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Criminal Court Program Coordinator (Psychologist)

Augusta , Maine , United States | Psychology & Psychiatry | Full-time

Apply by: May 22, 2024

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Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)Public Service Coordinator IIIOpening Date: May 8, 2024 Closing Date: May 22, 2024Job Class Code: CA36

Grade: 36 (Confidential)

Salary: $90,147.20 - $122,782.40/yearPosition Number: 09590-0102Location: Augusta

The State Forensic Service is seeking a psychologist to fill the role of Criminal Court Program Coordinator . This position includes clinical duties, such as conducting forensic evaluations, as well as administrative duties, including coordinating programmatic-level operations. This is a new position that will play a significant role in shaping the future of forensic evaluation services for the State.

The State Forensic Service is a small but rapidly expanding office. We currently have four support staff and four in-house psychologists, including this position. Each year our office has two Postdoctoral Fellow positions. We also rely on a large body of experienced examiners in the community who are contracted to conduct evaluations. Our office offers a collegial and supportive environment that is focused on providing the highest quality evaluations, consultation, education, and training. This position is based in Augusta and is eligible for a partially remote work schedule.

Job Duties:

As the State Forensic Service Criminal Court Program Coordinator, you will:

• Conduct court ordered evaluations in adult and juvenile court cases, write forensic reports consistent with best practices in forensic psychology, and provide expert testimony in criminal (and quasi-criminal) matters.

• Consult with forensic mental health practitioners, judges, attorneys, courts, hospital staff, community mental health providers, and other stakeholders on clinical and forensic issues, both on anad hocbasis and through regularly scheduled criminal court mental health dispositional dockets.

  · Serve as a subject matter expert on areas of forensic mental health practice.

  · Participate in and support quality improvement practices for forensic mental health assessment.

  · Work in consultation with the Director to coordinate office procedures and evaluator practices for criminal court assessments.

  · Work collaboratively in a small team environment and be able and willing to provide coverage for other staff and complete other duties as assigned.

  · Opportunities are available to provide clinical supervision and didactic training for the University of Maine Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology.

Minimum Qualifications:

In order to qualify, you must have a doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology and must be licensed or license-eligible in the State of Maine at the doctoral level by the Maine Board of Examiners of Psychologists. Qualified candidates must have at least three (3) years of relevant doctoral or postgraduate level training and/or experience in conducting forensic mental health evaluations. Candidates who have successfully completed a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic mental health assessment may seek a waiver of the 3 years of experience requirement.

Preferred candidates are able to demonstrate the following:

• Concise, clear written communication

• Substantial experience working with individuals with severe mental illness

• Skill in effective clinical interviewing, rapport building, and overall interpersonal skills

• Experience managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders

• Interest in applying diversity, equity, and inclusion principles to the work of the office

Thinking about applying?

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Agency information:

The State Forensic Service oversees and conducts court-ordered mental health evaluations of adults and youth, and is guided by the overarching principles of truth-telling and respect for person in fulfilling its mission. The Service functions at the behest of Maine’s court system by providing forensic evaluations that are objective, impartial, scientifically supportable, and responsive to the legal issues raised. Evaluations include inpatient and outpatient settings, incarcerated and community-based defendants, adults and juveniles, pretrial and post-adjudication for individuals found Not Criminally Responsible. Referral questions include a variety of psycho-legal issues, including competence to stand trial, criminal responsibility and abnormal condition of mind, violence risk assessment, problematic sexual behavior risks and needs, presentence evaluations, diagnostic and treatment recommendations, competence to waive Miranda , voluntariness of statements, and bindover of juveniles to adult court. Primary office functions include providing consultation and continuing education to a variety of stakeholders. The State Forensic Service also partners with the University of Maine to offer a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Forensic Psychology to train clinicians in the highest standards of forensic mental health assessment. The fellowship program is approved for the American Board of Forensic Psychology experience waiver.

The Department of Health and Human Services (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/) (DHHS) is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity for Maine people. The Department provides health and social services to approximately a third of the State's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness, and substance use disorders. The Department also promotes public health, operates two state psychiatric hospitals, and provides oversight to health care providers.

The Office of Behavioral Health within DHHS is responsible for providing leadership and active partnership in Maine’s comprehensive system of support to communities and individuals with substance use and mental health conditions through a network of community providers. The State Forensic Service is part of the Office of Behavioral Health.

Application Information:

Please submit all documents or files in PDF format.

For additional information about this position please contact Dr. Sarah Miller, Director of State Forensic Services at Sarah.L.Miller@maine.gov . To apply, please upload a current resume, and cover letteraddressing the competency areasidentified in the Requirements Section.

To request a paper application, please contactAshley.Smith@Maine.gov (Ashley.Vigue@Maine.gov) .

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays , 12 days of sick leave , and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.

• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($10,523.28-$12,380.40 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.

• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($350.40 annual value).

• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 13.41% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).

• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receivesix weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act .

  State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package (https://www.maine.gov/bhr/state-jobs/compensation-benefits) , covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness (https://www.maine.gov/bhr/oeh/) .

  Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for part-time employment.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.