State of Maryland

A Psychologist Correctional is the professional and administrative of work as the Director of a Psychology Services Unit in a correctional institution. Employees in this classification are responsible for the activities of the unit which are determined by the program objectives of the institution and are designed to address psychological problems in a correctional setting. Employees in this classification are responsible for providing psychological consultation, for integrating the psychological services with other disciplines in the institution and may also provide diagnostic assessments in complex cases and participate in psychotherapeutic activities, research and/or training. Employees in this classification provide close supervision and training to unlicensed members of the psychology staff and administrative supervision to other professional and clerical employees assigned to the unit.

Employees in this classification receive direction from a designated official of the institution. Work effectiveness and adherence to overall objectives is determined through conferences, review of communications and evaluation of program results.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Psychologist, Correctional is differentiated from the Psychology Associate Doctorate, Correctional in that the Psychologist, Correctional is a licensed Psychologist and performs staff Psychologist work in correctional settings while the Psychology Associate, Doctorate Correctional has a Doctorate degree and performs, non-licensed professional psychology associate staff work in correctional settings.

Directs the program of a Psychology Services Unit in a correctional setting;

Plans, organizes, schedules and directs the work of professional and clerical personnel;

Coordinates the psychological services program with other disciplines and integrates new policies and procedures into existing programs;

Provides direct psychological services in the most complex cases;

Conducts group therapy sessions;

Administers and interprets psychological tests for selected inmates;

Participates in the evaluation of inmates with relation to the diagnosis, treatment and/or guidance indicated for the individuals tested;

Directs and collaborates with other professionals carrying out psychological research in a correctional setting;

Prepares psychological statistical and other reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations;

Communicates with lay and professional groups to explain the program and to establish better relations with the general public;

Keeps abreast of professional literature and attends special conferences and seminars;

Performs other related duties.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an    employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of  supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.