Clinical/Forensic Psychologist (Criminal Justice Services Department)

Mecklenburg County Government
Published
January 16, 2025
Location
Charlotte, NC
Category
Billing Address
700 E 4th St.
First Name
Stratius
Last Name
Fotos
Phone Number
704-589-4270
County
Mecklenburg
Closing Date
Until filled

Description

Criminal Justice Services (CJS) is responsible for promoting improvements in the criminal justice system through interagency cooperation, coordination, and planning. It was formed in 2010 by the Mecklenburg County Manager's Office in response to findings from a Justice & Public Safety Task Force.

Position Summary

Provide case-specific clinical consultations, assessments, evaluations, and level of care determinations, as well as clinical supervision and consultation for master’s and bachelor’s-level clinicians to ensure Mecklenburg County residents receive best practice care delivery and coordination. Depending on position placement, this role may include consultation on crisis intervention strategies, or services required to meet behavioral health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability needs. Assignments under Clinical and Contractual Services (CCS) will include consultation on Youth and Family Services and Services for Adults cases. Under Criminal Justice Services – Forensic Evaluations Unit (CJS), assessments will be completed on adults and youth in custody, as well as individuals in the community or living in other congregant settings. Assignment under both departments will provide representation at policy and service-related meetings with partner agencies.

The Clinical Psychologist with Criminal Justice Service’s (CJS) Forensic Evaluations Unit (FEU) serves as an expert forensic evaluator for Mecklenburg County and conducts court-ordered forensic psychological evaluations from all levels of the judiciary, including Superior and District criminal court, Juvenile Delinquency, Juvenile Dependency, and Special Proceedings. Additionally, the Clinical Psychologist plays a central role in promoting the mission of the FEU and CJS through trainings and consultation with judicial partners and community providers. Other duties may include overseeing the work of contract forensic evaluators, providing clinical support to the FEU’s Behavioral Health Diversion Team, a program that is on the forefront of our community’s efforts to deflect/divert individuals with serious mental illness from the justice system, and clinical consultation to other CJS units.  Opportunities also exist for clinical supervision of graduate interns, involvement with grant-funded programs, forensic research, and collaborative projects/committees with other CJS programs, various County departments, and community partner agencies.

Essential Functions

  • Review assessments, treatment records, and treatment plans and for clinical appropriateness, accuracy and to ensure treatment modalities proposed are consistent with consumers’ clinical needs and represent best practice
  • Provide clinical supervision to licensed psychological associates, master's level, and/or post-doctoral fellow, as well as informally to staff and student interns, as needed
  • Participate in clinical staffing with agency partners and staff seeking consultation/guidance around consumer needs
  • Offer guidance/subject matter expertise about behavioral health funding streams
  • Conduct level of care determinations as needed
  • May serve as liaison to staff, external agencies, the media and the general public to enhance mental health and trauma informed awareness
  • Perform court-ordered (forensic) evaluations and assessments, comprehensive clinical assessments, psychological evaluations, and other behavioral health screenings as needed
  • Provide consultation to county courts and related agencies regarding best practices in (forensic) psychology

Salary

$82,673.05 to $ $124,009.58. This is an exempt (salaried) position.  Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity. Internal equity considerations include an assessment of the applicant’s salary history and qualifications in comparison to the market rate and requirements for the job.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: 

  • Minimum of two years of experience working in the behavioral health field. Experience working with managed Medicaid services for assignment with CCS. In CJS, must demonstrate proof of competency in forensic psychological evaluations, especially involving children and adolescents.

Education: 

  • PhD or PsyD in psychology from an APA-accredited program.
  • Combination of relevant education and relevant experience accepted?:  No

Licenses and Certifications

  • Licensed Psychologist in state of NC - Health Services Provider in state of NC or license-eligible with license to be obtained within 12-months of hire
  • May require a valid North Carolina or South Carolina Driver's License

Preferred Qualifications

  • Five years of experience working with SED child and adolescent population and/or adults with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI) and/or Substance abuse issues.
  • Behavioral healthcare utilization review, care management and care coordination disease management principles
  • Strong working knowledge of NC 1915 (b) (c) Waiver as well as state standardization requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of

  • Behavioral health disorders and principles of treatment
  • Use of DSM-V, ICD-10, LOCUS and CALOCUS, ASAM, the Supports Intensity Scale, as well as other clinical diagnostic tools.
  • APA ethical guidelines and practice parameters
  • Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology if working in CJS
  • Strong working knowledge of forensic psychological evaluations; especially those related to juvenile court; exceptional assessment skills if working in CJS
  • NC statutes related to court-orders psychological evaluations from all levels of the judiciary if working in CJS
  • Knowledge of Evidence Based Practices, as well as promising practices, including model fidelity requirements for interventions addressing behavioral health, substance abuse, and intellectual/developmental disabilities
  • National and state trends in the changes in evidence based treatments for all disabilities; monitor trends for criminal justice involved individuals with mental health diagnoses if working in CJS
  • Federal, State, and local laws, rules, policies and regulations, as well as trends
  • Cultural issues and issues related to poverty in psychological evaluations

Skills

  • Problem solving
  • Organization and time management
  • Professional consultation
  • Professional report-writing, correspondence, and other documentation
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively
  • Meeting facilitation
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems
  • Excellent strategic planning and organizational skills and ability to handle multiple and at times competing tasks
  • Mentorship of less-experienced clinicians
  • Training for both professional and lay audiences

Abilities

  • Applied Learning: Assimilating and applying new job-related information in a timely manner
  • Building Trust: Interacting with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
  • Care Management: Having the knowledge and skills to secure relevant patient care data and identify key issues and relationships in the management of consumer care; understanding the relationships among assessments, interventions, and consumer responses; skilled in documentation of assessments and adjusting clinical recommendations as needed
  • Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information provided
  • Decision Making: Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences
  • Patient Education/Health Promotion: Supporting, explaining, and instructing patient and patient’s family (significant other, care giver, etc.) in understanding the clinical procedures and equipment used to facilitate optimum health status; promoting the lifestyle changes required of the patient and the patient’s family to achieve optimum health status
  • Planning and Organizing: Establishing courses of action for self and others to ensure that work is completed efficiently

Computer Skills

  • Proficient in using various computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite

Work Environment

  • Works in an office setting with moderate noise