04/26/1997 43043

FORENSIC LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST - MH

DEFINITION: This is practitioner level professional work providing psychological services programs at a Forensic Psychiatric Unit on the grounds of a Commonwealth mental health facility.

An employee in this class performs independent and specialized work providing psychological services programs for forensic patients with a mental illness who have been placed through the criminal justice or corrections systems for diagnosis, evaluation and intensive treatment. Work includes selection of appropriate psychological tests, testing, interpreting and diagnosing individual forensic patient psychological services needs; collaborating with psychiatric and/or medical services staff; planning, developing, implementing and coordinating individual forensic patient psychological treatment programs, consultations, clinical services and individual and group therapies with multi disciplinary treatment team staff; evaluating forensic patient progress; adjusting psychological treatment plans and formulating individual forensic patient programs. By virtue of having a license to practice psychology, an employee in this class may be required to testify as an expert witness in legal proceedings or to sign official documents such as recertification of care and redetermination of patient financial competency. Serves as a
member of a multi disciplinary treatment team. An employee in this classification may serve as director of a multi disciplinary treatment team with responsibility to oversee development of comprehensive treatment plans for individual patients. An important aspect of the work is the responsibility for the care, custody and control of forensic patients with a mental disability while participating in psychological services programs. Work is performed under the general supervision of a higher level professional or program administrator and is subject to review through consultation and evaluation of work performed.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Performs independent and specialized psychological services work in clinical and rehabilitation areas of a psychological services program for forensic patients with a mental illness who have been placed through the criminal justice or corrections systems for diagnosis, evaluation and intensive treatment.

Studies assigned forensic patients' medical histories; evaluates patients' psychological strengths and weaknesses; interviews patients; observes their behavior, and selects, administers and interprets intelligence, neuropsychological, social development, achievement, competency, interest, personality and other projective/objective psychological tests to diagnose patient psychological disorders and to formulate plans for their psychological treatment.

Ensures diagnostic measurements are valid and reliable and are expressed within confidence limits.

Collaborates with psychiatric and/or medical services staff and other discipline staff in developing individual treatment program plans.

Serves as multi disciplinary treatment director, as assigned, by directing and coordinating team members in formulating, implementing, and monitoring individual forensic patients' comprehensive treatment plans consistent with the established psychiatric and/or medical diagnosis for the forensic patient and in accordance with the appropriate regulations, policies, practices, standards and clinical privileges relevant to the treatment of forensic patients.

Participates in treatment team staff meetings to discuss and evaluate patients' progress in meeting their individual treatment program plan objectives and to plan needed adjustments.

Treats forensic patients' psychological disorders to effect behavior modification and/or improve adjustments by using various psychological techniques, such as individual and group therapy, milieu therapy and individual, group and family counseling or other therapeutic procedures for individual patients in a multi disciplinary treatment team setting.

Testifies as an expert witness in legal proceedings regarding forensic patients served; which include Vecchione financial competency determinations/redeterminations, involuntary commitments, general competencies ordered by the courts for determining suitability of alleged law violators being subject to trial proceedings; and/or have approval authority for the certification/recertification of level of care for patients served.

Develops, conducts and arranges for technical psychological program service training and staff development programs for facility/Forensic Psychiatric Unit staff, and psychology residents/interns and/or students as appropriate.

As assigned, serves as a mentor to Forensic Psychological Services Associate-MH staff to orient or assist them with problems arising from their work.

Develops and implements counseling and therapeutic programs to deal with adjustment problems in daily living, social interaction and work settings.

Reviews evaluation results and therapeutic recommendations with forensic patients.

Provides consultation and psychological services education and training programs for community mental health program service providers as appropriate.

Assists an administrative supervisor in the development of a facility/Forensic Psychiatric Unit psychological services program.

Provides for or actively assists in providing care, custody and control of patients assigned during psychological services programs and/or activities within the facility/Forensic Psychiatric Unit.

Directs facility approved and assigned research projects of a psychological services program.

Performs other related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the principles and methods of psychology including statistical measurement of individuals and groups, diagnostic evaluation, behavior modification, therapy, and the relationship between diagnostic findings and therapeutic methodologies.

Knowledge of the application of psychology to individual and group behavior.

Knowledge of mental illnesses and disabilities, their symptoms, treatment and social implications.

Knowledge of the principles and methods of psychological research and experimental design as applied to the field of psychology.

Knowledge of the standards and ethical principles of the practice of psychology.

Ability to promote and implement facility psychological services programs.

Ability to select, administer, score and interpret a wide range of projective and objective psychological tests.

Ability to interpret and evaluate varied psychological data, prepare reports of findings, and develop and implement recommendations.

Ability to provided expert testimony at legal proceedings regarding forensic patient commitment hearings, competency determinations, recertifications for care, community placements and discharge.

Ability to plan, direct, coordinate and evaluate the development of individual treatment program plans and the services provided for forensic patients by a multi disciplinary treatment team.

Ability to develop and/or conduct technical psychological program service training and staff development programs for facility/unit staff and psychology residents/interns and/or students.

Ability to provide consultations and psychological services education programs for community mental health program service providers, as appropriate.

Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Ability to develop skill in the care, custody and control of patients assigned during psychological services programs and/or as required.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with forensic patients, departmental, and facility/Forensic Psychiatric Unit personnel and the general public.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: Possession of a current license to practice psychology issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Psychology.