Psychological Services Specialist, DHS - Loysville Youth Development Center

Salary: $69,086.00 - $104,959.00 Annually
Location : Perry County, PA
Job Type: Civil Service Permanent Full-Time
Job Number: CS-2026-58970-43021
Department: Department of Human Services
Division: HS Bur Juv Jus Srvs Ctrl Rgn
Opening Date: 09/23/2026
Closing Date: 10/7/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Job Code: 43021
Position Number: 50698357
Union: SEIU Local 668
Bargaining Unit: F4
Pay Group: ST08
Bureau / Division Code: 00210881
Bureau / Division: Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services / Central Region
Worksite Address: 10 Opportunity Drive
City: Loysville, Pennsylvania
Zip Code: 17047
Contact Name: HHS Intake Section
Contact Email: View email address on click.appcast.io


THE POSITION
As a Psychological Services Specialist, DHS with the Department of Human Services (DHS), Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services (), you will take on a meaningful role that directly shapes the future of youth. This position gives you the chance to apply your clinical knowledge in fast-moving situations where strong guidance makes a real difference. At the Loysville Youth Development Center, you will join a committed team that values leadership, teamwork, and high-quality treatment services. Step into a career that builds your expertise, strengthens your voice as a clinician, and brings lasting change to the lives of young people.

Watch this video to see how you can make a difference!
DESCRIPTION OF WORK
This position focuses on guiding treatment services, supporting staff, and ensuring high-quality clinical programming for youth. It involves evaluating programs, providing clinical supervision, and delivering direct counseling services. As a Psychological Services Specialist, DHS, you will perform the following duties:

• Program Evaluation: Assess treatment programming in an assigned cottage and address any issues to maintain best practice standards
• Staff Collaboration: Work with employees and consultants to develop treatment programs
• Clinical Supervision: Lead conferences with counseling staff to support their development and ensure quality resident care
• Service Coordination: Recommend specialized programming and help create individualized treatment plans
• Direct Counseling: Attend hearings, complete assessments, and provide individual, family, and group therapy
• Clinical Reporting: Prepare written evaluations using file reviews, interviews, and program staff input

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.
Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment, 37.5 hours per week
• Work hours Tuesday - Saturday, with a 30-minute lunch. You will have Sunday and Monday off. Shifts will include:
  • 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
  • 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Free parking
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $69,086.00 (before taxes).
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY
QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• A master's degree in a behavioral science, counseling education, rehabilitation, human development or a closely related field.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Other Requirements:

• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements:

• A conditional offer of employment will require a medical examination and a drug screening.
• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
  • Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant's own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

Veterans:

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.
The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.

Learn more about our Total Rewards by watching this short !
See the total value of your benefits package by exploring our


Health & Wellness

We offer multiple health plans so our employees can choose what works best for themselves and their families. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health coverage, vision, dental, and wellness programs.*

Compensation & Financial Planning
We invest in our employees by providing competitive wages and encouraging financial wellness by offering multiple ways to save money and ensure peace of mind including multiple retirement and investment plan options.


Work/Life Balance
We know there's more to life than just work! Our generous paid leave benefits include paid vacation, paid sick leave, eight weeks of paid parental leave, military leave, and paid time off for most major U.S. holidays, as well as flexible work schedules and work-from-home opportunities.*


Values and Culture
We believe in the work we do and provide continual opportunities for our employees to grow and contribute to the greater good. As one of the largest employers in the state, we provide opportunities for internal mobility, professional development, and the opportunity to give back by participating in workplace charitable giving.

Employee Perks
Sometimes, it is the little "extras" that make a big difference. Our employees receive special employee-only discounts and rates on a variety of services and memberships.

For more information on all of these Total Rewards benefits, please visit and click on the benefits box.

*Eligibility rules apply.
01


Do you have a conferred master's degree, or are you within three months of completing a master's degree, in a behavioral science, counseling education, rehabilitation, human development or a closely related field?
If you are claiming credits/degree, you must upload a copy of your college transcript(s) for this education to be considered in the eligibility decision. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You must attach your transcript(s) prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a transcript(s) to the application after it has been submitted.

If you answer "Yes" to this question based on education acquired outside of the United States, you must upload a copy of your foreign credential evaluation report. We can only accept foreign credential evaluations from organizations that are members of the National Association of Credential Services (NACES). A list of current NACES members can be found by visiting and clicking the Evaluation Services Link.

You must attach your documentation prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a document to the application after it has been submitted.

• Yes
• No

02


If you are within 3 months of completing a master's degree in a behavioral science, counseling education, rehabilitation, human development or a closely related field, on what date do you expect to receive your degree? If this does not apply to you, please type N/A in the box below.
03


You must complete the supplemental questions below. These supplemental questions are the exam and will be scored. They are designed to give you the opportunity to relate your experience and training background to the major activities (Work Behaviors) performed in this position. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may delay the processing of your application, or result in a lower-than-deserved score or disqualification. You must complete the application and answer the supplemental questions. Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position or to determine your score.
All information you provide on your application and supplemental questions is subject to verification. Any misrepresentation, falsification or omission of material facts is subject to penalty. If requested, you must provide documentation, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers of individuals who can verify the validity of the information you provide in the application and supplemental questions.

Read each work behavior carefully. Determine and select which "Level of Performance" most closely represents your highest level of experience/training. List the employer(s)/training source(s) from your Work or Education sections of the application where you gained this experience/training. The "Level of Performance" you choose for each work behavior must be clearly supported within the description of the experience and training information entered in your application or your score may be lowered. In order to receive credit for experience, you must have worked in a job for at least six months in which the experience claimed was a major function.

If you have read and understand these instructions, please click on the "Yes" button and proceed to the exam questions.

If you have general questions regarding the application and hiring process, please refer to our

• Yes

04



WORK BEHAVIOR 1 - PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
Assesses mental, behavioral, emotional, and developmental disorders of patients/clients/inmates by observing patients/clients/inmates; reviewing data and information, psychological reports, etc., provided by other professionals and staff; interviewing patients/clients/inmates, family, and/or staff to elicit information concerning patients/clients/inmates; administering and interpreting standardized tests of personality, interest, vocational aptitude, intelligence, academic achievement, degree of symptom severity, and/or risk assessment; and makes appropriate referrals in narrative reports based upon the patient's/client's/inmate's need.

Levels of Performance

Select the Level of Performance that best describes your claim.

• A. I have professional experience related to the work behavior above which includes assessing mental, behavioral, emotional, and developmental disorders of patients/clients/inmates by observing patients/clients/inmates AND reviewing data and information, psychological reports, etc. AND interviewing patients/clients/inmates, family, and/or staff to elicit information concerning patients/clients/inmates AND administering and interpreting standardized tests of personality, interest, intelligence, achievement, and/or risk assessment.
• B. I have professional experience related to the work behavior above such as interviewing and assessing individuals OR administering OR interpreting standardized tests OR providing feedback to other professionals/individuals.
• C. I have successfully completed college or graduate level coursework.
• D. I have completed an internship related to this work behavior.
• E. I have NO experience or coursework related to this work behavior.

05


In the text box below, please describe your experience as it relates to the level of performance you claimed in this work behavior. Please be sure your response addresses the items listed below which relate to your claim. If you indicated you have no work experience related to this work behavior, type N/A in the box below.

1. The name(s) of the employer(s) where you gained this experience.
2. The actual duties you performed related to psychological assessment.
3. Your level of responsibility.

06


If you have selected the level of performance pertaining to college coursework, please provide your responses to the items listed below. If you indicated you have no education/training related to this work behavior, type N/A in the text box below.

1. College/University
2. Course Title
3. Credits/Clock Hours

07



WORK BEHAVIOR 2 - TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS
Treats patients/clients/inmates/family and/or staff by utilizing various psychological techniques and ongoing assessment tools to continuously update the degree of symptom(s) severity and progress; selecting the appropriate approach to use in individual and/or group therapy and planning the frequency, intensity, and duration of therapy; collaborating with other professionals/specialists in diagnostic and evaluative multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss diagnosis, etiology, treatment disposition, and community re-entry issues; preparing progress notes, psychological reports, behavioral safety and support plans, treatment plan statements, etc. related to the mental and emotional/behavioral status of patients/clients/inmates/family and/or staff which include data on diagnosis, risk analysis, level of functioning, prognosis, and remediation.

Levels of Performance

Select the Level of Performance that best describes your claim.

• A. I have professional experience related to the work behavior above which includes treating patients/clients/inmates/family, or staff by utilizing various psychological techniques AND selecting the appropriate approach to use in individual and/or group therapy AND planning the frequency, intensity, and duration of therapy AND collaborating with other professionals/specialists in diagnostic and evaluative multi-disciplinary team meetings to discuss diagnosis, etiology, treatment disposition, and community re-entry issues AND preparing progress notes, psychological reports, treatment plan statements, etc. related to the mental and emotional/behavioral status of patients/clients/inmates/family, or staff which include data on diagnosis, risk analysis, level of functioning, prognosis, AND remediation.
• B. I have professional experience related to the work behavior above which includes treating individuals OR selecting the appropriate approach to use in individual/group therapy OR collaborating with other professionals/specialists or preparing progress reports/treatment plans for individuals in a setting where the treatment options are limited to a particular type of treatment/individual.
• C. I have successfully completed college or graduate level coursework.
• D. I have completed an internship related to this work behavior.
• E. I have NO experience or coursework related to this work behavior.

08


In the text box below, please describe your experience as it relates to the level of performance you claimed in this work behavior. Please be sure your response addresses the items listed below which relate to your claim. If you indicated you have no work experience related to this work behavior, type N/A in the box below.

1. The name(s) of the employer(s) where you gained this experience.
2. The actual duties you performed related to the treatment of individuals.
3. Your level of responsibility.

09


If you have selected the level of performance pertaining to college coursework, please provide your responses to the items listed below. If you indicated you have no education/training related to this work behavior, type N/A in the text box below.

1. College/University
2. Course Title
3. Credits/Clock Hours

Required Question