Regional Clinical Psychologist (HPC/ALH 3)

Job Purpose

Under the general direction of the Regional Psychiatrist and the Regional HIV/STI/tb Coordinator, the Regional Clinical Psychologist has clinical responsibilities regarding HIV and the mentally challenged and their families, children and families referred to the Child Guidance Clinics (CGCs). This includes the responsibility of ensuring that children, adolescents and their parents are provided with optimum mental health care through evaluation, diagnosis and management of clients, networking with schools, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), other agencies and through public education. Additionally, the Regional Clinical Psychologist will provide psychotherapy for adults in treatment facilities. 

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate must possess: 

• PHd. Degree in Clinical Psychology 
• Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in Child Psychology and Counselling 
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience working with HIV/mentally challenged patients
• Experience in individual and group counselling would be an asset 

Required Knowledge, Skills & Competencies

• Excellent evaluation skills to facilitate diagnosis, treatment and referral 
• Well-developed counselling skills 
• Planning and implementation skills 
• Program planning and evaluation 
• Data analysis and report writing 
• Training and presentation skills 
• Excellent leadership and management skills 
• Networking Skills 
• Basic research skills 
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels in oral and written format 

Key Responsibilities will include:

Core 

• Monitoring the targets for all Psychologists across the region. 
• Preparing strategic and operational plans. 
• Co-ordinating and implementing the Child & Adolescent Mental Health project. Ensuring participation in client services, case conferences, staff meetings. 
• Participating in the preparation of yearly programme plans for the child and adolescent facilities in the Region and regional plan for the Child Guidance Clinics. Participating in the quarterly review of these programme plans. 
• Participating in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual reports and any other reports as deemed necessary. 
• Facilitating and conducting research on child and adolescent mental health issues.
• Representing the Child Guidance Clinic at meetings called by other government departments and agencies and makes presentations as requested by the Director of the clinic.
• Providing psychotherapy for adults in treatment facilities. 
• Preparing yearly clinical psychology programme plans for the People Living with HIV (PLHIV) facilities in the Region. 
• Preparing yearly clinical psychology programme plans for the People who are mentally challenged in the Region. 
• Facilitating and conducting research on issues related to mental health and adolescents and adults living with HIV. 
• Representing the HIV/STI/Mental Health Programmes at meetings called by other government departments and agencies and makes presentations as requested. 
• Providing psychotherapy for mental health patients, adolescents and adults, both in the infected and affected in HIV treatment facilities. 

Supervisory 

• Supervision of Professional Staff – Psychologists, Medical Social Workers, Mental Health Officers, Psychiatric Nursing Aides working in the Child Guidance Clinic. 
• Supervision of clerical staff to ensure optimum client services and that the quality of record keeping maintained. 
• Providing the necessary supervision and guidance for professionals in training who are assigned to the clinic for practical experience. 
• Networking with professional staff in other Child Guidance Clinics in order to provide supervision, support and the sharing of information to facilitate better management of clients. 

Direct Client Service/Professional 

• Evaluation of children and adolescents who are referred to or walk into the clinic to facilitate diagnosis and management. 
• Planning and implementing management strategies for children and adolescents with behavioural, emotional and psychiatric disorders and for their families. Providing crisis consultation, Counselling and therapeutic techniques with mentally challenged patients and PLHIV to include Individual Psychotherapy, Group Therapy, Family Therapy and Parenting Sessions 
• Conducting school and home visits to gather information, which facilitates effective evaluation and management of clients. 
• Working with Guidance Counsellors and Teachers to sensitize them regarding the identification and basic management of behavioural and emotional problems and conduct group work in schools to reduce the out of school hours for children with mild to moderate behaviour problems. 
• Liaising with other agencies, for example, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), the Family Court, MICO Care, PATH, JFLL, JFLAG, JN+ and the Police to facilitate information sharing and effective referral and management of clients. 
• Preparing Mental Status Examination reports and progress reports for the clients seen in the clinic for Family Court, Child Development Agency, School and other interested agencies.
• Delivering educational talks/presentation to civic groups, schools, parent teachers associations, churches and other community-based organizations on topics related to child and adolescent mental health, child development and parenting. 
• Participating in the training of health and non-health professionals in areas of Child and Adolescent Mental Health assessment and management of the Traumatized child (Child Abuse), Normal and Abnormal Child Development and Parenting, Foster Parents, Community Health Aides, Police, Child Care Officers, Social Workers and Nursing Students. 
• Participating in the training of health and non-health professionals in areas of discrimination and stigma, complaints mechanism, financial limitation, disclosure, Psycho-social support, and the referral processes. 
• Developing and providing psychological counselling and guidance services which assist the mentally challenged and PLHIV including Adolescents and their families. 

NB. ONLY SHORTLISTED APPLICANTS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED