ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
VACANCY NOTICE
DEPARTMENT: Mental Health – Forensic Mental Health
TITLE OF POSITION: Forensic Mental Health Specialist I – Adult MH (2 positions available)
TYPE OF POSITION: 1 Temporary (provisional / contingent permanent pending civil service exams)
1 Provisional (permanency pending civil service exam)
EXAM TYPE: Open Competitive (open to the public, exam required)
PRIMARY ASSIGNMENT: Erie County Correctional Facility or Erie County Holding Center
SHIFT: To Be Determined
SALARY: Starts at $60,601 Annually
POSTING DATES: May 16, 2023 – May 30, 2023
* The person hired for this position will have to take a civil service examination at a future date
and attain a score that is reachable under NYS civil service law. *
This is entrance level professional forensic mental health work which involves responsibility for providing direct mental health services to persons under custody in the Holding Center or Correctional Facility. These include inmates awaiting trial and sentencing, those serving sentences, probation and parole violators. The work is carried out in accordance with established procedures, with leeway permitted for the exercise of independent judgment. The work involves helping to assess the need for psychiatric examination and determination, rendering direct treatment, which at times includes crisis intervention, and providing consultation and reports to referring agencies. The work is performed under the direct rank, and may exercise supervision over a small number of para-professional or clerical employees. The class differs from Mental Health Specialist II in that cases assigned are generally less complex, and in that supervision exercised by this class is limited to sub-professional staff. Does related work as required.
TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:
- Provides direct and continuing mental health treatment to persons with mental health conditions held in custody;
- Assesses the need for psychiatric examination and treatment determinations;
- Renders direct treatment, including crisis intervention, consultations, linkages to community-based services and reports to referring entities;
- Conducts preliminary Court-ordered examinations to determine need for Formal Competency, sanity determinations by Psychiatrists, and prepares written reports on such preliminary examinations for review by supervisor;
- Consults with attorneys, families, penal officers and the Courts to help determine appropriate alternatives for sentencing, treatment or other medical/legal dispositions;
- Provides case consultation to legal-penal and mental health agencies on treatment planning for clients in custody.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered four (4) year college or university with a Master's Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Psychiatric Nursing, Rehabilitation Counseling, Education, or closely related field and six (6) months of experience providing services to persons with mental health conditions.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:
New York State Department of Education license eligible as a Social Worker or Mental Health Counselor at time of appointment and holding a license at time of permanent appointment.
NOTE:
Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements.
Candidates must be legal residents of Erie County at the time of Provisional appointment,
for at least one month immediately preceding the date of the written test, AND
at the time of Permanent appointment.
THIS NOTICE WILL BE POSTED FOR THE PERIOD MAY 16, 2023
THROUGH AND INCLUDING MAY 30, 2023
_____________________________________________________________________________
To apply for this position, please e-mail your resume to be received by 4:00pm on May 30, 2023 to
Shannon.Stocker@erie.gov
or mail your resume to:
Erie County Department of Mental Health
95 Franklin Street, Room 1237
Buffalo, NY 14202
Attn: Shannon Stocker
Resumes received after 4:00pm on May 30, 2023 will not be considered.
Only those whose resumes are being considered will be contacted.
Erie County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to workplace diversity.