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Clinical Psychologist (Mental Health Treatment Coordinator)

Department of Justice
Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/29/2025 to 01/21/2026
Salary
$124,531 to - $161,889 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Washington, DC
Grand Prairie, TX
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel may be required for training and/or work related issues.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CO-2026-0069
Control number
853232200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

• DOJ Employees nationwide • DOJ Surplus and Displaced (CTAP) Employees in the local commuting area. • Division: Psychology Services Branch, Reentry Services Division, Central Office, Washington, D.C. • Duty Location: Negotiable upon selection at Central Office, Washington, DC or Designation & Sentence Computation Center, Grand Prairie, TX

Duties

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Serves to oversee the clinical aspects of mental health treatment provided to seriously mentally ill inmates by the Bureau of Prisons. This is accomplished through the policy oversight, the provision of technical assistance, and expertise in the area of mental illness and its treatment.

Responsible for reviewing all current literature and research to assure care for mentally ill offenders occurs at a superior level and utilizes evidence based practices.

Responsible for coordinating the staff with the Office of Research and Evaluation in conducting evaluations of BOP treatment practices.

Responsible for developing policy, providing expert advice in an area of correctional specialty, or to provide guidance, direction, supervision, advice and/or evaluation for a program or programs in correctional facilities.

Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution. The staff correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is Required.
  • See Special Conditions of Employment Section.

Career Transition Programs (CTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

  • 1. Meet CTAP eligibility criteria;
  • 2. Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and
  • 3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility.

NOTE: Applicants claiming CTAP eligibility must complete all assessment questions to be rated under the established ranking criteria.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following:

Basic Requirements:

Degree: Satisfactory completion of all the requirements for a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) directly related to full professional work in clinical psychology is required.

NOTE: Applicants may have received this degree in either clinical or counseling psychology.

In addition to the basic requirements, you must have:

Education:

There is no substitution of education for specialized experience for this position.

Experience:

At least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level. To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically be in or related to the position to be filled.

Some examples of the qualifying experience are:

  • Experience assessing and providing evidence based psychological treatment to inmates with serious mental illness and inmates confined in restrictive housing or secure housing settings.
  • Experience training clinical and non-clinical staff in the implementation of CBT programs to ensure fidelity to evidence based models through oral presentations, written instructions, clinical supervision, and/or protocol development.
  • Experience implementing a suicide prevention program to include assessing inmates for suicidality, training staff in identifying and referring potentially suicidal inmates, reviewing fatal or near fatal events, and identifying and resolving systemic weaknesses.

AND

Selective Placement Factor:

Applicants applying for this position, MUST also possess the following Selective Factor. In the event you do not possess the Selective Factor, you will be found ineligible for the position.

  • Applicants must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (e.g., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia.

NOTE: All applicants must electronically upload a copy of their license at the time they apply to the vacancy announcement. The documentation provided MUST show the expiration date of the license. Failure to provide this documentation will result in loss of consideration for this position.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.
**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

Education

See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable.

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

The representative rate for this position is $136,984 per annum ($65.64 per hour).

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

The incumbent is subject to geographic relocation to meet the needs of the agency.

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation. All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks.

The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of residence.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed.

Current Federal Law Enforcement Employees:

A prerequisite of the secondary law enforcement position is the completion of the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II".  If you have not completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II", you are ineligible for secondary law enforcement position(s) and coverage but may still be considered for a non-law enforcement position.

If you are not a current Bureau of Prisons employee, you must submit training records demonstrating you have completed the mandatory courses in "Introduction to Correctional Techniques Phase I and Phase II" to your hiring Human Resource office prior to appointment. 

Individuals selected who are under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and who have not had three years "primary" law enforcement retirement coverage, will not be covered by law enforcement retirement while in this position. To regain coverage, individuals must return to a position with "primary" coverage.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Exceptions may apply. See 5 CFR part 11.

SALARY RANGE:  

Salary reflected on this vacancy announcement is for the “Rest of the U.S.”; however, the selectee’s salary may be higher based on the worksite/duty station of the appointee. See Salary Tables for your location.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

If your composite score exceeds the average score for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your online assessment responses and utilized to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed in this announcement.  If your selections are not supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

There are several parts of the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application:

  • Your resume, which is part of your USAJOBS profile;
  • Your responses to the eligibility questions;
  • Your responses to the online assessment;
  • Your supporting documentation, if required.

Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements for consideration. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

What Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are Required for this Position?

The following Competencies/Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's) are required:

  • Ability to communicate in writing.
  • Ability to communicate orally both in presentations and during individual interactions.
  • Ability to analyze information and make recommendations, particularly in regards to the formulation of policy, plans and/or programs.
  • Ability to Assess and Recommend Treatment and Interventions for Inmates with Mental Illness.
  • Knowledge of Research Practices and Their Application with Mental Illness in a Correctional Setting.

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