Inpatient Psychologist – Child/Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry Service (3 views)

Job Summary

The Psychologist provides expert psychological care for children, adolescents, and their families in an inpatient setting. This adolescent inpatient unit is one of a few nationwide that serves adolescents with acute psychiatric needs as well as those with substance use disorders requiring an ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) 3.7 Medically Monitored Intensive Inpatient Services level of care. Child psychologists working on this unit will have the opportunity to provide high-quality, specialized, and integrated care while working closely with other dedicated members of the treatment team. They will provide brief family therapy, either with individual families or in a multi-family group setting. They will also provide individual and group therapy. These modalities will be used to stabilize both psychiatric and substance use disorders. Psychological evaluations, including testing for autism, other neurodevelopmental disorders, and diagnostic clarification, may occasionally be needed. Psychologist functions as an integral member of the interdisciplinary team and provides clinical leadership and teaching for other staff members, while striving to create a positive experience for patients, families, and support staff. Psychologists also have the opportunity to teach and supervise doctoral interns who are a part of Denver Health’s APA-accredited doctoral internship program, as well as doctoral externs from programs in the area.

Essential Functions:

• Provide high quality clinical services to individuals referred to behavioral health, including short-term evidence-based behavioral health interventions and support services. (10%)

• Provide services that are appropriate to the age and developmental level of the patient. (10%)

• Consult with providers as part of the interdisciplinary team and generate recommendations, referrals, and case management as needed. (10%)

• Conduct brief diagnostic screening of patients using evidence-based assessments and screening tools. (10%)

• Provide health behavior change interventions using Motivational Interviewing. (10%)

• Conduct in-depth diagnostic assessment as needed. (5%)

• Conduct safety and risk assessment as needed. (5%)

• Generate documentation of assessment and intervention in the medical record in a timely manner. (5%)

• Actively participate in regular team meetings and huddles of the interdisciplinary team at primary care clinic. (5%)

• Participate in Integrated Behavioral Health Division meetings to maintain cohesion and improve awareness of department functioning. (5%)

• Participates or provides leadership of department, agency, or community meetings as well as internal Denver Health workgroups. (5%)

• Participate in teaching and didactics as part of the training faculty of the Division of Psychology for psychology pre-doctoral residents and practicum students. (5%)

• Provide teaching and presentation of relevant topics to the Integrated Behavioral Health Division staff. (5%)

• Provide teaching and presentation of relevant topics to the medical residents and training programs within Denver Health and University of Colorado. (5%)

• Participate in academic efforts in research and professional writing. (5%)

• Participates in clinical education of healthcare students as seen fit by the supervising medical staff
  (0%)

Education:

• Doctorate Degree in psychology from an accredited school Required

Work Experience:

• 1-3 years One year of postdoctoral experience Required

Licenses:

• PSY-Licensed Psychologist – State Board of Psychologist Examiners Required and

• BLS-Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) – AHA – American Heart Association or American Red Cross Required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge and skills in effective psychological practice in primary care medical settings, including evidence-based, brief therapy modalities, crisis intervention, and risk assessment.

• Knowledge of patient populations’ cultural, religious, ethnic, and social systems in interactions, care planning, and education.

• Knowledge of medical terms, abbreviations, diagnoses, treatment, and prognosis.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and motivation to work as part of a dynamic interdisciplinary team in a medical setting.

• Skill in providing care appropriate to the age of the patients served within the clinic setting.

• Skill in establishing a therapeutic alliance and engaging the patient in collaborative goal setting and prioritizing patient needs as part of the care team in the primary care clinic setting.

• Ability to participate as a faculty member with the Division of Medicine and provide teaching and supervision as needed for the psychology internship training program through the Department of Psychiatry.

• Ability to respond to feedback and incorporate it into practice.

• Ability to manage the therapeutic relationship including triaging patient to specialty mental health services and termination.

• Ability to respond to trauma or psychiatric emergency including writing involuntary mental health holds.

• Microsoft Office skills required.

• Knowledge of electronic health record preferred.