Staff Psychologist

Caron Pennsylvania is in Wernersville, PA, not far from Reading, PA and many of
our staff commute from western suburbs of Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
Caron understands the challenges patients face with co-occurring substance use
and psychological issues, leading the organization to value a psychology
department with 11 full-time staff. When you join Caron’s psychology department,
you are joining a team of your peers. It is a witty, supportive, and collegial
group, a true team enjoying the opportunity to use their expertise to work with
varying populations, while also joining to collaborate and encourage one
another. Caron’s psychology department uses evidence-based treatment, ever
learning, to ensure world class treatment. Do not let limited experience
treating substance use disorders deter you from applying, as there is on the job
training and ongoing consultation within the department.

BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR TEAM

* Excellent compensation
* Flexibility in schedules
* Generous paid time off (PTO)
* Healthy Connections Wellness Program
* Access to Recreation Center on campus
* Reimbursement for training, professional memberships, and license renewal
* Inexpensive lunches on campus

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assess, diagnose and treat the full spectrum of Mental Health conditions
for residential patients within a multidisciplinary treatment setting.
2. Develop, implement and update Mental Health portion of patient treatment
plan as needed.
3. When indicated, provide individual and group psychotherapy to treat
co-occurring mental health issues.
4. Provide consultation to clinical staff, program directors and other
department heads on the management of patients with co-occurring mental
health issues.
5. Provide patient mental health-related treatment updates to treatment team
members, families, referents, and outpatient treatment providers as
warranted.
6. Actively collaborate with patient outpatient Mental Health provider on
diagnostic, treatment and aftercare issues related to mental health issues,
when warranted.
7. Provide aftercare recommendations, including provider referrals, when
warranted.
8. Actively manage psychiatric crises including patient intervention, assess
degree of risk and recommend change in level of care if warranted. Also,
assist multidisciplinary team in identifying appropriate NLOC and
transferring patient to appropriate level of care by facilitating voluntary
and involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations.
9. Participate in Admissions CAST process for psychologist’s unit or other
units as needed by providing consultation to the intake department on
screening patients with co-occurring mental health issues for admissions,
and help facilitate alternate placements, when needed.
10. Accurate and timely recordkeeping in accordance with psychology board
ethics guidelines, Pennsylvania State and CARF regulations and Caron
Policies and Procedures.
11. May participate in the Psychology on-call rotation which provides Caron
staff with access to psychological assessment of emergent patient mental
health issues after regular business hours.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In addition to duties outlined above, Staff Psychologist is expected to provide
some or all of the following:

1. Provide services associated with Psychology Testing Services.
1. Administer, interpret, make recommendations, and complete written report.
2. Provide feedback of testing results as appropriate to patient, unit
staff, family members, referent, outpatient providers, aftercare
providers.
3. Develop and provide didactic trainings for clinical and psychology staff
on psychological testing and assessment issues.
4. Facilitate and/or participate in Testing Services supervision meetings
and consultation meetings.
2. Provide services associated with Trauma Program.
1. Facilitate and co-facilitate Phase I and/or Phase II trauma groups.
2. Provide individual Cognitive Processing Therapy to patients as indicated.
3. Develop and provide didactic trainings for clinical and psychology staff
on trauma-informed treatment.
4. Facilitate and/or participate in Trauma Treatment Team meetings and
supervisions.
3. Provide services associated with Psychology Specialty Groups. This may
include:
1. Facilitate and/or co-facilitate CBT for Depression Groups or CBT for
Anxiety Groups.
2. Develop and facilitate additional Psychology Specialty Groups for
co-occurring disorders as needed (e. g., eating disorders group, OCD
group, ADHD group…)
3. Develop and provide didactic trainings for psychology staff on
evidence-based treatment for co-occurring disorders.
4. Participate in Specialty Group trainings and/or supervisions as available
or needed.
4. Provide, when necessary or requested, ongoing education and training to all
levels of Caron staff on the management of co-occurring disorders.
5. The Staff Psychologist may be asked to prepare and present material
applicable to their position to local, regional, and national audiences on
behalf of Caron.
6. May be asked to supervise postdoctoral fellow and/or psychology practicum
students.
7. This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential
functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Physical Requirements

Must be able to work during scheduled hours as agreed upon, travel as needed,
and deliver public presentations that may be lengthy or involve multiple days.

Qualifications and Experience

1. D./Psy. D. in Clinical Psychology or Counseling.
2. License for independent practice in Pennsylvania required.
3. Minimum of two-years’ experience (including pre-licensure hours) in the
field of psychology providing psychotherapy and or psychological testing.
4. Must possess appropriate legal clearances (Act 33).
5. If in recovery, two years of uninterrupted sobriety.

Knowledge/Abilities

1. Must have appropriate training and experience using current psychological
testing instruments including neuropsychological, diagnostic, personality,
and cognitive testing. This includes an understanding of a test’s
psychometric properties, limits of instruments and ability to interpret and
synthesize data from multiple tests.
2. Training and experience providing effective psychological interventions and
treatments for a range of mental health disorders. Must have the ability to
evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions and therapy with
which you are not familiar.  Must be willing/able to seek out information
on best practices to treat diagnoses with which you are less familiar.
3. Training in current theories of child, adolescent and adult psychopathology
as well as use of these theories to conceptualize patient issues and
develop and implement effect treatment planning.
4. Demonstrate ability to provide culturally competent treatment working with
ethnic, racial and sexual minorities.
5. Able to use current research to guide assessment, treatment, and testing
decisions.
6. Ability to be effective within an interdisciplinary treatment team.
7. Possess good organizational skills.
8. Some familiarity with current psychotropic medications and their
interactions.
9. Must be familiar with or demonstrate willingness to become familiar with
all local and state laws concerning voluntary and involuntary
hospitalization procedures.
10. Act as a role model in decorum, speech and behaviors consistent with
recovery principles.