Psychologist (Health Facility Clinical Safety)

Exam Code: 4MH68
Class Code: 9873
Final Filing Date: Continuous
Examination Type: Departmental, Open
Bulletin Revision Date: 7/1/2019
Equal Employment Opportunity
The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right of family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
Drug Free Statement
It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free state workplace. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.
Examination Type And Position Locations
This is an Open examination for the Department of State Hospitals (DSH). Positions currently exist statewide with DSH - Atascadero, DSH - Coalinga, DSH - Metropolitan, DSH - Napa, DSH - Patton, and DSH - Sacramento.
Who Should Apply
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications as stated below may apply for and take this examination.  

A candidate may be tested only once during any testing period. The testing period for this classification is once every 3 months. If you have taken an examination for this classification with DSH within the last 3 months, you are not eligible to compete in this examination.
Requirements For Admittance To The Examination
It is your responsibility to make sure you meet the education and/or experience requirements stated on this announcement on the date you submit your Application (i.e., Examination/Employment Application [STD. 678]). Submission of your Application indicates that you have read, understood, and possess the basic qualifications required.
Minimum Qualifications For Admittance To The Examination

License: Possession of a valid license as a Psychologist issued by the California Board of Psychology and possession of an earned Doctorate Degree in Psychology from an educational institution meeting the criteria of Section 2914 of the Medical Board of California's Business and Professions Code.

And

Possession of the education and experience for the appropriate specialty (Clinical, Counseling, Educational, Experimental, or Social) as outlined in Section 1396 of the Board of Psychology's Regulations.

Individuals who do not qualify for licensure by the California Board of Psychology or who are in the process of securing this license will be admitted into the examination and may be appointed, but must secure a valid license within three years of an appointment or the employment shall be terminated. For persons employed less than full time, an extension of a waiver of licensure may be granted for additional years proportional to the extent of part-time employment, as long as the person is employed without interruption in service, but in no case shall the waiver exceed five years.

(Unlicensed individuals who are recruited from outside the State of California and who qualify for licensure may take the examination and may be appointed for a maximum of two years at which time licensure shall have been obtained or the employment shall be terminated. Additionally, they must take the licensure examination at the earliest possible date after the date of employment.)

Education: Completion of all requirements for a Doctoral Degree in Psychology from a recognized college or university with specialization in clinical or child clinical psychology.

[Graduates of foreign universities, except Canadian, and graduates of unaccredited universities must meet the educational requirements for State licensure as a Psychologist as evidenced by a written statement from the California Board of Psychology and possession of an earned Doctorate Degree in Psychology from an educational institution meeting the criteria of Section 2914 of the Medical Board of California's Business and Professions Code. This statement will also be required to determine the sufficiency of an academic specialty believed equivalent to those mentioned here. (Applicants who are within six months of receiving their degree will be admitted to the examination but will not be eligible for appointment until receipt of the degree and completion of the internship.)]
Special Personal Characteristics
An interest and a willingness to work at developmental centers, State hospitals, or correctional facilities contracting with the Department of State Hospitals for diagnostic and treatment services; sympathetic and objective understanding of the problems of developmentally or mentally disordered offenders; possession of scientific and professional integrity; alertness; tact; patience; and the ability to handle stressful situations.
Drug Testing Requirement
Applicants for positions in these classes are required to pass a drug-screening test. (The drug-screening test will be waived for employees who are currently in a designated "sensitive" class for which drug testing is required under State Personnel Board Rule 213.)
Special Personal Characteristics
Possession and maintenance of sufficient strength, agility, and endurance to perform during physically, mentally, and emotionally stressful and emergency situations encountered on the job without endangering their own health and well-being or that of their fellow employees, forensic clients, patients, inmates, or the public.
Final File Date
Continuous Testing: This online examination will be administered twice a month. The cut-off-dates are the first and third Friday (11:59 PM) of each month. All completed applications and Training and Experience examination submitted by each cut-off-date will be processed for that administration.

Note: Applications and examinations may be processed on a flow basis prior to each cut-off-date to meet the hiring needs of the department.
How To Apply
Click on "Continue to the Examination" button at the end of this bulletin to take the online Training and Experience examination. You will be required to upload an electronic copy of your Application (STD. 678) at the beginning of the online examination process. Prior to starting the examination, it is recommended to have your relevant education and employment history readily accessible.

If you need assistance or have any questions regarding the online examination process, review the information and videos below in the "Online Examination Process" section or contact Department of State Hospital - Sacramento at (916) 651-8832.

California Relay for the hearing impaired:

TDD is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TDD Device.

From a TDD Phone (800) 735-2929
From a Voice Phone (800) 735-2922

Applications (STD. 678) will not be accepted on a promotional basis. Career credits do not apply.

DO NOT SUBMIT APPLICATION (STD. 678) TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
Special Testing Arrangements
You will have an opportunity during the online application process to indicate if you have a disability and need special testing arrangements. The Department of State Hospitals, Selection Services Unit will contact you to make special testing arrangements.
Salary Range
Salary information is updated as of February 19, 2020.

Range U: $7,819.00 - $8,502.00
Range V: $9,231.00 - $10,303.00

The salaries used in this bulletin may not reflect all pay raises or any additional bonuses. Verify the salary level(s) with the hiring department personnel office prior to making any commitments.
Job Description

Persons in this classification apply psychological knowledge and techniques to the problems of developmentally or mentally disordered offenders.
Examination Information
A Training and Experience examination is used to evaluate each candidate’s education, training, and experience related to the duties of this classification; and will account for 100% of your weighted score.  To obtain a position on the eligible list, a minimum score of 70% must be achieved.
Preparing For The Examination
Below is a list of suggested resources to have available prior to taking the examination.

1 - Employment History: Employment dates, job titles, organization names and addresses, names of supervisors or persons who can verify your job responsibilities and their phone numbers.
2 - Education: School names and addresses, dates attended, courses taken (verifiable on a transcript), degrees earned, and contact information for persons or office who can verify education listed.
3 - Training: Class titles, certifications received, names of persons who can verify your training and their phone numbers.
Examination Scope
The examination scope consists of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

1 - Knowledge of psychological theories and research.
2 - Knowledge of principles, techniques, and problems in developing and coordinating a specialized psychological treatment program.
3 - Knowledge of principles, techniques, and trends in psychology with particular reference to normal and disordered behavior, human development, motivation, personality learning, individual differences, adaptation, and social interaction.
4. Knowledge of methods for the assessment and modification of human behavior.
5. Knowledge of characteristics and social aspects of mental disorders and retardation.
6. Knowledge of research methodology and program evaluation.
7. Knowledge of institutional and social process.
8. Knowledge of group dynamics.
9.  Knowledge of functions of psychologists in various mental health services.
10. Knowledge of current trends in the field of mental health.
11. Knowledge of professional training.
12. Knowledge of community organization and allied professional services.
13. Ability to plan, organize, and work in a specialized psychological treatment program involving members of other treatment disciplines.
14. Ability to provide professional consultation and program leadership.
15. Ability to teach and participate in professional training.
16. Ability to recognize situations requiring the creative application of technical skills.
17. Ability to develop and evaluate creative approaches to the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of mental disorders, to the conduct of research, and to the development and direction of a psychological program.
18. Ability to plan, organize, and conduct research, data analysis, and program evaluation.
19. Ability to conduct assessment and psychological treatment procedures.
20. Ability to secure the cooperation of professional and lay groups.
21. Ability to analyze situations accurately and take effective action.
22. Ability to communicate effectively.
Eligible List Information
An open, MERGED eligible list will be established for use by DSH. The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list in order of final score regardless of test date. The eligibility list will be used to fill vacancies within DSH. Eligibility will expire 12 months after it is established, unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.
Veterans' Preference
Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. In accordance with Government Codes 18973.1 and 18973.5, whenever any veteran, or widow or widower of a veteran achieves a passing score on an open examination, he or she shall be ranked in the top rank of the resulting eligible list.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Information on this program and the the Veterans’ Preference Application (Std. Form 1093) is available at https://www.jobs.ca.gov/CalHRPublic/Landing/Jobs/VeteransInformation.aspx. Additional information on veteran benefits is available at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Online Examination Process
In an effort to streamline and make the most efficient use of applicant’s time, this examination is paperless. To take advantage of this feature, you must have a CalCareer account. If you do not have one, it is free and easy to sign up. With an account, you can take as many State civil service examinations that you qualify for, store different versions of your application, apply for vacancies at 150 departments, track your application status and save your resume and other application related documents all in one place. To get started, watch the short videos below on creating a CalCareer account, creating and saving an electronic application, completing Training and Experience examinations, and searching and applying for job vacancies.

How To Create a CalCareer Account


How to Create, Download and Save Your Application


How to Take an Online Examination


How to Search and Apply for Jobs


To sign up for a CalCareer account, CLICK HERE to visit
https://jobs.ca.gov/CalHRPublic/Login.aspx

Return to this page after you create your account to begin the examination process. We recommend saving a copy of your Application (STD. 678), which you will be required to submit electronically.
General Information
For an examination without a written feature it is the competitor’s responsibility to contact the Department of State Hospitals, Selection Services Unit at (916) 651-8832 three weeks after the application deadline date if she/he has not received a progress notice. 

If a competitor’s notice of oral interview or performance test fails to reach her/him prior to the day of the interview due to a verified postal error, she/he will be rescheduled upon written request. 

The Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) is available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer account (https://www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Competitors who pass will be ranked according to their scores. 

The Department of State Hospitals reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service law and rules and all competitors will be notified.

Examination Locations: When a written test is part of the examination, it will be given in such places in California as the number of competitors and conditions warrant. 

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) subdivisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multidepartmental promotional, 4) servicewide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on this bulletin.

General Qualifications: Competitors must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment and ability to work cooperatively with others; and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.
High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways; 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis. 

Career Credits: Career Credits are not granted for examinations adminnistered on an Open basis or Promotional basis.
Reasonable Accommodation
If you need reasonable accommodation or have any questions regarding the online examination process, please contact:

Department of State Hospitals - Selection Services Unit
Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm (excluding State holidays)
(916) 651-8832
 
California Relay for the hearing impaired: 

TDD is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TDD Device.

From a TDD Phone (800) 735-2929
From a Voice Phone (800) 735-2922

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