Psychiatric Evaluation Specialist Jail Health Services
Job Location:
Seattle, WA - USA
Hourly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
- Summary
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.
Background
Jail Health Services (JHS) Division 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 primary services we provide include medical dental mental health social and release planning services treatment of substance use disorders and pharmaceutical 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.
Note:This recruitment will be used to create an eligibility pool to fill additional Career Service Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) or Special Duty Assignment (SDA) vacancies that may occur over the next six months.
Commitment To Equity and Social Justice
Named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nations 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 Schedule
Typical work schedule for this position is 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
Primary work location will be based at the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) located at 500 Fifth Avenue Seattle WA 98104 and secondary location will be based at the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) located at 401 Fourth Avenue North Kent WA 98032.
Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
This position is posted as open until filled. First review will be conducted of applications received by July 28th at 11:59 pm PST.
- Job Duties
- 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 inmates; determine need for involuntary treatment; develop a treatment plan; and provide witness testimony regarding patients 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-patients 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 training 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.
- Experience Qualifications Knowledge Skills
Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum):
- Masters 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.
The most competitive applicants will have the following experiences and qualifications (Desired):
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 gathering and interpreting court and law enforcement records pertaining to a particular inmate-patients case.
- Demonstrated skill in determining an inmate-patients competency to participate in legal proceedings.
- Proficiency in a language other than English particularly Spanish Vietnamese Russian African Languages or Chinese Languages.
- Experience working in correctional facilities and/or inpatient psychiatric hospitals.
- Experience working with electronic medical record systems.
- Experience working on continuous process improvement systems.
- Supplemental Information
Forbes named King County as one of Washington States best employers.
Together with leadership and our employees were changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a differenceCome join the teamdedicated to serving one of the nations best places to live work and play.
Guided by our True North we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting support and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply including Native American and people of color immigrants refugees women LGBTQ people living with disabilities and veterans.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.
Who May Apply
This is a full-time Career Service position and is open to all qualified candidates.
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.
- Resume - Your resume should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process.
- Cover letter Please share why you are interested in this position and any aspects of your education training and/or experience that you feel make you a highly qualified candidate for this position.
(Please note: additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process if not outlined as a required application material as outlined above).
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.
Contact
If you have questions or would like more information about the application process please contact Salyse Duckworth HR Analyst at .
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 and Pre-employment Physical but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
- For more information on our selection process please refer to For tips on interviewing please visit 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 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 your recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Additional Information
Public Health - Jail Health Services follows and maintains federal and state requirements standards including but not limited to Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards which apply to all public and private institutions that house adult or juvenile offenders. PREA standards preclude the department from hiring or promoting anyone who has engaged in or been convicted of any conduct which would violate PREA standards related to sexual assault including:- 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 inmate 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.
Union Membership
This position is represented by WSCCCE L21HD-DPH labor union.
Required Experience:
IC
