Psychologist Candidate (Forensics)- Clinical Services at Fort Logan

Salary : $79,476.00 - $119,364.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: IIC 05459 811/2/2026
Department: Colorado Department of Human Services
Division: OBH - CMHIFL
Opening Date: 11/02/2026
Closing Date: 11/16/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Type of Announcement: This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Primary Physical Work Address: 3520 W Oxford Ave
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information:
How To Apply: Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.

Department Information
This position is open to current Colorado residents only.

You are required to work at your assigned work location during your scheduled work times.

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

This posting may fill multiple vacancies

CO Service Corps eligible

The Psychologist Candidate position works in the 24-hour State psychiatric hospital with individuals voluntarily and involuntarily committed for treatment. Patients receiving treatment at CMHH-FL have severe and persistent mental illness and may have traumatic brain injury, trauma disorders, and other complex dynamics. Each treatment team is multidisciplinary, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, addiction specialists, occupational therapists, recreation therapists, creative arts therapists, nurses, physicians, and mental health clinicians. In addition, the hospital offers dietary, peer, and chaplain services.
Description of Job

The Psychologist Candidate is responsible for individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy. Individual and family therapy are provided as needed, which is determined in the treatment plan meetings and in collaboration with the treatment team. Group therapy is offered to all patients and group assignment shall be determined by clinical and individualized need, which the Psychologist Candidate guides. The Psychologist Candidate is responsible for developing group materials appropriate for patient specific needs and leading group therapy sessions. For individuals requiring a more detailed treatment approach or tailored intervention for specific behaviors, the Psychologist will develop individualized behavior plans and programs and will provide psychoeducation and training to all milieu staff for successful implementation. The Psychologist Candidate is responsible for monitoring the plan, documenting in the electronic health record, providing the patient and the treatment team with feedback, and modifying as needed.

The Psychologist Candidate conducts comprehensive psychological testing and consults with all treatment teams on appropriate referrals and testing results. In addition, the Psychologist Candidate is responsible for providing psychological expertise to the treatment teams, all hospital departments, and external stakeholders. The Psychologist Candidate documents regularly in the electronic health record and contributes to the training of doctoral externs and predoctoral interns through various psychological seminars, supervision, co-facilitation, and mentoring. The Psychologist Candidate actively contributes to hospital-wide events, in-service training, and program development. Lastly, the Psychologist Candidate is responsible for completion of certification evaluations. .

As a Psychologist Candidate," the individual in this position is working towards licensure, under close supervision of a (licensed) Psychologist I. The expectation is that this individual obtains licensure within 1.5 years of hire, with plans to promote to a Psychologist I following licensure. Other duties include:

Therapeutic and Behavioral Intervention:

• Under supervision:
• Responsible for individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy. Individual and family therapy are provided as needed, which is determined in the treatment plan meetings and in collaboration with the treatment team. Group therapy is offered to all patients and group assignment shall be determined by clinical and individualized need, which the Psychologist Candidate guides.
• Responsible for developing group materials appropriate for patient-specific needs and leading group therapy sessions. For individuals requiring a more detailed treatment approach or tailored intervention for specific behaviors, the Psychologist will develop individualized behavior plans and programs and will provide psychoeducation and training to all milieu staff for successful implementation.
• Responsible for monitoring the plan, documenting in the electronic health record, providing the patient and the treatment team with feedback, and modifying as needed.

Treatment Planning and Clinical Consultation:

• Under supervision:
• Participates in treatment planning and actively contributes to the formulation of patient-specific goals. They provide clinical guidance and consultation regarding effective and appropriate clinical goals, measurability, progress, and/or stagnation.
• Reviews documentation and medical records, gathers behavioral observations, evaluates, assesses, and synthesizes information. In addition to weekly and/or monthly treatment plan meetings, the Psychologist Candidate actively participates in additional team consultation sessions, family meetings, discharge planning, and cross-team consultation meetings.
• Responsible for creating discipline-specific treatment goals, documenting progress, and updating as needed in the electronic health record (i.e., individual therapy, specific group therapy modalities, behavioral plans, etc.).
• Provides clinical leadership to the treatment teams and consults with multidisciplinary staff across the hospital. At times, they may consult with external stakeholders regarding treatment needs and recommendations to support continuity of care. Examples include consultation with CMHH-FL staff, meetings with the patients' family, liaison with mental health centers, attorneys, and district and/or probate courts.

Evaluation for Civil Commitment:

• Under supervision:
• Reviews the legal status of all patients admitted to CMHH-FL and evaluates their mental status and condition to determine whether they can be released, can cooperate with voluntary inpatient treatment, or need to be certified pursuant to Colorado Mental Health Statutes (CRS 27-65-101 et seq.) for involuntary treatment.
• Communicates findings to the Court by letters, petitions, and expert-witness testimony as needed.

Psychological Screening and Assessment:

• Responsible for performing psychological assessments to include standardized suicide risk assessment measures, intellectual testing, adaptive abilities, personality measures, comprehensive psychodiagnostics batteries, competency-related skills, and a variety of screening measures.
• Assists the treatment team in determining whether a formal psychological assessment may assist treatment planning, diagnosis, and disposition plans, and chooses appropriate assessment procedures.
• Administers all testing measures, completes a written report, submits documentation in the electronic health record, and communicates the results and recommendations to the treatment team and milieu staff.

Student Training and Student Supervision:

• CMHH-FL has a long-standing predoctoral internship program and also trains predoctoral psychology externship students. Currently, CMHH-FL is partnered with the University of Denver Consortium as a predoctoral internship training location. The Psychology Department is responsible for interviewing and selecting predoctoral extern and intern-level students.
• Contributes to training opportunities through externship and internship-level didactic curriculum and supervision. However, given the Psychologist Candidate is not yet licensed (working under the licensure of their Psychologist supervisor), all direct training of students will require a supervision of supervision model, in which the licensed psychologist ultimately signs off.

Other Duties as Assigned:

• Other duties as assigned include hospital-wide ad hoc activities, milieu support, etc.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Experience Only:

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

No Substitutions

Special Qualifications: Current, valid licensure as a Psychologist Candidate from the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners.
***APPLICANTS MUST ATTACH A COPY OF THEIR COLORADO PSYCHOLOGIST CANDIDATE LICENSE

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in completing comprehensive psychological assessments and/or civil certifications
• Clinical experience with inpatient, forensic, or SPMI populations
• Psychology degree
• Any combination of education and experience

Conditions of Employment:

• May be exposed to bodily fluids or caustic chemicals
• Due to the juvenile population served at the MHI facilities, incumbents of this position must be at least 21 years of age
• Travel - Explain: May travel to attend training, court hearing, patients to appointment and other related activities
• 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)
• MOTOR VEHICLE RECORD CHECK: This position will drive a state fleet or non-state fleet vehicle for State business purposes.
• Must possess a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver's License or an non-restricted U.S. Driver's License for positions within 30 miles of the CO state border
• Out-of-State Driver's License holders must obtain a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver's License within 30 days of employment start date.
• Other: 2-step TB (tuberculosis) screening is required of all new employees upon hires
  • Annual influenza vaccination
  • Other vaccinations as required by the State of Colorado
• 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