Job Specification

Purpose :

To provide expertise and leadership in the development of psychological services within Ontario correctional institutions, by providing policy development, program advice, and related recommendations and options for senior ministry management and psychologists in the institutions, and by providing clinical expertise, support, training and assessment of peer support team members.

To contribute to the establishment of facility psychological policies, practices and procedures.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Works with institution psychologists to identify priorities and develop policies, standards and programs to address the mental health and addiction-related needs of clients in correctional settings, and coordinates evaluation and assessment of psychological services.

2. Provides strategic program direction, guidance and planning to the ministry, and provides subject matter expertise to ministry management on the delivery of psychological services in accordance with legislation and the standards of professional practice.

3. Identifies and provides recommendations on program and training requirements for practitioners within the institutions, develops and provides training, clinical expertise, and professional oversight to peer support program staff, and provides training to stakeholders in the corrections community including administrators and senior managers.

4. Leads networking and outreach with academic and professional stakeholders with forensic/correctional specializations to maintain professional linkages, ensure the province's correctional programs reflect best practices, and provide a pipeline for recruiting.
Manager Responsibilities
1. Leads and manages a team(s) in the delivery of a program or service operation and contributes to financial, business, strategic planning and evaluation processes.

2. Identifies financial, material and human resources needs, manages and controls the operational/program/project or activities budget. Contributes to long term financial and resource planning.

3. Promotes a values-based and inclusive team through employee engagement, communicating program deliverables, setting and evaluating performance standards, recommends merit increases, identifies staffing needs, and makes hiring decisions, recommends discipline where required, and promptly addresses employee relations matters.

4. Develops and sustains internal and external stakeholder relationships to coordinate shared interests.
5. Responsible for ensuring compliance with regulatory, legal, financial, collective agreements and ministry policy commitments and advising senior management of sensitive issues/matters.

Qualifications :

Requires registration as a Psychologist in Ontario.

Factors :

Knowledge :

Ministry strategic directions, policies, programs and service delivery models, to provide operational management of a program area, service or initiative, to determine and plan for program resource requirements and to ensure alignment of programs/projects with corporate, division and branch goals and objectives.

Human resources practices, policies, directives and collective agreements in relation to recruitment, training and development and labour relations to support an inclusive and engaged team; address employee issues and to support talent management.

Government and ministry financial and administrative procedures, to manage and control allocated financial and material resources, including developing annual budgets, and managing assets and contract service providers.

Expertise in project management principles and methodologies to manage the delivery of program plans, initiatives and goals.

A variety of acts and regulations such as the Ministry of Correctional Services Act, Mental Health Act, Public Service Act and the Criminal Code of Canada.

Science and practices of psychology including a full range of psychotherapeutic and correctional assessment and intervention techniques to to contribute to the development, leadership, planning, execution, and management of psychological services in correctional institutions, and to provide training and clinical leadership to non-professional peer support staff.

Application and interpretation of assessment instruments used to evaluate the cognitive and personality functioning of offenders, to contribute to program development and field expertise in areas in areas such as assessment of the risk of re-offending, making diagnoses, and performance of treatment interventions.

Correctional facility security practices and their possible impact on programs and inmate behaviour.

Psychological research methods to plan and guide evaluation of programs and services provided and procedures for the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of inmates.

Program Responsibility :

Responsible for designing, implementing, coordinating and evaluating psychological programs for institutions/facilities and assessing, evaluating and improving upon program design taking into consideration behaviour of inmates, mental health issues, availability of resources, changing needs, etc.

Analytical Thinking :

Develops and evaluates treatment programs, procedures and policies and develops new ways to strengthen correctional facility psychology programs and improve treatment.

Assesses and evaluates individual cases, studying histories and clinical reports to determine the needs of youth/adults in a secure setting.

Evaluates offender behaviour and mental health status, and provides consultative services, determining treatment, behavioural and risk management.

Attentively monitors behaviour and mental health indicators of inmates and evaluates need for psychological interventions, crisis management, and the risk for suicide.

Planning / Coordinating :

Coordinates and plans the delivery of a program, operation, service or project considering the strategy and mandate of the branch and ministry.

Determines financial, material and human resources needs, coordinates operations with other areas of the branch and division, and organizes work to meet program objectives. Participates in divisional results based and strategic planning, processes.

Coordinates consultation and advisory meetings relating to program/service initiative with external and internal stakeholders, partners and consultants.

Maintains and evaluates programs and services; coordinates psychological services with case management, treatment and facility programs.

Coordinates the work of an interdisciplinary professional team and psychological services and treatment of adult/youth in a secure facility.

Coordinates treatment and treatment evaluation projects to ensure professional standards are maintained and guides research to evaluate facility programs.

Leadership/Guidance :

Manages its team(s) by communicating values, strategies, expectations, and promotes an engaged and inclusive environment.

Ensures that identified organizational standards and operational goals are met by: contributing to succession planning; establishing performance standards; conducting regular performance management reviews; recommending merit increases; determining the organization of the work unit and by building individual and team competencies

Identifies and recommends staffing needs, conducts recruitment and selection activities, manages orientation/training, develops remedial plans; addresses employee/labour relations/employee matters.

Independence of Action :

Works under the general direction of the manager /management team and within the framework of ministry, division, branch policies, directives, guidelines and objectives.

Exercises independence of action in participating and providing program/service recommendations as a member of the management team. Provides expert opinions/briefings, advice to senior management on identified and emerging issues impacting program or service goals, outcomes or efficiencies.

Exercises discretion and independent judgement to determine and manage work activities where past practices may not exist.

Responsibilities undertaken are limited by written guidelines contained in provincial government legislation and statutes, standards of the College of Psychologists of Ontario, the Ministry's Statement of Ethical Principles, the Manual of Standards and Procedures and Institutional Standing Orders.

Establishes psychological programs consistent with written guidelines, offender needs, correctional/facility policies etc.; determines and delegates the amount of staff participation in the development and implementation of treatment programs; assesses and handles difficult staff and client issues.

Conducts risk assessments and determines level and type of programming for individual offenders.

Handles requests from other agencies for confidential client psychological information, and assesses quality of staff reports released, in accordance with established professional standards and ethics.

Interpersonal/Communication :

Exchanges information with Institutional Department Heads and Senior Institutional Managers within the facility to improve interdepartmental efficiency.

Expresses specialized technical terminology and complex findings and ideas in clear terms when communicating with Ministry staff.

Discusses youth/adult treatment matters with the Provincial Psychology Advisory Committee when reviewing effectiveness of policies, programs, and treatment services; discusses policies and treatment of clients, referrals and programs with mental health professionals of other ministries, hospital administrators and staff.

Establishes collaborative linkages with university psychology departments and other Criminal Justice System partners to maintain currency with best practices, promote clinical practicum placements and internships, and to facilitate research.

Physical Effort :

Majority of time is spent in an office environment, usually with the freedom to move about. Occasionally moves/lifts light objects such as stacks of meeting or presentation materials.

Sensory Effort :

Requires visual attention and concentration to prepare for consultations, analyze clinical/medical histories and determine treatment options.
Requires moderate concentration, observation and focused listening when conducting consultations.

Working Conditions :

Work is occasionally conducted within a correctional facility to review programs and services. Occasional travel is required to attend various meetings across the province and provide training and consultation, and to attend meetings to discuss the provision of direct health services.