DSHS ESH Psychology Associate

Description

At Eastern State Hospital, we work with people who are facing serious mental health challenges. Many of our patients experience conditions that can make daily life difficult and sometimes unsafe—for themselves and for others. They come to us for stability, understanding, and care.

If you have clinical experience in inpatient or hospital psychiatric settings and are ready to move into consultative work, this position is for you.  As a Psychology Associate, you will be part of the Behavior Management Team, a group that partners with ESH treatment teams to provide consultation and support for complex patient cases.  You will receive referrals from wards, review patient history and current treatment plan, consult with the treatment team, assign work to Behavioral Management Specialists, provide recommendations to treatment teams and offer additional support and services to wards if warranted.  You will supervise a team of Behavior Management Specialists that will supplement your work by conducting observations, collecting data, and providing coaching, mentoring, and modeling for direct care staff on the treatment wards.   

This role is about using your clinical training, experience, skills and judgment to bring a fresh perspective to patient cases, offering new angles for treatment teams to pursue, with the goal of helping patients make progress towards treatment goals, stabilize, and reach their maximum potential.

Opportunities performed on-site at this work location at least three days a week may be eligible for an additional 5% premium pay in addition to the advertised salary.

• Receive referrals from treatment teams.
• Review records, complete assessments, and maintain documentation that supports patient care.
• Collaborate with ward treatment teams consisting of doctors, nurses, counselors, and other staff to identify needs, provide recommendations, and develop treatment strategies.
• Collaborate with treatment teams in developing behavioral plans that address referral patients’ specific behavioral needs.
• Assign work to Behavioral Health Specialists including records review, observations, and coach, model, mentoring and other assignments.
• Supervise Behavioral Health Specialists by hiring, training, and evaluating their work.
• Take part in professional development and ongoing training to strengthen skills.
• Contribute to hospital and team meetings where care approaches are reviewed and adjusted.

• Professionals with a master's degree in Psychology, Social Work or Behavioral Health Counseling from an accredited school or department of psychology.
  AND
• Registration as a WA State Agency Affiliated Counselor or professional licensure in the State of Washington

• Clinical experience working with severe and chronic mentally ill patients, preferably in an inpatient or psychiatric hospital setting OR clinical experience working with patients with other conditions that present with impulse-control issues, aggressive behavior, or any other behavior that may require physical or environmental restrictions to manage behavior.
• Additional experience in related fields like applied behavioral analysis, substance use treatment delivery, intellectual disabilities, etc.
• Supervisory experience
• Consulting experience

Additional knowledge, skills, and abilities we are looking for:

• Clinical knowledge – Understanding of mental illness, recovery principles, and trauma-informed treatment.
• Collaboration – Experience working with multidisciplinary teams to support patient care.  
• Case consultation – discussing patient cases with interdisciplinary team and  Behavioral Management Team including clinical presentation, diagnoses, etc.
• Communication – Ability to share information clearly with patients, treatment teams, all staff, and colleagues in both verbal and written capacity.
• Supervisory skills – Skill in supervising staff, and providing constructive feedback.
• Training knowledge – Confidence and competence in training and supporting staff in various skills including milieu management, de-escalation, knowledge of mental health diagnoses, evidence-based treatment, etc.
• Assessment skills – Ability to evaluate complex patient cases and recommend appropriate interventions, research causation factors related to behavioral issues, and monitor effectiveness of interventions.
• Adaptability – Capacity to respond effectively in high-acuity, fast-changing environments.
• Professionalism – Commitment to maintaining safety, ethical standards, and patient dignity.
• Crisis response – Training in de-escalation and advanced crisis intervention techniques.
• Report writing – Able to clearly communicate consultation summary and recommendations as an initial professional written report for treatment team.  Continue to document ongoing progress and the result of additional interdisciplinary team meetings into professional written reports for treatment teams.
• Additional clinical knowledge and skills working with related fields such as substance use disorder treatment, applied behavioral analysis, intellectual disabilities, etc.

Questions? Please contact recruiter Alex Baclaan at Alex.baclaan@dshs.wa.gov and reference project number 02999. 

Supplemental Information

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle
 
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protect­ed veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) 725-5810. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.



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