Job Description

Posting number: IIB 05433 10/6/2026

Department: Colorado Department of Human Services

Division: OBH (Office of Behavioral Health)

Job classification: Psychologist II

Posting type: Open

Categories: Public Health, Health Care Support

Summary

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This position will accept applications from residents and non-residents of Colorado. This announcement is open to potential candidates who are legal residents of the United States. All legal residents of the United States are eligible to apply and compete. If appointed to a position, applicants from outside of Colorado will be required to relocate to Colorado prior to their start date, at their own expense.

Located within the Colorado Department of Human Services, the Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health (OCFMH) is responsible for policy development, service provision and coordination, program monitoring and evaluation, and administrative oversight for the public behavioral health system. OCFMH funds, supports and monitors numerous mental health and substance abuse community programs and providers. OCFMH also operates the Colorado Mental Health Hospitals at Fort Logan and Pueblo and the Forensic Services Division. OCFMH executes the States’ federal responsibilities as the State Mental Health Authority and State Substance Abuse Authority for the purposes of administering federal mental health and substance abuse block grant funds.

The Forensic Services Division is responsible for six departments, including Forensic Community-Based Services (FCBS), Jail-Based Evaluation and Restoration (JBR), Outpatient Restoration (OPR), the Forensic Support Team (FST), the Court Services Department, and the Operations Department. The Court Services Department employs forensically practicing psychologists to provide evaluative services statewide, with staff in Pueblo, Denver, and other locations. Evaluators complete all court ordered forensic evaluations for defendants in criminal cases as so ordered by the court. These evaluations are performed in the jail, in the community, at CMHHIP, or at CMHHIFL and are performed by psychologists and psychiatrists, as mandated in the Colorado Statute, 16-8.5.

Our teams work within various settings including community agencies, jails, courts, and hospitals. The locations can include locked units and secure facilities and our clients may at times be unpredictable due to their mental health needs. Our team is required to make critical decisions in dynamic and fast-paced environments in order to ensure a high level of accountability for patient care. Our staff are required to maintain updated skills, knowledge, abilities, and competencies necessary to the position through continuing education, clinical supervision, literature review, and discipline and team development. This position may be required to travel throughout Colorado to meet the needs of the department.

Examples of duties

Weekly Hybrid Working Arrangements

Minimum 2 days In Office Required and Maximum 3 days Remote Work

At times, more presence at both office locations in Denver and Pueblo is required

This position will comply with the Forensics Services Department's current

working arrangements.

Please note: Work arrangements are subject to change at any time.

The purpose of this position is to serve as the Associate Director of Court Services, who directly supports the Director of Court Services, including the oversight and management of the evaluator supervisor team. In doing so, this position provides oversight to six supervisors and serves as a supervisor to all evaluators. This includes the provision of administrative supervision, professional development, employee performance evaluations, plans, and disciplinary actions, staff scheduling, position descriptions, recruitment, retention, interviewing and hiring, onboarding and training, and ensuring ongoing quality standards are achieved within evaluations. This position is responsible for the hybrid work arrangements and evaluation assignment process for all evaluators, ensuring productivity. Duties may require commuting to various locations for training, supervision, evaluation, meetings, and stakeholder engagements. The position will assist in the creation and oversee the implementation of policy, procedure, and best practices. The position also informs staffing patterns, caseloads, workflows, analyzes data, and anticipates trends impacting the aforementioned duties.

This position will directly supervise six positions, IIB’s: 06262, 05208, 03921, 03843, 03586, and 03893.

Other duties include:

Supervision of Evaluator Supervisor Team:

• Supervises and directly manages the evaluator supervisory team, which consists of six supervisory psychologists. Supervisory duties include providing administrative supervision, professional development, employee performance evaluations, plans, and disciplinary actions; scheduling staff; developing position descriptions; recruitment, retention, interviewing, and hiring; onboarding and training; and ensuring ongoing quality standards are met in evaluations.
• Manages hybrid work arrangements and the evaluation assignment process for all evaluators, ensuring productivity. Duties may require commuting to various locations for training, supervision, evaluation, meetings, and stakeholder engagements.

Court Services Leadership Support:

• Serves as a secondary point of leadership within the court services department.
• Serves as the primary delegate for the Director. This often includes managing and facilitating various meetings, engaging with internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the department, being present in show-cause hearings, supporting the administrative team, managing, interpreting, and presenting data, and navigating a variety of matters related to the consent decree.
• Assists in monitoring Court Services processes and workflows to ensure consistency, efficiency, and adherence to court requirements and internal standards.

Training and Auditing:

• Participates in all training endeavors with court services.
• Serves in an integral role in identifying training needs via their oversight of the supervisors and evaluation team and actively contributes to such training as a subject matter expert.
• In addition to internal staff training, actively participates in all student training opportunities for fellowship, internship, and externship if appropriate. This includes direct supervision, shadowing, teaching, and training.
• Serves as a primary representative for internal and external stakeholder training and education needs. In addition, this position collaborates with the training director and court services director to establish best practices for all forensic evaluations, and ensures all auditing tools are appropriately developed and applied.

Forensic Evaluations:

• Practices and completes evaluations on behalf of the department. The type of forensic evaluations completed may vary based on subject matter expertise, departmental demand, and individual interest.
• Completes evaluations at a reduced quota, including adult and juvenile competency, mental condition, sanity, and risk.
• Completes evaluations across the state to respond to fluctuating court orders.
• Travels to locations throughout Colorado in order to respond to short deadlines and the need for prompt and, in some cases, immediate response to a court-ordered evaluation.

Policy, Procedure, and Data:

• Leads the creation of policy and procedure as it pertains to Court Services and their associated duties and in partnership with the Quality Assurance Team. In doing so, this position shall ensure any tracking and/or data collection mechanisms are established and adhered to.
• Serves as the primary party responsible for ensuring any new department or division policy is trained on, adhered to, and documentation is retained.
• Identifies when a policy or procedure update is required, shall audit the teams’ adherence and overall efficiencies, and shall provide reports to the Director with action plans when necessary.
• Contributes to internal and external training to support the Department’s mission and the understanding of those we partner with. This may also include representing the department in various committees and workgroups.
• Supports the oversight and coordination of consent decree mandates to ensure compliance, tracking, and timely completion of required deliverables.
• Contributes to internal and external training to support the Department’s mission and strengthen understanding among partner agencies and stakeholders.
• Responsible for the oversight of all statutorily mandated compliance timeframes, including the processing of orders, assignment of evaluations, and completion of evaluations. In doing so, the position shall establish workflow processes and efficiencies to ensure consistency and will monitor for trends to report to leadership regarding noncompliance or resource deficiencies.
• Monitors the evaluator caseloads, trends, identifies inefficiencies and problematic patterns, proposes solutions, and implements action items on behalf of the Director.
• Establishes and monitors systems for data tracking associated with court orders, evaluation opinions, and courtroom dispositions and identifies trends that may have an impact on the department. In doing the aforementioned duties, this position shall establish court templates for communications, training for staff, quality reviews, and audits.

Other Duties As Assigned:

• This position may be called upon to perform tasks or undertake special assignments or projects deemed necessary by OCFMH, but not specifically referenced in the above duties.

Qualifications

Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience:

Current, valid licensure as a Psychologist from the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners

Three (3) years of experience as a licensed psychologist or permitted psychologist candidate, two of which must have been at the level of a fully operating psychologist

No Substitutions

Preferred Qualifications:

• Specialized supervisory and/or leadership training
• Board Certification: American Board of Professional Psychology- Forensic Psychology
• Demonstrated background in handling personnel matters
• Demonstrated background in establishing and maintaining quality assurance standards in forensic report writing, supervision, psychological assessment, and testimony.
• Significant experience with a variety of psychological assessment measures.
• Experience working with individuals with a combination of severe and persistent mental illness, intellectual and developmental disabilities, neurocognitive disorders.
• Experience working within inpatient psychiatric facilities, secured facilities, and/or correctional facilities.
• Experience offering expert witness testimony.
• Experience providing clinical supervision to other professionals who conduct the aforementioned duties within the aforementioned settings.
• Experience providing administrative supervision and leadership
• Significant experience conducting a variety of forensic evaluations including but not limited to adult competence to stand trial, juvenile competence to stand trial, criminal responsibility, risk, and release.

Conditions of Employment:

• Annual influenza and other vaccines as required by the State of CO
• 2-Step TB (tuberculosis) screening is required
• Travel – Explain: Department employees are located in both Pueblo and Denver. This position must travel for outreach and education and throughout the state for stakeholder needs and evaluations.
• This position will be reachable by department staff within business hours and during emergencies after hours
• Use, Handling, or Exposure to hazardous materials – Explain: May be exposed to bodily fluids.
• Full Background CDHS employees (all Direct contact with vulnerable persons):
• CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults – Mental Health Institutes, Regional Centers, Veterans Community Living Centers)
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:
• Disclose that information on the application.
• Explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current position.
• Provide your employee number from your prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

CDHS Selection Process Explanation

Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements.

• Preferred Qualifications & Competencies:
• Relevant years of state service experience.

Minimum Qualification Screening Process

A Human Resources Analyst will review the work experience/job duties sections of the online job application to determine whether your experience meets the minimum qualifications for the position. You must complete the official State of Colorado online application. Cover letters and resumes WILL NOT be reviewed during the minimum qualifications screening process. You must specifically document your work experience and qualifications in the application form. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached."

You must meet the minimum qualifications to continue in the selection process. Part-time work experience will be prorated.

Comparative Analysis Process – Structured Application Review

After minimum qualification screening, the comparative analysis process will involve reviewing and rating of all the information you submit. The comparative analysis step may also include your results from standardized testing.

Your Work Experience/Job Duties

Document your work experience/job duties to the extent to which you possess the skills, education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications.

If listed, answer all supplemental questions as your answers to these questions will be evaluated during this phase. Provide at least 4-8 sentences for each supplemental question.

Supplemental Questions

Answer the supplemental questions completely and thoughtfully. We will rate your answers based on the content of your response and your writing skills (spelling, grammar, and clarity of your writing).

Appeal Rights

You may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director if your application is eliminated. You will find the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it on the State Personnel Board website.

• You or your representative must sign and submit the official appeal form for review.
• You can find the official appeal form here.
• You must be deliver the official appeal form to the State Personnel Board:
• By email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), or
• Postmarked in US Mail to(1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203, 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 acknowledgement of the department’s action.

Contact the State Personnel Board for assistance:

• At (303) 866-3300, or
• Refer to the Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, within the Rules webpage.

Supplemental information

• How to apply to the State of Colorado(Youtube Video, Runtime 3:59, Closed Captions Available)
• The Assessment Process

About Us & Benefits

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, join 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. Each of us is committed to contributing to a safe and accessible CDHS. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center
• Employee Wellness program
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
• *Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Our Values

• We believe in a people-first approach: We prioritize the needs, well-being, and dignity of the individuals, families and communities we serve. We commit to respect, fairness and access in every decision, policy and interaction. We engage client voices and experiences in the development and implementation of the services we provide.
• 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.

ADA Accommodations

CDHS is committed to a Colorado for 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.

This includes completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing 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 cdhs_ada@state.co.us.

EEO Statement

The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer

We are committed to increasing a “Colorado for ALL" of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a “Colorado for ALL” drives our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

Additional Support For Your Application

Toll Free Applicant Technical Support

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application 1) ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and 2) close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.