Psychiatric Evaluation Specialist
This position is open until filled, and applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis. Applications received by 4/7/25 will be given first consideration.
The responsibilities of the Psychiatric Evaluation Specialist (PES) include providing mental status/diagnostic evaluations and related evidence-based interventions, suicide risk assessment, and mental health treatment planning for jail resident-patients. The incumbent will monitor resident-patients throughout their incarceration and may provide both individual and group treatment to improve the overall functioning of the resident-patient. Additionally, to assist in more streamlined continuity of care, the incumbent will ensure appropriate referral to diversion or treatment and may provide testimony in court (ITA) regarding residents-patients. The PES will make psychiatric housing decisions and refer residents to community mental health providers or into involuntary treatment, as needed. Responsibilities will also include performing chart review / triage functions, providing training on areas of expertise, consultation with other professions, community outreach and engagement, and participating in ongoing process improvement efforts within King County Public Health and Jail Health Services.JHS provides needed health and social services to the incarcerated population located in the King County jails – King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle, WA and Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent, WA. The primary services we provide include medical, dental, mental health, social and release planning services, treatment of substance use disorders, and pharmaceutical services. We care about the patients we serve and their health outcomes. Our division includes over 250 employees and an annual budget of over $60 million.
The purpose of JHS is to assure that high-quality health and human services are available to the incarcerated population in the King County adult correctional facilities: the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent. The JHS vision is Opening doors to healthier, happier lives, and the mission is to assess and stabilize serious health problems for the detained population of the King County Correctional Facility and the Maleng Regional Justice Center with a focus on transition from jail.
Staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, JHS provides a broad range of health care to all individuals booked into the jails. For patients with serious mental health or medical conditions, special housing units (psychiatric and infirmary) along with a higher level of services and medical monitoring are provided. Since the patient population varies both in numbers as well as in acuity of health conditions, staffing is adapted and flexed to meet the constantly changing needs of the population.
JHS staff manage the complex health needs of underserved populations many of whom come to the facility without access to care in the community and with decompensated acute and chronic health conditions.
There are 2 openings for this position.
Commitment To Equity and Social Justice
Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.
To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx
Requirements
- Initiate psychiatric assessments; conduct formal diagnostic assessment in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5); provide evidence based individual and group therapeutic intervention based on the specific psychiatric needs of the resident-patient; identify medical conditions and make referrals to medical professionals, chronic mental illness, developmental disability, suicide-risk and depressed residents; determine need for involuntary treatment; develop a treatment plan; and provide witness testimony regarding patient's presentation and behavior.
- Assess substance dependence, abuse, intoxication, withdrawal, and other substance-related disorders. Provide brief interventions and refer appropriately for longer term care.
- Conduct case management and follow up. Work with Release Planners to ensure continuity of care and referral to community mental health services.
- Make psychiatric housing decisions within the jail; assess need for additional intervention and mental status evaluations and provide additional intervention(s) when needed; and track resident-patient's progression through the legal system.
- Develop mental health treatment plans; communicate and coordinate care with Psychiatric Providers and other JHS staff; act as liaison between the resident-patient, correctional staff and courts to ensure diversion or release for appropriate treatment.
- Lead regularly scheduled unit meetings to review cases and utilization of various treatment approaches.
- Provide in-service training to all health and corrections staff on various areas of expertise, including suicide prevention.
- Attend various community organizational meetings as representative of JHS and provide trainings on the operations and services of JHS.
- Review charts and evaluations performed by psychiatric hospital personnel and develop treatment plans and/or refer accordingly.
- Act as consultant to other disciplines (including the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention; DAJD) and professions on the presentation of mental illness in a correctional setting.
- Perform release interviews with resident-patients and refer them to a Designated Crisis Responder (DCR) for additional evaluation, if necessary.
Qualifications
- Master's or Doctoral degree in psychology, social work, clinical counseling, or a related field, from an accredited university.
- Independent licensure as a psychologist, mental health counselor, clinical independent social worker, marriage and family therapist or recognized alternate licensure.
- Working knowledge of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5).
- Working knowledge and past experience with evidence-based practices for mood, psychotic, and personality disorders.
- Working knowledge of the principles of behavior and motivation.
- Working knowledge of psychiatric medication.
- Working knowledge of personality disorders and malingering and how to differentiate these from other psychiatric disorders.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Commitment to equity and racial justice principles and demonstrated ability to serve clients with cultural humility.
- Suicide-risk assessment skills.
- Demonstrated ability to perform psychological and behavioral interventions.
- Demonstrated skill in defusing hostile or violent behavior.
- Demonstrated ability to perform evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of resident-patients.
- Demonstrated ability to detect the signs, symptoms and behavioral effects of depression, mental illness and poly-substance chemical dependency.
- Demonstrated skill in gathering clinical and psychiatric data to establish a diagnosis.
- Demonstrated skill in determining a resident-patient's competency to participate in legal proceedings.
- Experience working with electronic medical record systems.
Desired:
- Knowledge of the Washington State Criminal Code, rules of court procedure and legal definition of competency.
- Knowledge of community mental health resources and criteria for providing services
- Experience working in correctional facilities and/or inpatient psychiatric hospitals. -
- Demonstrated skill in gathering and interpreting court and law enforcement records pertaining to a particular resident-patient's case.
- Experience working on continuous process improvement systems.
- Proficiency in a language other than English, particularly Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, African Languages, or Chinese Languages.
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Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Application Process
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:
- NeoGov Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
- Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.
Necessary Special Requirements
- The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
- The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR
- The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
- Pre-employment Physical
- For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en.
- Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
- Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
- Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
- Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
- When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.
- If you need a disability accommodation in the application or testing process, please call the contact number listed on the job announcement.
- Sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution.
- Convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse; or,
- Has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described above.
Additionally, PREA standards require that the department consider any incidents of sexual harassment involving an resident or detainee in determining whether or not to hire or promote anyone.
The above is in compliance with PREA and its implementing regulations, 28 C.F.R. Part 115, Subpart A, Section 115.17, Hiring and Promotion Decisions.
Work Schedule
The candidate will work 40 hours per week which may include some evening and weekend coverage (evening coverage and weekend coverage is evenly divided amongst team members; team provides coverage daily from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm). Typically, each PES closes one shift per week, and approximately 10-12 weekend shifts per year (Saturdays primarily).
Work Location
This position will primarily located at King Correctional Facility, 500 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104.
Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
Union Membership
This position is represented by Local 21.
Contact
For questions about this recruitment, please contact Sarah Dunkinson (sdunkinson@kingcounty.gov).
Connect with Local, State, and Territorial Health Departments
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