Regional Clinical Psychologist ALH 3

The Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), a Statutory Body under the Ministry of Health &  Wellness responsible for the management and  operation of Public Health Services within the Parishes of Clarendon, Manchester and St.  Elizabeth, invites applications from suitably  qualified persons for the following position at the May Pen Hospital: Regional Clinical Psychologist (HPC/ALH 3 – Level 13) - VACANT.

Salary range: $5,863,044 – $6,969,317 per annum and any allowance(s) attached to the post.

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.

Qualification & Experience

• 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.

Key responsibilities

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.

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.

Note

Applications along with resume should be sent no later than Tuesday, June 17, 2025.

Important note: we will only accept applications via email.

Please indicate the name of the position you are applying for in the “subject line” of your email.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Contact

Director, Human Resource Management & Development
Southern Regional Health Authority
3 Brumalia Road
Mandeville, Jamaica.

Email: jobs@srha.gov.jm

Base Salary: Undisclosed