Mental Health Clinician 3

Salary: $3,535.20 - $3,892.00 Biweekly
Location : Palmer, AK
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 54062
Department: Corrections
Division: Inmate Health Care
Opening Date: 06/08/2026
Closing Date: 6/22/2026 5:00 PM Alaska
Division: Health and Rehabilitation Services
Position Open To: All Applicants
Bargaining Unit: Supervisory
Range: 21


Job Description
The Department of Corrections, Division of Health & Rehabilitation Services, is recruiting for a Mental Health Clinician 3 position located in Palmer, Alaska.
Watch Alaska DOC HARS video here:

What You Will Be Doing:

• Coordinate, supervise, and provide comprehensive mental health services to incarcerated individuals at Palmer Correctional Center and Mat-Su Pretrial, delivering both individual and group-based psychotherapeutic interventions.
• Through direct interviews, clinical observations, and evaluation of existing history, apply clinical expertise to conduct mental health screenings, evaluations, treatment planning, crisis intervention, and ongoing therapeutic casework.
• Assess an individual's diagnosis and risk, respond effectively to emergent situations, and make clinical recommendations on appropriate treatment.
• Perform and facilitate therapeutic group programming focused on cognitive-behavioral skills.
• As a master's level mental health clinician and supervisor, oversee mental health services, complete performance evaluations, conduct quality assurance measures, develop others in their abilities, and train staff on department standards and mental health disorders.

Our Mission, Values, and Culture:
The HARS Mission Statement: To provide timely access to essential care through an evidence-based multidisciplinary approach. We are committed to a culture of professionalism, quality and safety.

We seek applicants who are interested in furthering the HARS Mission and who will strive to uphold the Division's Core Values of Respect, Integrity, Compassion, Teamwork, Safety and Growth.


Benefits of Joining Our Team:
Working as a mental health clinician for the Department of Corrections offers the unique opportunity to make a profound impact on a vulnerable population, supporting rehabilitation and contributing to public safety. The role provides a deeply meaningful way to serve one's community by promoting mental wellness and reducing recidivism. Being part of our collaborative multidisciplinary team allows for shared knowledge and diverse perspectives, which support professional growth and improve patient outcomes.

The Working Environment You Can Expect:
This position oversees the mental health programming needs at the Palmer Correctional Center, a secure facility for incarcerated male offenders, and the Mat-Su Pretrial facility. This position will be expected to have on-site presence at each location to address and respond to the mental health needs of each facility and work closely with a team of correctional officers, mental health clinicians and medical staff.

Who We Are Looking For:
We are interested in candidates who possess some or all of the following position specific competencies:

• Psychology: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of human behavior and performance in various contexts, mental processes, or the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Supervision: Plans, distributes, and monitors work assignments; sets task priorities; evaluates work performance and provides feedback to others on their performance; ensures that staff are appropriately selected, utilized, and developed, and that they are treated in a fair and equitable manner. Assignments include the authority and responsibility to recommend or independently take action to employ (i.e., appoint, transfer, promote), discipline or discharge, or adjudicate grievances of direct reports.
• Oral and Written Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral and written presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Minimum Qualifications
Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions

This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications. Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

Competency Description

The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations, as opposed to specific tasks, and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency's description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to successfully meet the competency, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.

Doctoral degree OR Master's degree from an accredited college in counseling, psychology, social work, child guidance, vocational rehabilitation, or a closely related field.

AND

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities in

• Accountability: Accepts responsibility for own actions and decisions and demonstrates commitment to accomplish work in an ethical, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
• Developing Others: Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods.
• Managing Human Resources: Plans, distributes, coordinates, and monitors work assignments of others; evaluates work performance and provides feedback to others on their performance; ensures that staff are appropriately selected, utilized, and developed, and that they are treated in a fair and equitable manner.
• Psychology: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of human behavior and performance in various contexts, mental processes, or the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of physical and mental ailments, and career guidance.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:
Progressively responsible professional experience performing psychotherapeutic casework.
"Progressively responsible" means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.
"Professional experience" means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment.
"Training" and "education" in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.
"Typically gained by" means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.
Special Note:

Some positions require the incumbent be licensed as a Clinical Social Worker or a Licensed Professional Counselor. This requirement will be addressed in the job posting.

Additional Required Information
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
If selected for an interview, the applicant must provide the following:

• Official or unofficial transcripts from highest level of education completed
• Three professional references

RECRUITMENT DIFFICULTIES
Starting salary may be approved up to Step D - $3,892.00, if criteria are met.
LEGAL EMPLOYMENT

The State's online recruitment system, Workplace Alaska, requires applicants to certify that they have a legal right to accept employment in the United States. It is the responsibility of the employee to maintain the appropriate documentation to accept or continue legal employment. The State of Alaska does not function in the role as an employer sponsor.

EDUCATION
If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If utilizing this education, you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the post-secondary institution. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

WORK EXPERIENCE
If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.

PREA NOTIFICATION The Department of Corrections follows and maintains federal and state requirements standards including, but not limited to, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards which apply to all public and private institutions that house adult or juvenile offenders. PREA standards preclude the department from hiring or promoting anyone who has engaged in, or been convicted of any conduct which would violate PREA standards related to sexual assault including:

• Sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution;
• Convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse; or
• Has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described above.

CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS/APSIN/ACOMS Please be aware - this position requires the use of the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN). A security clearance issued by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is necessary to use APSIN. DPS will deny security clearance for any applicant who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor in this state or another jurisdiction, or who may be a fugitive from justice. Additionally, security clearance will be withdrawn if DPS discovers that material information was falsified or omitted at the time of the initial application for security clearance.

FINGERPRINT NOTICE All Department of Corrections employees are required to be fingerprinted. The successful candidate must pass a criminal history check.

DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT Applicants must possess a valid driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.


EEO STATEMENT The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call View phone number on click.appcast.io or 465-4095 in Juneau or View phone number on click.appcast.io (TTY) or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal-opportunity employer.

WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at View phone number on click.appcast.io (toll-free) or View phone number on click.appcast.io if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to


For applicant password assistance, please visit:

Contact Information
Kim Curtis
Deputy Chief Mental Health Officer
Careers with the State of Alaska offer MANY benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits

• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
  • The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See for additional information.
    • AVTEC
    • Confidential
    • Correctional Officers
    • Marine Engineers
    • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
    • Supervisory
    • Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
    • Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
  • The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
    • General Government
    • Labor, Trades and Crafts
    • Public Safety Employees Association
    • Masters, Mates & Pilots
• Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

Optional Insurance Benefits

• Group-based insurance premiums for
  • Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
  • Long-term and short-term disability
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
  • Supplemental Survivor Benefits
• Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

See for additional information


Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve (12) paid holidays a year

01


How many years of experience do you have as a master's level clinician providing professional clinical services including assessments, diagnosis, and treatment planning?

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 - 2 years
• 3 - 4 years
• 5 or more years

02


Do you have any periods of employment in a 24-hour institutional setting where you were responsible for the care and custody of others that are not already included in your job application (such as correctional facilities, juvenile facilities, or residential treatment centers)? If so, provide the name of each institution, your job title(s), and dates of employment in the space below.
03


Have you ever initiated or engaged in a sexual assault and/or sexual abuse in prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility or other institutions?

• Yes
• No

04


Have you ever been the subject of an investigation for engaging, or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse?

• Yes
• No

05


Have you ever been disciplined, terminated, or resigned in lieu of an employment action surrounding allegations of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or assault?

• Yes
• No

06


Have you ever been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described in the prior questions above related to sexual abuse or sexual activity?

• Yes
• No

07


If you responded "Yes" to the any of the four preceding questions, please describe each incident, including dates and locations, in the text box below.
Required Question