Clinical Psychologist II - Psychiatry - 139329

UCSD Department of Psychiatry is one of the most innovative and productive academic departments in the country, offering challenging career opportunities in the diverse areas of advanced educational programs, cutting-edge research, and state-of-the-art clinical services. The department is committed to offering a dynamic learning environment and growing opportunities to its talented and dedicated employees.

Under direction of the CARE Director incumbent will work as a senior clinical psychologist in the CARE early psychosis program within the Department of Psychiatry supporting clinical and research responsibilities. Position involves conducting comprehensive clinical psychiatric evaluations of adolescents and young adults who present with high level diagnostic complexity and symptoms acuity to determine diagnosis, developing a treatment plan, providing consultation for treatment follow-up and referral information as needed as well as providing psychotherapy and crisis management to moderately severe symptomatic patients with psychosis. Clinical responsibilities will include working as part of an outpatient program to provide individual and group therapy as well as psycho-education to young people with complex presentation of early psychotic symptoms and other comorbidities. The position will require skills in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for psychosis and experience working with early psychosis patients as well as with dual diagnosis patients. Assist with other project and miscellaneous duties as required.

• Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology from a program that is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), and must have completed an APA-accredited clinical internship and one year of post-doctoral experience in clinical psychology.

• Must possess a valid license as a Psychologist in California.

• Experience assessing and diagnosing adolescents and young adults with psychotic spectrum disorders including the prodrome and first episode of psychosis.

• Demonstrated experience in conducting Structured and Semi-Structured Clinical Interviews and symptom rating scales based on DSM-V criteria. Proven experience to assess individuals identified as being at-risk for developing psychosis, as well as individuals who have developed a psychotic illness using specialized scales.

• Demonstrated experience to provide diagnosis, clinical consultation and education based on presenting psychiatric symptoms to individual and their family members.

• Proven ability to develop comprehensive treatment plan and recommendations to patients and family members.

• Proven experience providing case management to individuals experiencing new onset of psychiatric symptoms, providing appropriate referral information to study participants and their family members as well as providing consultation to treating clinicians.

• Proven ability to work and treat patients with psychotic patients comorbid with substance use disorders.

• Extensive knowledge of various community mental health services available for referral and recruitment source. Ability to attend local mental health organization meetings to present educational information about prodromal schizophrenia and the research program and recruit potential study participants.

• Demonstrated ability to identify and develop liaisons with new referral sources for recruitment of study participants.

• Demonstrated experience preparing consultation reports, preparation of progress reports and maintenance of patient records.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently and problem solve in high risk patient situations.

• Demonstrated experience communicating findings, recommendations, referrals, and clinical information clearly and effectively to multidisciplinary research teams verbally and in writing.

• Demonstrated experience interacting with psychosis spectrum adolescents, young adults and their family members. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly, efficiently, tactfully, and patiently in person, on the phone, and in writing to a diverse population including parents of adolescent children with new onset of mental health issues and the children themselves.

• Demonstrated strong organizational, analysis, and decision-making skills. Ability to efficiently organize, prioritize, and meet deadlines with attention to detail.

• Must be able to maintain confidentiality.

• Demonstrated experience with operation of PC using word processing, a database application and some type of e-mail system.

• Demonstrated experience in being flexible and manage multiple task efficiently

• Demonstrated knowledge and skill in problem-focused psychotherapeutic interventions and a thorough working knowledge of DSM-5 categories and differential diagnosis.

• Demonstrated ability to facilitate Cognitive Behavioral Social Skills Training psychotherapy group with first episode psychosis individuals.

• Demonstrated ability to facilitate multi-family psychotherapy group with caregivers of patients with first episode psychosis.

• Demonstrated ability to facilitate family-focused (FFT) psychotherapy with families of patients with first episode psychosis.

• Demonstrated knowledge of industry sponsored clinical trial procedures and assessment measures in psychosis.

• Proven scientific writing and organizational skills.

• Demonstrated experience in data analysis using statistical software (e.g. SPSS, R or equivalent).

• Strong knowledge of research design and data collection.

• Demonstrated experience in administering the following scales: PSYCHS (Positive SYmptoms and Diagnostic Criteria for the CAARMS Harmonized with the SIPS), Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), CGI (Clinical Global Impression).

• Demonstrated experience with Epic Access.

• 10 or more years of post graduate level experience in the field.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.

• Must have access to reliable transportation for outreach presentations.