Review Vacancy
AgencyPeople With Developmental Disabilities, Office for
Occupational CategoryHealth Care, Human/Social Services
Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)
Salary RangeFrom $86681 to $109650 Annually
Duties Description The Associate Psychologist position will serve as the Division Statewide Services, Bureau Service Allocation, Research, and Review (BSARR), Clinical Quality Assurance Team Lead. The BSARR is responsible for leading various agency-wide initiatives to improve health equity, service allocation, and service access. BSARR is a fundamental part of our strategic goals of transforming our system through innovation and change. The BSARR Associate Psychologist will report directly to the Bureau Director. The Division of Statewide Services has advanced agency-wide equity goals by creating standard service guidance that is based on valid and reliable clinical assessment information. With these tools now available, BSARR will lead efforts that ensure that OPWDD service system adheres to service authorization guidance and thus serves as OPWDD's first Utilization Management team. This position will implement standard operating procedures which will be the mechanism to stem overutilization and promote fairness in service access goals that are especially important given the workforce crisis. The Bureau's Clinical Quality Assurance Team will collaborate across OPWDD to inform policy and guidance that ensures service authorization and utilization are clinically appropriate and consistent with the strengths and needs of the individual. This team is intentionally positioned in the Division of Statewide Services to ensure the required integration of subject matter experts in assessment, clinical evaluation, resource allocation, research, and data analysis. Specifically, with the supports of licensed psychologists, the Associate Psychologist will oversee a team of staff who will review OPWDD supports / services, provide clinical guidance, create protocols and procedures for appropriate service authorization, and monitor trends in the OPWDD service system of nearly 140,000 individuals. This position will be responsible for providing oversight and monitoring of changing OPWDD clinical guidance and will focus on topic areas identified as priorities by OPWDD leadership. This information will be leveraged to help the agency look at where areas of the service spectrum may not meet the needs of the people, where there may be issues of access, and where there may be issues of inequity.
The Associate Psychologist, BSARR Clinical Quality Assurance Team Lead, will be directly responsible for the following:
·Conduct clinical evaluations and/or consultation on assessment(s) as clinically indicated, under the supervision of a licensed psychologist.
· Provide oversight of quality improvement activities, including setting priorities and identifying areas through collaborative review of service utilization information.
·Consider all relevant clinical information on case-specific requests and provide consultation with DDRO staff to determine if additional clinical considerations should be followed.
·Assess clinical appropriateness and effectiveness of service authorizations including under-utilization, over-utilization, inappropriate utilization, and denials.
· Refer cases back to the responsible authorization team to address concerns related to clinical documentation, service authorization consistency, service utilization and/or treatment differences among individuals with similar needs.
· Document allocation and utilization reviews and recommendations submitted to the Statewide Services Office of the Medical Director.
· Consult with regional staff reviewing case files and/or other subject matter experts as needed.
· Supervise staff that will perform routine `Intake and Inquiry Review' and “Conflict Resolution & Guidance Development".
· Maintaining confidentiality of personal health information.
· Assisting with developing and/or presenting trainings, as assigned.
· Performing other duties as assigned by the Division of Statewide Services.
Telecommuting is permitted and details will be discussed at interview.
PREFERRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE
· Experience with interpreting and leveraging results from comprehensive functional needs assessments, including but not limited to, such as the Coordinated Assessment System (CAS) for adults and the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) tools, and how they inform person-centered planning and individualized service authorization recommendations.
· Knowledge of the operations of OPWDD Article 16 Clinics, which primarily serve individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and their support networks at both main and satellite locations.
· Familiarity with HCBS Medicaid Waiver services, including the drafting and/or use of criteria for eligibility, person-centered service planning, and service authorization processes specific to people with developmental disability.
· Familiarity with state and federal regulations governing behavioral health and developmental disability services, particularly within Medicaid-funded programs and OPWDD systems.
· Strong communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills to convey clinical findings, justification for recommendations, and policy guidance to internal teams, external stakeholders, and multidisciplinary audiences.
· Experience providing supervision, mentoring, or training, especially in areas related to quality assurance and utilization review.
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Minimum Qualifications A doctoral degree in a clinical field of psychology (see notes below); AND
EITHER a one-year, full-time pre-doctoral clinical internship OR one year of psychology experience in a clinical setting, under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. You must demonstrate on your application how you meet this qualification.
Notes:
Non-qualifying degree majors include, but are not limited to the following: education, educational psychology, transpersonal psychology, educational counseling, guidance counseling, experimental psychology, industrial psychology, psychometrics, organizational psychology, student and personnel services, mental health counseling, pastoral psychology, human relations, etc.
Psychology experience in a clinical setting is considered to be any direct care experience with individuals, families, or groups in a hospital, clinic, facility, private practice, or correctional setting under the supervision of a Licensed Psychologist. Qualifying experience must primarily include performing psychological evaluations or assessment tests, psychological diagnostic testing, developing psychological treatment plans, providing psychological counseling and treatment in one or more of the following areas: mental and/or emotional disorders, developmental disabilities, alcoholism, addictions, sex offender assessment and treatment, or forensic mental health.
The following experience is NOT considered qualifying: Experience in administration, administrative services, administrative oversight, training, special education, behavior specialist, habilitation specialist, project management, research, or primarily supervisory experience. Other non-qualifying experience includes, but is not limited to, experience in experimental psychology, research psychology, industrial psychology, organizational psychology, utilization review, guidance counseling, etc.
Additional Comments This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). HELPS Program titles may be filled via a non-competitive appointment. This means that you do not need to take an exam to qualify, but you do need to meet the minimum qualifications of the title.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), employees hired under NY HELPS are expected to have their permanent non-competitive employment status converted to permanent competitive status. You will not have to take an exam to gain permanent competitive status.
• If you are currently a New York State employee serving in a permanent competitive qualifying title and eligible for a transfer via Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law, you may be appointed to this title as a permanent competitive employee.
• The assignment of PS&T employees will be made in accordance with any agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding between PEF and the local DDSO regarding the posting of job vacancies.
• Preference will be given to OPWDD employees impacted by closures. If you are being impacted by closure, please indicate this on your resume.
• All OPWDD employees must be eligible and maintain eligibility for full and unconditional participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Continued employment will depend on maintaining eligibility.
• If you are employed by state government you may be able to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. For more information on PSLF, please visit www.studentAid.gov/publicservice.
• Employees on long term leave can bid on positions but must be able to report to work within fourteen (14) days and be able to perform the essential functions of their positions with or without reasonable accommodation (RA).
• If an employee or job applicant believes that they need a reasonable accommodation, they should contact the Reasonable Accommodation Unit at (518) 486-7222 or email accommodationrequests@opwdd.ny.gov to obtain information and RA forms.
• Savings programs such as the U.S. Savings Bond and the College Savings Plan.
• Voluntary pre-tax savings programs such as Health Care Spending Account and the Dependent Care Advantage Account offer employees options to pay for uncovered health care expenses or dependent care expenses.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) an assessment and referral service that connects employees with local service providers and support services to address their personal needs.
• Life insurance and Disability insurance.
• The New York State Deferred Compensation Plan is a voluntary retirement plan that offers employees the option to invest a part of their salaries for retirement on a tax-deferred basis.
• Paid Holidays and Leave:
° Thirteen (13) paid holidays each year.
° Thirteen (13) days of paid vacation leave initially.
° Five (5) days paid personal leave each year.
° Thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave each year (PEF/CSEA), which may carry over from year to year.
° Up to three (3) days professional leave each year to participate in professional development events.
• Health Care Coverage:
Employees and their eligible dependents can choose from a variety of affordable health insurance programs. Employees are provided family dental and vision plans at no extra cost.
• Paid Parental Leave:
Paid Parental Leave allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave at full pay for each qualifying event. A qualifying event is defined as the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care.
• Retirement Program:
Participate in The NYS Employees’ Retirement System (ERS), which is recognized as one of the best-managed and best-funded public retirement systems in the nation.
• Professional Development and Education and Training:
NYS offers training programs and tuition assistance to eligible employees to maintain and increase their professional skills and prepare them for promotional opportunities. For more information, please visit https://oer.ny.gov/training-and-professional-development.
• Additionally, the Public Service Workshops Program (PSWP) offers certain professional training opportunities for PEF represented and M/C designated employees that may grant continuing education credits towards maintaining professional licensure. For more information, please visit https://oer.ny.gov/public-service-workshops-program-pswp.
• OPWDD is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer dedicated to creating and sustaining a culture of inclusion. We believe that we are most effective in managing and improving our service system with a diverse team of employees. With such a large workforce, we rely on the collective individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, ideas and talent that our employees bring to their work. This speaks to our culture and is a key part of our successes. As we continuously recruit people for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that applicants bring in terms of their education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.
***All people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.***
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.