Mental Health Clinician 1/2 (Apic, Pcn 20-1052)

The Department of Corrections, Division of Health & Rehabilitation Services, is recruiting for a Mental Health Clinician 1/2 based in Anchorage, Alaska.

Watch Alaska DOC HARS video here:

https://vimeo.com/789872805/e68dd6b1e3

• This position is responsible for coordinating clinical care for offenders who experience severe mental illness in preparation for their return to the community following incarceration.
• Using the Assess Plan Identify Coordinate (APIC) model, this position requires working with DOC institution clinicians, community behavioral health providers, SUD treatment centers, various social services agencies, housing providers, public defenders, probation officers and the re-entrants themselves in order to develop a release plan appropriate to their needs.
• The ability to translate each client’s diagnostic profile, history and individual goals into a clinical plan that will position the client for a smooth transition and sustainable lifestyle is central to this work.

Our Mission, Values, and Culture:

The HARS Mission Statement: We are dedicated to providing essential care and to promoting health and rehabilitation; we are committed to the culture of professionalism, quality and safety. We seek applicants who are interested in furthering the HARS Mission who will strive to uphold the Division’s Core Values of Respect, Integrity, Compassion, Teamwork and Safety. The successful applicant will have the ability to contribute to a stronger team by modeling exceptional clinical and professional skills, balancing patient advocacy with correctional medicine standards and using a solution-focused approach.

The benefits of this position include gaining strong working knowledge not only of the criminal justice system, but of the many agencies and social services that effect re-entrants’ capacity to live safely in the community along with working with a multidisciplinary team of professionals.

This position is located primarily at the Anchorage Probation Office Building within an office setting. This position will work closely with a team of mental health clinicians and medical staff.

• Psychology: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of human behavior and performance in various contexts, mental processes, or the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Adaptability: Adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment.

Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions
This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications. Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

Competency Description
The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations, as opposed to specific tasks, and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to successfully meet the competency, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.

Mental Health Clinician 1:

Mental Health Clinician 2:

Master’s degree from an accredited college in counseling, psychology, social work, child guidance, vocational rehabilitation, or a closely related field.

AND

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities in

• Analysis and Assessment: Uses information technology in accessing, collecting, analyzing, maintaining, and disseminating data and information.
• Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Psychology: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of human behavior and performance in various contexts, mental processes, or the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of physical and mental ailments, and career guidance.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Professional experience performing psychotherapeutic casework.

“Professional experience” means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment.

"Training" and "education" in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

"Typically gained by" means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

Special Note:

Some positions require the incumbent be licensed as a Clinical Social Worker, a Licensed Professional Counselor, or a Psychologist with a Doctorate in Psychology. This requirement will be addressed in the job posting.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
If selected for an interview, the applicant must provide the following:

• Transcripts from highest level of education completed.
• Three professional references.

LEGAL EMPLOYMENT

The State’s online recruitment system, Workplace Alaska, requires applicants to certify that they have a legal right to accept employment in the United States. It is the responsibility of the employee to maintain the appropriate documentation to accept or continue legal employment. The State of Alaska does not function in the role as an employer sponsor.

RECRUITMENT DIFFICULTIES

Starting salary may be approved up to Step D-$2,751.00, if criteria are met.

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and if minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase.

Note: Attaching a resume is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

• 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.

Kim Curtis
Deputy Chief Mental Health Officer
907-269-7313
kim.curtis@alaska.gov