Mental Health Professional (Therapist/Clinician)

Job ID: 26833

Agency: Department of Corrections/SD Women's Prison/Behavioral Health

Location: Pierre

Salary: $62,306.00 - $77,861.00 annually, depending on experience

Pay Grade: GK

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

• $10,000 Hiring Incentive! ***
• Full state benefits and SDRS retirement ***
• Current State Employees do NOT qualify for the Hiring Incentive ***
  
  

This is a Full-Time position within the Department of Corrections with Behavioral Health. For more information on the DOC, please visit https://doc.sd.gov .

Why the Department of Corrections? With the Department of Corrections (DOC), you can make a difference in the lives of those in need. As a DOC employee, you will have a chance to work with multi-disciplinary teams to utilize clinical creativity in serving our correctional clients. We provide valuable professional training to assist our staff in achieving institutional and career goals.

Who We Want

• a highly motivated and experienced person with a passion for serving the public who displays a high level of effort and commitment towards completing assignments and goals
• a compassionate individual who listens attentively to others and clearly conveys information and ideas;
• a dependable and organized individual who effectively plans and organizes work activities;
• a dedicated person who will represent the Department of Corrections with integrity and enthusiasm; and
• an individual who works cooperatively with others and promotes a friendly work climate in order to achieve shared goals.
  
  

What You Will Do

Provide mental health services to offenders at the Women's Prison in Pierre, SD. Services include but are not limited to:

• assessment and evaluation of individuals for behavioral health concerns;
• individual and group counseling;
• development of treatment plans;
• crisis management;
• rotation of on-call services and some weekend work;
• collaborative work with other corrections professionals;
• assistance with release planning to determine mental health services upon release from the correctional setting to facilitate continuity of care.
  
  

Required

Individuals selected for the position will have the opportunity to carry Oleoresin Capsicum (OC/pepper spray) if desired. If OC spray is carried, the staff carrying OC spay will be required to have direct (level 1) exposure during the training program. Individuals selected for the position must successfully complete a written and practical self-defense exam. Selected individuals must possess the physical ability to successfully complete the practical self-defense exam, which involves the following:

• Lift arms above head and kick as high as own waist;
• Stabilize another person to accomplish a controlled take down;
• Use arms, palms of hands, shins, and feet to deliver blows;
• Withstand impact (slow speed or with a safety bag) on own body from strikes/blows;
• Rotate body 90 degrees with feet planted for striking with foot or using a defensive tactic;
• Get down on one or both knees and up again with multiple repetitions.
• The South Dakota Women's Prison is a National Health Services Corps (NHSC) approved site which can provide opportunities for student loan reimbursement.
  
  

Education

Master’s level degree in Mental Health Counseling, Master of Social Work, Master of Clinical Psychology, Master of Psychology, or related field required.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have

• experience in the delivery of clinical services;
• experience with suicidal clients;
• experience with a wide range of mental health functioning.
  
  

Knowledge Of

• experience working with clients that have been involved in the criminal justice system and may have complex needs and/or dual diagnoses. Experience and understanding of how systems work.
• theories and techniques used in counseling, crisis intervention, and chemical dependency issues;
• evidence-based practices related to the rehabilitation of criminal offenders;
• attitude, problems, and behavior of incarcerated individuals;
• treatment planning, charting, and report writing;
• suicide prevention and intervention specifically related to the correctional population.
  
  

Skill To

• effectively communicate with and motivate treatment resistant offenders
• conduct clinical interviews, assessments, and evaluations;
• diagnose mental health disorders.
  
  

Ability To

• deal effectively with offenders from diverse ethnic and sociological backgrounds;
• be a positive role model;
• work collaboratively and communicate quickly and accurately with multi-disciplinary staff;
• receive oral communications from clients and relate that information accurately to others;
• conduct individual and group counseling sessions;
• make proper responses to safety and security problems;
• work in a correctional facility;
• adhere to the security of such correctional facility;
• effectively deal with mental health crisis situations;
• make clinical decisions regarding offenders’ mental health.
  
  

This position is exempt from the Civil Service Act.

This position is eligible for Veterans’ Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

Successful applicant(s) will be required to undergo a background investigation. An arrest/conviction record will not necessarily bar employment. Offers of employment are conditional upon successful completion of a drug screening. Successful applicant(s) will undergo an abuse and neglect screening.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers employer paid health insurance plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information at https://bhr.sd.gov/job-seekers/work-for-state-government/ . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources

Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email: careers@state.sd.us

http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus

"An Equal Opportunity Employer"

Salary : $62,306 - $77,861