Psychologist or MA-Level Therapist

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking a full-time Psychologist or MA-Level Therapist to join the team at the Independence Mental Health Institute (IMHI). HHS prefers an independently licensed provider at the doctoral or master’s level, but licensure is not required for this position.  This position offers opportunities for professional growth, leadership advancement, and team-based clinical work with youth with serious emotional disturbances and complex behavioral health needs. 
 
IMHI is a state-operated, acute psychiatric hospital that is accredited by the Joint Commission and CMS certified. Independence MHI operates 56 total beds with 20 beds for adult patients and 36 beds for child/adolescent patients. This Psychologist or MA-Level Therapist position is designed to help meet the needs of IMHI’s youth with complex behavioral health needs. The hospital includes an off-ward school that meets the educational needs of youth while hospitalized at IMHI. 
 
The Psychologist or MA-Level Therapist will work as an active member of a multi-disciplinary treatment team comprised of psychiatric providers, nurses, social workers, activity specialists, and other disciplines. This is one of three Psychologist/MA-Level Therapist positions at the facility, with each psychological/counseling provider working on a separate unit or caseload. This position reports to the IMHI Education Administrator and receives clinical oversight, support, and collaboration from the HHS Clinical Director (licensed, doctoral-level psychologist). 
 
The primary duties of this position include: 

• Providing professional psychological or mental health counseling services for youth admitted to an acute psychiatric hospital. Services include individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, family psychotherapy or consultation, crisis and behavioral management, and psychological testing and report writing (as competent). 
• Actively participating as a multi-disciplinary treatment team member providing evidence-based, individualized, person-centered, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented interventions for child and adolescent patients. 
• Conducting various psychological screens, assessments, and reports to clarify diagnosis, determine eligibility for services (e.g., intellectual disability), provide treatment and support recommendations, and address unique psycho-legal issues like incompetence to stand trial (as competent). 
• Providing psychological consultation, policy guidance, and staff training that promotes a strong continuity of care and improves the team’s ability to work more effectively with youth with challenging and complex behavioral health needs. This includes best practices for positive behavior management and restraint/seclusion reduction. 

 
For licensed, doctoral-level psychologists, opportunities may be available for clinical supervision of practicum trainees/predoctoral interns/post-doctoral fellows. Preceptor guidance to psychiatric residents/fellows from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) may also be available through Iowa’s Public Psychiatry Fellowship program. Clinical adjunct faculty appointment with UIHC may be available. This appointment would include access to numerous virtual learning opportunities like grand rounds, continuing education credits, and online access to numerous clinical databases, journal articles, and electronic books. Additional collegial engagement and support opportunities are available through the HHS Clinical Director and coordination with clinical leads across HHS state-operated facilities. 
 
When a long-term team member was asked “why did you choose a career at IMHI,” the team member stated, “It really is the work that has kept me here. The work is rewarding. The patients are the most difficult to treat and most expensive.   We are the final stop for getting cutting edge psychiatric treatment.”
  
We have a great total compensation package, including:

• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS) (Employee contributes 6.29%/State of Iowa contributes 9.44%)
• Retirement Investors Club (RIC) (Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan) (State of Iowa matches up to $75/month)
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance (See below for additional information)
• Vacation Leave (96 hours/year to begin, and increases with years of service)
• Sick Leave (144 hours/year)
• Paid Holidays (9 days/year)
• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Life Insurance ($20,000 paid for by the State of Iowa)
• Long-Term Disability Insurance

 
For additional information on benefits click here.
 
Click here to see how we compare with other employers or offers by using our Total Compensation Calculator.
 
Loan forgiveness opportunities that may be applicable can be found here: https://www.iowaruralworkforce.org/loan-repayment--scholarships.html
 
Independence Highlights
 
IMHI is in Independence, Iowa, a city of approximately 6,000, located in scenic Northeast Iowa. The Wapsipinicon River flows through town offering many recreational opportunities from canoeing to fishing. Independence is a progressive community sporting a newer public library, trails and home of Cedar Rock state park which includes a Frank Lloyd Wright home.
 
Independence is 30 minutes from Waterloo/Cedar Falls home of the UNI Panthers, 45 minutes from Cedar Rapids and 1 hour from Iowa City, home of the Iowa Hawkeyes.
 
It is also 2 ½ hours from Des Moines, home to Wells Fargo Arena (a host site of NCAA Basketball and premier concerts), as well as Lauridsen Skatepark, the nation’s largest public skate venue. Additionally, Des Moines has one of the nation’s finest State Fairs and is home to professional sports teams the Iowa Cubs, Iowa Wolves, Iowa Barnstormers and Iowa Wild.  Check out these 10 Reasons to Move to Iowa. 
 
The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer
 
HHS values those with “lived experience” and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the DHS system to apply.   Minorities, women, persons with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).
  
Our agency uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.