Forensic Director - Psychologist - GRHS

PsychologistNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$124k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about call expectations and weekend coverage.

Posted 37m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Explore a World of Opportunity with the State of Georgia!

We are the force that drives Georgia!

Georgia State Government is a large enterprise, composed of various agencies and entities with a common goal to improve the lives of Georgia's more than 10 million citizens!

Join Team Georgia and impact lives everyday while receiving a robust benefits package designed for every stage of your career!

Job Title

Forensic Director - Psychologist - GRHS

Agency

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

Job Requisition ID

JR0000006375

Shift: Day (United States of America)

Compensation Details

$124,000

Job Description

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) is the state agency that focuses solely on policies, programs, and services for people with severe and persistent mental illness, substance use disorders, and developmental and intellectual disabilities.

We have nearly 5,000 employees whose work is structured in three divisions by disability area: Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases.

  • This position is at Georgia Regional Hospital Savannah, located in Savannah, GA
  • We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of Forensic Director - Psychologist – GRHS

Job Description

The hospital forensic director will supervise the completion of criminal forensic evaluations and other hospital related psychology matters.

Knowledge of abnormal psychology, pertinent statutes and case law related to the practice of forensic psychology, malingering assessment tools, intellectual testing, personality assessment, best practices in mental health treatment, and ethical/professional guidelines for the practice of forensic psychology is required.

Job duties include the participation on the recovery planning (treatment) team; facilitation of group treatment; participation in the development of individualized recovery (treatment) plans; documentation of treatment progress; completion of face-to-face forensic mental health evaluations to determine competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, and violence risk; report preparation; expert testimony; behavioral programming; clinical supervision of mental health counselors, and related work as assigned. Completion of the state's Competency to Stand Trial Certification process within one year of hire is required for continued employment.

Job Responsibilities & Performance Standards

  • Conducts court-ordered pretrial forensic psychological evaluations to answer questions of competency to stand trial and/ or criminal responsibility as a neutral friend of the court.
  • Completes assessments on individuals admitted to a State Forensic Psychiatric Unit.
  • Conducts forensic risk assessments and other psychological testing.
  • Conducts groups and psycho-educational interventions. undefined undefined

License may be temporary, provisional, or permanent. "License eligible" if able to obtain within a reasonable time (i. e. relocation from another state)

Benefits

We are inspired by the dedication and passion of our teams and take seriously our responsibility to ensure teammates feel supported, prepared, and encouraged to contribute to our mission and vision. As a team member you will receive:

  • Exceptional vacation leave plan
  • 15 days each year for first 5 years of service,
  • 18 days each year from 5-10 years of service, and
  • 21 days each year for 10 + years of service.
  • 13 paid state holidays, and 1 educational leave day.
  • Sick leave accrual at a rate of 10 hours per month or 15 days each year.
  • 3 weeks of paid paternity leave.
  • Your choice from our healthcare plan options for you and your family, including support in the activation of a healthcare savings account.
  • Dental, vision, life, dependent life, legal, and disability insurance program options.
  • Healthcare and childcare spending accounts
  • Wellness incentive program.
  • DBHDD is a Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer.
  • Retirement Pension and a 401(K) with company match.
  • FOR THIS TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT, STATE LAW REQUIRES A NATIONAL AND STATE BACKGROUND CHECK AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.

Qualifications - External

Doctorate degree in clinical or counseling psychology from an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited college or university AND current Georgia license to practice psychology AND One year of experience at the lower level Psychologist 1 (HCP140) or equivalent. Note: License may be temporary, provisional, or permanent.

Preferred Qualifications - External Experience

experience supervising other psychologists working with a population with severe / persistent mental illness completing competency to stand trial evaluations completing criminal responsibility evaluations completing forensic violence risk assessments with the PCL-R and the HCR-20. providing expert testimony in criminal forensic cases providing group and individual therapy

Minimum Qualifications

Doctorate in clinical or counseling psychology from an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited college or university, current Georgia license to practice psychology, and three (3) years of experience at the lower level Psychologist 3 (HCP142) or equivalent. --Note: License may be temporary, provisional, or permanent.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

The State of Georgia does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other protected categories in employment or the provision of services.

Qualified applicants may request reasonable accommodation when needed during the application and/or screening process by contacting the appropriate agency Human Resources department.

Key Responsibilities

The Forensic Director supervises criminal forensic evaluations and hospital-related psychology matters while participating in recovery planning and treatment teams. Responsibilities include conducting face-to-face forensic mental health evaluations, providing expert testimony, and offering clinical supervision to mental health staff.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Doctorate degree in clinical or counseling psychology from an APA-accredited institution and possess a current Georgia license to practice psychology. At least three years of relevant experience is required, along with the ability to complete the state's Competency to Stand Trial Certification within one year of hire.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Clinical psychologyCompetency to stand trial evaluationCriminal responsibility assessmentViolence risk assessmentGroup therapy

Psychologist Career Context

Of the 50 active Psychology listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 40% have no call, 64% require no weekends.

Psychology pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.2% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Georgia is 96.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$124k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $129k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Georgia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Psychologist Jobs

39 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution39 jobs · 12 employers

6
<$145k
11
$145k-160k
5
$160k-175k
17
$175k-190k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks37 jobs · 12 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
CME allowance
59%
Sign-on bonus
32%
Loan repayment
16% this job
PSLF eligible
5% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Psychologist (covering Salinas/Watsonville location)

San Andreas Regional Center · Salinas, California

$143k-$187k
#2

Clinical Psychologist / Neuropsychologist/Outpatient Clinic/Full-Time Employment/Palm Harbor

Harmony United Psychiatric Care · Palm Harbor, Florida

$150k–$183k
#3

Clinical Psychologist / Neuropsychologist/Outpatient Clinic/Full-Time Employment/Orlando

$150k–$183k
#4

Clinical Psychologist / Neuropsychologist/Outpatient Clinic/Full-Time Employment/Lutz

$150k–$183k
+ 37 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 5.7
Better work-life than 50% of Forensic Psychologist listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 30 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • On-site

Living in Savannah

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$300k≈ 2.4× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,757/mo≈ 17% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
21 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
95.2
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Savannah, GA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Georgia Department of Revenue logo

About Georgia Department of Revenue

Government Administration
501-1,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Exceptional vacation leave plan (15-21 days based on tenure)
13 paid state holidays
1 educational leave day
Sick leave accrual (15 days/year)
3 weeks paid paternity leave
Healthcare plan options with HSA support
Dental, vision, life, dependent life, legal, and disability insurance
Healthcare and childcare spending accounts