Introduction
Our Mission: The Connecticut Department of Correction shall strive to be a global leader in progressive correctional practices and partnered re-entry initiatives to support responsive evidence-based practices aligned to law abiding and accountable behaviors. Safety and security shall be a priority component of this responsibility as it pertains to staff, victims, citizens and offenders.
The State of Connecticut, Department of Correction (DOC) is currently recruiting for a Principal Psychiatrist. Our current opportunities are located at Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown, CT, York Correctional Institution in East Lyme, CT, and Hartford Correctional Center in Hartford, CT, all on first shift with a Monday-Friday, 7:00am-3:00pm schedule. However, this posting can serve as a recruitment for ALL Department of Correction Facilities, should a position be available.
These facilities include:
- Bridgeport Correctional Center - Bridgeport, CT
- Cheshire Correctional Institution - Cheshire, CT
- Manson Youth Institution - Cheshire, CT
- Carl Robinson Correctional Institution - Enfield, CT
- Cybulski Correctional Institution - Enfield, CT
- Corrigan Correctional Center - Montville, CT
- Hartford Correctional Center - Hartford, CT
- New Haven Correctional Center - New Haven, CT
- Osborn Correctional Institution - Somers, CT
- MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution - Suffield, CT
Discover the opportunity to:
- Be part of a 700-member team dedicated to improving the health of nearly 13,000 patients.
- Fulfill public service by providing clinical care to a vulnerable patient population
- Enjoy work-life balance with a flexible schedule, with no mandatory call, voluntary paid on-call and a manageable patient load.
- Avoid hassles with insurance companies and billing requirements.
- Work in a safe and collaborative environment with nursing and administrative support
- Practice in one of multiple locations available in urban, suburban and rural sites across the state
- Contribute to the coordination of onsite medical, mental/behavioral health and dental services
- Get clinical exposure to a variety of psychiatric diagnosis and, with no managed care seeking to discharge from your care, have the chance to see the positive impact of your interventions on your patients.
- Have access to point-of-care labs and phlebotomy services, neuro imaging and, when warranted, psychological testing.
- Perform charting with a modern electronic health record.
- Have malpractice insurance covered by the State of Connecticut.
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
State of Connecticut employees participate in a competitive benefits plan that includes:
- NEW: Visit our State Employee Benefits Overview page!
- NEW: A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews,Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings.
- Sick, vacation, and personal leave.
- This is a Hazardous Duty Position and offers a pension plan, the State Employees Retirement System Tier IV.
- Student Loan Forgiveness - the State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
- We encourage a healthy work/life balance to all employees.
- To work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
- Engage in a rewarding career.
- Assist our employees so they can achieve success.
- Make a difference in the public sector.
- Work together in a collaborative team environment.
Our state has a lot to offer - from fun activities for all ages, to great food and shopping, to beautiful state parks and forests, to our diverse cultures and rich history. Connecticut is a great place to live! Learn more about Connecticut here.
For an inside look at how healthcare professionals make a difference in a correctional setting, watch the video below!
Selection Plan
Before you apply:
- In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
- The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
- Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
- All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
- For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from branch to branch but it does not impact your state service credit.
- This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
- Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
- Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
- For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
- The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
In the Departments of Children and Families, Correction and Mental Health and Addiction Services this class is accountable for providing clinical administrative/supervisory functions and/or direct care psychiatric services as a board-certified advanced clinician.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
- Provides 24-hour supervision to specified groups of patients and facility coverage as scheduled including on-call coverage and weekend coverage;
- Makes rounds and provides direct care and clinical oversight of multi-disciplinary treatment teams;
- Coordinates work of medical staff with related programs;
- Reviews treatment plans, clinical records, diagnoses, and patient discharge plans for adherence to policies and/or The Joint Commission (TJC) and Health Care Financing Authority (HCFA) standards;
- Provides education and training as indicated, e.g., grand rounds and case conferences;
- Assigns, oversees and evaluates work of staff and on-site night duty physicians and/or psychiatrists;
- Conducts and/or participates in meetings on clinical and administrative policy, research programs, clinical program development and treatment techniques;
- Assesses, examines and evaluates patients for admission or discharge;
- Assesses, examines, diagnoses and prescribes appropriate medications and other biologic and psychosocial treatments for patients with psychiatric illnesses and substance abuse disorders;
- Performs advanced level risk assessments;
- Consults on difficult and/or complex cases;
- Develops and implements QA and/or QI process improvement initiatives;
- Prepares and/or reviews reports, medical records and correspondence;
- Performs utilization review and management functions;
- Attends court hearings as a state witness;
- Performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
- Considerable knowledge of
- methods and principles of behavioral health medicine;
- current principles and methods of assessment and treatment of patients with psychiatric illnesses and substance abuse disorders;
- recent developments in field of psychiatry and substance abuse including treatment models and best practices;
- Considerable
- interpersonal skills;
- oral and written communication skills;
- Considerable ability to
- examine for, diagnose, assess and treat patients with psychiatric illnesses and substance abuse disorders;
- prescribe and conduct psychotherapy, medications and other treatments specific to psychiatric and substance abuse disorders;
- Ability to
- develop a collaborative group practice environment with other psychiatrists, physicians and members of interdisciplinary teams;
- analyze and interpret laboratory reports, x-rays and other medical and/or psychological reports and findings;
- Administrative ability;
- Supervisory ability.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
Incumbents in this class must possess and retain certification as a specialist in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology or board certification in Adult or Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice medicine and surgery in Connecticut. A temporary license may be granted for a period not to exceed one (1) year.
- Incumbents in this class must possess and maintain eligibility for participation in federal health care programs as defined in 42 U.S. 1320a-7b(f).
- Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain certification as a specialist in an area such as geriatrics, ABI/TBI, forensics, substance abuse, etc.
- Incumbents in this class may be required to possess appropriate current licenses, certifications or permits.
- Incumbents in this class may be required to be bilingual.
Conclusion
AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.