This position is open only to Colorado state residents. Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.
Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefits package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details!
About Fort Logan: Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Fort Logan (CMHHFL) is one of two state hospitals serving our community. The vision of CMHHFL is to provide the highest quality mental health services to persons with complex, serious, and persistent mental health illness within the resources available. Our mission is to support those individuals in achieving their recovery goals and reaching their full potential. CMHHFL provides inpatient treatment to adult patients, generally between the ages of 18-49. The hospital has 94 adult inpatient beds, over four treatment units and opened an additional 44 beds (two units) in December 2022, with one unit currently occupied, the other unit awaiting occupancy. These two forensic units will be dedicated to providing psychiatric stabilization and restoration treatment to individuals opined incompetent to proceed as a result of their mental illness. Medical services, occupational therapy, neuropsychological-rehabilitation services, and trauma-informed care services are available for all patients throughout the hospital.
Through our core values, CMHHFL staff is committed to:
- Individual dignity and respect
- Person-centered, evidence-based care
- Trauma informed recovery
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Diversity and inclusion
- Strong family and community partnerships
Shifts: Day and evening 5 - 8 hours; Nights 4 - 10 hours (Day shifts vary by team)
About this Work Unit: Each treatment unit provides psychiatric treatment services to adult clients through the use of a Milieu Treatment Program based on models of milieu therapy and group therapy. The focus of treatment is ongoing assessment and interventions designed to assist individual clients to resolve the specific problems that brought them to the hospital and to return them to the least restrictive environment in the community. Approaches are strength-based, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented enabling patients to learn more effective coping and living skills in order to function more effectively in the community upon discharge from the hospital. The psychiatric care and treatment modalities include milieu management, group therapy, activity therapy, health education and medication management with the goal of providing a consistent and safe environment for clients and to assist them with the amelioration of presenting problems and symptoms and improve problem solving and coping skills.
This position exists to provide therapeutic work in the psychiatric care and treatment of adults with acute and chronic exacerbation of a mental illness. Primary responsibilities are the application of knowledge, expertise and experience to establish a therapeutic relationship with the patient and provide safe and effective patient care. Mental Health Clinicians utilize psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery principles and techniques in all aspects of their job duties. This position works under the supervision and direction of a registered nurse and assists with psychiatric nursing care of mentally ill patients; observes, reports, and documents patient's behavior, physical condition, and reactions to medications and treatment; participates in designing and implementing patient treatment plans; monitors and intervenes to ensure a safe and therapeutic patient milieu; and provides immediate crisis intervention when indicated.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience Only:
Three (3) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position
OR
Education and Experience:
A combination of related education (psychology, sociology, social work, behavioral science, clinical mental health, nursing, child development, human services, or a closely related field) and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position equal to three (3) years. This experience must be clearly documented on your application.
Part-time experience will be pro-rated.
Preferred Qualifications:
- 1+ years of Knowledge and Experience as a Mental Health Care Clinician I at the State of Colorado Mental Health Institute.
- 1+ years of professional inpatient mental health-care experience in a psychiatric locked/secure setting, working with patients who may become verbally or physically abusive.
- Experience developing and running treatment groups
- Knowledge and experience with Trauma Informed Care and Recovery Principles and practices
- Outpatient mental health experience running groups, case management, etc.
- College or university education in nursing, psychology, sociology, human services, or education.
Highly Desirable Competencies:
- Knowledge of oral and written communication skills
- Knowledge and professional inpatient mental health-care experience
- Ability to exercise judgment and discretion in applying and interpreting departmental and institutional policies and procedures
- Ability to work with and communicate with internal and external clients and customers to meet their needs in a polite, courteous, and cooperative manner and committed to quality service
- Ability to perform with a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment toward completing assignments efficiently
- Ability to encourage and facilitate cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity
- Ability to foster commitment and team spirit
- Ability to express information to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information
- Ability to listen to others and respond appropriately
- Ability to problem solve
- Ability to execute decisions, Integrity, and Accountability
Conditions of employment:
- Full Background check and reference check required
- Shift Work – may work days, evenings, or nights
- Essential Services Designation – Required to report without delay or interruption to provide essential or emergency services to ensure health, safety, and welfare
- Must possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. Driver's License
- Must be at least 21 years of age or older
- Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination, or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.
APPEAL RIGHTS:
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director. An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgment of the department’s action.
For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.
How to Apply
The Assessment Process
For additional recruiting questions, please contact jazzma.gamboa@state.co.us.
About Us:
If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high-quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:
*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/student-loan-forgiveness-programs.
Our Values:
We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans.
Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.
We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.
Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.
We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.
Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.
We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
ADAA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAA Coordinator, Nancy Schmelzer, at cdhs_ada@state.co.us or call 1-800-929-0791.
~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~
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