opportunity to participate in staff development trainings to further their education and expand their job knowledge to provide better services for the community.
Under the guidance of a supervisor, the School Based Counseling (SBC) duties will include:
Providing group, individual, and play therapy to children and adolescents in the school
Providing consultation and education to school personnel, other program areas, community individuals, and agencies relating to mental health issues and resources.
Working on-site to complete school mental health assessments/intakes for students identified by the school
Assessing student needs and complete appropriate referrals
Working with Crisis Intervention staff in handling mental health emergencies in schools
Under the guidance of a supervisor, the Outpatient Services duties will include:
Providing individual therapy, family therapy, couples counseling, and group counseling to people of all ages utilizing various professional techniques
Collaborate with clientele and in conjunction with the Supervisor, establish within the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) a strengths-based, goal-specific treatment plan
Discussing mental health cases with other staff, program areas, and community individuals or agencies on assigned cases
Performing Therapy Diagnostic Evaluations in order to enroll clientele in counseling and psychiatric services as well as to assess areas of need that might be effectively addressed by other MH programs and services
Making medically necessary referrals to other programs as warranted.
Assisting and coordinating care with the Crisis Intervention staff in an effort facilitate crisis assessments related to voluntary hospitalizations when necessary
Providing an eight-week, hourly group session related to the Extended Out Patient Program focusing on topics that promote self- care, self-management, and self-recovery, roughly once a year

Work Schedule and Additional Information:
This position reports to the DBHS Office for work.
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 hou s outside of the set work week to complete projects, meet work demands, or in the event of an emergency.
New staff will be 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 masters degree in psychology or a closely related field.
Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 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.

How to Apply:
Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

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.employment.pa.gov/Additional%20Info/Pages/default.aspx and click the Veterans Preference tab or contact us at ra-cs-vetpreference@pa.gov.

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.

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