Clinical Psychologist (Homeless Program)

HEALTH CARE SERVICES AGENCY

Alameda County's Health Services Program is administered by the Health Care Services Agency and includes the following program areas: Behavioral Health Care, Public Health, Environmental Health, and Agency Administration/Indigent Health. The ultimate mission of the Health Care Services Agency is to provide fully integrated health care services through a comprehensive network of public and private partnerships that ensure optimal health and well-being and respect the diversity of all residents.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Alameda County Public Health Department has worked for over 80 years to improve the health and safety of its residents and the neighborhoods they live in. Traditional public health concerns such as disease outbreaks, environmental hazards and access to health care have been joined by contemporary concerns: bioterrorism, crime, violence, and substance abuse. Each of these poses a threat to public health and wellness and calls for short and long-term solutions that lie well outside traditional public health boundaries.  For more information about our Alameda County Public Health Department, please visit the Alameda County Public Health Department Website and latest Annual Budget document found on www.acgov.org

 

THE POSITION

This is a Project position (not to exceed 5 years) located in the Public Heath Department's TRUST Clinic.  The TRUST Clinic is an integrated medical home for people receiving General Assistance who have been deemed unemployable and are homeless, or at risk of homelessness. The project is a collaboration between a contractor, LifeLong Medical Care, and Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless. 

The incumbent, under the direction of the Health Care for the Homeless Medical Director, will provide psychological services in the counseling, psychotherapy, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of TRUST Clinic patients; document disability and write reports that support clients in being approved for SSI, disposition, and planning of treatment; conduct group and individual therapy; administer and interpret psychological tests; participate in a multidisciplinary team, and collaborate with the team members to provide high quality, outstanding patient care.

 

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to the minimum qualifications and knowledge and skills listed below, ideal candidates for this position will possess direct experience working with people experiencing homelessness including chronic homelessness; will possess knowledge and skill in the areas of multi-disciplinary treatment of co-occurring physical, mental health, and substance use issues and Social Security disability determination proceedings; will be an excellent writer; and will interact well with others to earn their trust. Ideal candidates will also exemplify the following critical attributes for success:

• A licensed professional with a sufficient level of professional knowledge, skill and experience in the areas of psychotherapy, and the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of patients experiencing homelessness with complex psychosocial challenges; and who strives to keep up with developments and trends in the field of psychotherapy.
• The ability to be attentive to the diverse clinical care needs of each client, while simultaneously managing relationships with multiple treating partners in and out of the organization.
• Someone who can be trusted with confidential records and private information, and who interacts with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization.
• An effective communicator who clearly conveys information and ideas verbally and in writing to individuals or groups in a manner that meets audience needs and helps them understand and retain the message; and who relates well to people with diverse cultures, interpersonal styles, abilities, motivations, or backgrounds.
• An effective problem solver who uses sound judgment and quickly identifies and understands issues, problems and opportunities; uses data, logic, and sound judgment to evaluate alternatives and recommends viable solutions; and solves problems consistent with available resources, facts, constraints, and probable consequences to achieve desired organizational or service care goals.
• A collaborative spirit who can effectively work on a multidisciplinary team and believes in and inspires teamwork by being accessible, supportive, open-minded, empathetic and able to effectively manage conflict by building and maintaining constructive relationships that result in diverse work teams that better serve our diverse communities.

 

Either I

Education:

Possession of a Ph.D. or Psy.D in clinical Psychology from an American Psychological Association (APA) approved school or university training program, or regionally accredited school or university, following APA guidelines for clinical psychology.

Experience:

The equivalent of one full year of supervised clinical experience in a pre-doctoral or post-doctoral APA-approved or California Psychology Internship Council (CAPIC) internship training program or its equivalent.

Or II

Education:

Verification of acceptance of the doctoral dissertation and completion of all other requirements for a Ph.D. or Psy. D from an APA-approved school or university training program, or regionally accredited school or university following APA guidelines for clinical psychology.

Experience:

Completion of a Clinical Psychology Internship Program.

License:

Incumbents of this class must comply with state licensure requirements for Clinical Psychologists or be eligible for a waiver from the State Department of Mental Health. Such waivers may be granted for a limited time for purposes of obtaining qualifying experience toward Clinical Psychologist licensure.

Some positions in this class require a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's license. Applicants must possess such license prior to appointment to such positions.

Special Requirement:

1. In compliance with the Administrative Simplification provision of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), employees in this classification are required to possess a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number prior to their first day on the job.

2. In compliance with Medicare regulations, employees in this classification are required to complete the “Medicare Enrollment Process for Physicians and Non-Physician Practitioners” through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, prior to their first day on the job. Active enrollment in Medicare is a condition of employment. Failure to attain or maintain active enrollment will result in termination.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT: This position requires that applicants have at least two years providing services to vulnerable populations (homeless or indigent).

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies: 

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of modern clinical psychology, including abnormal psychology, personality theory, research in psychopathology statistics, diagnostic interviewing and testing, organic dysfunction, and neuropsychological screening, psychotherapy, including brief therapy and behavior change, casework, systems theory, family therapy, community psychology and community mental health.

• Principles, methods, procedures and facilities used in multi-ethnic, Community-based approaches to mental health programs.


Ability to:

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients and staff.

• Determine the needs of individual situations in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, taking an effective course of action, and follow through with treatment plans.

• Speak and write effectively.

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

Deadline for Filing:	February 26, 2016
Review of Applications for Minimum Qualifications:	March 3, 2016
*Oral Interviews	April 14, 2016 rev 3/30/16

 *The combined oral examination/hiring interview, in addition to establishing an eligibility list, may serve as the final selection interview for vacancies in this classification.

 

We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

• Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
• Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
• County Allowance
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
• Long Term Care Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Group Auto/Home
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Shelisa Jackson, Human Resources Analyst II
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
shelisa.jackson@acgov.org
510-208-3954
www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer