The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) is the state agency that focuses solely on policies, programs, and services for people with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, intellectual and developmental disabilities, or any combination of these. As Georgia’s public safety net, DBHDD operates six field offices and five hospitals throughout the state within three program areas: behavioral health, developmental disabilities and hospital services.

The main office for DBHDD is located in downtown Atlanta.

Job Description

Job Title:  Outpatient Forensic Program Associate

Pay Grade: F

Job Summary:

The Community Forensic Program Associate is assigned to one of four outpatient teams and will work under the leadership of their team’s Community Forensic Director.

1.      Receive and prepare cases for psychological evaluations.

a.      Pretrial Evaluations

i.     Create defendant forensic file containing the following:

1.      Court order for evaluation (review to ensure the referral is appropriate)

2.      Complete referral information

3.      Police Report / Indictment / Accusation

4.      Obtain missing documents

5.      Check AVATAR to see if there was prior involvement with the individual

6.      Request and receive school, medical and mental health records, as appropriate

ii.     Verify location of defendant (bond or jail) and set up appointment for psychologist – confirm contact information is accurate

1.      Send notifications to defendant and attorney/referral source

2.      Confirm appointment the business day or 2 before the appointment to ensure the defendant/youth is still at the location.

3.      Communicate with court/referral source regarding status of evaluations and with regard to problems scheduling

iii.    Request and receive additional records as needed (Release of Information)

iv.      Score psychological tests, if requested

v.       Receive and distribute completed psychological evaluations

1.      Email/fax to judge and attorney

2.      Enter evaluation into Avatar, SharePoint, Felix

3.      File completed evaluations/charts

b.      Restoration Cases

i.     Notify Community Forensic Director, Forensic Community Coordinator, and psychologist when new restoration order is received

1.      Ensure all needed documentation is on SharePoint as well as case file

2.      Collect any additional/needed documents

ii.     Track timeline for re-evaluation of defendants

1.      Update / maintain Felix

2.      Set up appointment between defendant and psychologist

iii.     Receive and distribute completed psychological evaluations

1.      Email/fax to judge and attorneys

2.      Enter evaluation into Avatar, SharePoint, Felix

3.      File completed evaluations/charts

iv.      Ensure an FCC is assigned for defendants on the hospital waiting list longer than 6 months

c.      Annual Reviews (for defendants monitored in the community)

i.     Notify Community Forensic Director and Forensic Community Coordinator when new case or court order is received

1.      Verify Felix is accurate and up to date

ii.     Verify all needed documentation is on SharePoint

1.      Request needed information from discharging hospital

iii.     Track annual reviews

1.      Notify FCC and psychologist one-month in advance of up-coming reports

a.      Assist with scheduling when requested

2.      Enter evaluation into Felix and upload to SharePoint

3.      Receive and distribute completed psychological evaluations

a.      Email/fax to judge and attorneys

Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary & benefits, GA Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities is part of a statewide initiative called Total Rewards that seeks to attract and retain employees by supplementing their base pay and benefits with programs designed to improve the quality of their work environment and lead to greater job satisfaction and work/life balance. Eligible employees are offered generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid holidays, vacation and sick leave. For more information, visit https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/benefits

Employment Requirements
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our employees, individuals and communities we serve, certain positions within DBHDD may require evaluations, vaccinations, professional licensure and certifications. Licenses must be current and enable providers to practice within the State of Georgia.

The following are a listing of evaluations and vaccinations that may be required for employees, including those not involved with direct care:

• Drug Screening
• TB Evaluation
• Annual Influenza*

*Limited exemptions may be made for documented medical contraindications or religious beliefs that object to vaccinations.

DBHDD is an Equal Opportunity Employer
It is the policy of DBHDD to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information on application status by phone or e-mail. All qualified applicants will be considered but may not necessarily receive an interview. Selected applicants will be contacted by the hiring agency for next steps in the selection process.

This position is subject to close at any time once a satisfactory applicant pool has been identified.

FOR THIS TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT, STATE LAW REQUIRES A NATIONAL AND STATE BACKGROUND CHECK AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.