Class Description
Valid as of: July 2015
This class series uses three levels in the Health Care Services Occupational Group and describes professional work that requires the application of the principles, theories, and practices of psychology. By statutes CRS 12-43-301 et. seq., a license is required in this class series for the Psychologist I and above. Psychologists test, assess, diagnose, and treat mental, neurological, physiological, and emotional disorder or disability. The work includes selecting, administering and interpreting intelligence, personality, interest, intelligence and other psychological tests to diagnose disorders and formulate treatment plans, determining the need for involuntary mental health treatment; providing treatment and therapeutic intervention; conducting individual, group, and family rehabilitation activities; and completing various clinical and legal documents to track cases. Included is pre- and post-doctoral supervision of candidates for licensure, providing consultative services to other health care disciplines, providing expert testimony in court, and conducting program evaluation to determine the effectiveness of treatments for patient populations. Some positions work in security settings that require following policies and procedures established to ensure the safety of themselves and others.
PSYCHOLOGIST CANDIDATE C4M1XX
Concept of Class
This class describes the psychologist candidate for licensure. Under supervision, positions perform assessment, diagnostic, and treatment tasks that are structured and designed to provide training and experience in applying the theories and principles of the psychology field.
PSYCHOLOGIST I C4M2XX
Concept of Class
This class describes the full operating psychologist. Positions operate independently in performing the full range of professional tasks. Work requires the use of discretion and creativity within limits of theory and principles of the profession, management’s program objectives, law and regulations, and general systems and guidelines. Judgment is used in the adaptation and skilled application of guidelines to solve the full range of problems related to the assignment. An employee in this class must anticipate and analyze the impact and consequences of decisions made. This class differs from the Psychologist Candidate on Decision Making and Complexity.
Factors
Allocation must be based on meeting all of the three factors as described below.
Decision Making -- The decisions regularly made are at the process level, as described here. Within limits set by professional standards, the agency's available technology and resources, and program objectives and regulations established by a higher management level, choices involve determining the process, including designing the set of operations. The general pattern, program, or system exists but must be individualized. This individualization requires analysis of data that is complicated.
Analysis is breaking the problem or case into parts, examining these parts, and reaching conclusions that result in processes. This examination requires the application of known and established theory, principles, conceptual models, professional standards, and precedents in order to determine their relationship to the problem. New processes or objectives require approval of higher management or the agency with authority and accountability for the program or system.
Complexity -- The nature of, and need for, analysis and judgment is formulative, as described here. Positions evaluate the relevance and importance of theories, concepts, and principles in order to tailor them to develop a different approach or tactical plan to fit specific circumstances. While general policy, precedent, or non-specific practices exist, they are inadequate so they are relevant only through approximation or analogy. In conjunction with theories, concepts, and principles, positions use judgment and resourcefulness in tailoring the existing guidelines so they can be applied to particular circumstances and to deal with emergencies.
Line/Staff Authority -- The direct field of influence the work of a position has on the organization is as an individual contributor. The individual contributor may explain work processes and train others. The individual contributor may serve as a resource or guide by advising others on how to use processes within a system or as a member of a collaborative problem-solving team. This level may include positions performing supervisory elements that do not fully meet the criteria for the next level in this factor.
PSYCHOLOGIST II C4M3XX
Concept of Class
This class describes the project leader, work leader, or staff authority. Project leaders are responsible for a clinical, behavioral, educational, or research program or project on an ongoing basis where the projects are critical to the agency’s mission and fundamental business operations. Work leaders exercise some control over the continual work product of others. Staff authorities possess a unique level of knowledge and expertise in a professional field that is needed by the agency to support its overall mission. Agency management routinely relies on the essential consultation of the authority before deciding broad, critical program and policy direction. The consultation provided is accepted as fact and not refuted on its technical merit, even if management does not act on it for political or budgetary reasons. Staff authorities are authorized to take action and issue expert opinions that provide direction for further action by others. Authorities design strategy, systems, processes, guidelines, rules, and standards that are mission critical and directly impact the agency’s ongoing operation and broad program or policy. Staff authority is delegated by agency management, beyond the immediate supervisor, and has direct influence and impact agency-wide, including clients. This class differs from the Psychologist I on Complexity and possibly Line/Staff Authority.
Factors
Allocation must be based on meeting all of the three factors as described below.
Decision Making -- The decisions regularly made are at the process level, as described here. Within limits set by professional standards, the agency's available technology and resources, and program objectives and regulations established by a higher management level, choices involve determining the process, including designing the set of operations. The general pattern, program, or system exists but must be individualized. This individualization requires analysis of data that is complicated. Analysis is breaking the problem or case into parts, examining these parts, and reaching conclusions that result in processes. This examination requires the application of known and established theory, principles, conceptual models, professional standards, and precedents in order to determine their relationship to the problem. New processes or objectives require approval of higher management or the agency with authority and accountability for the program or system.
Complexity -- The nature of, and need for, analysis and judgment is strategic as described here. Positions develop guidelines to implement a program that maintains the agency's mission. Guidelines do not exist for most situations. In directive situations, positions use judgment and resourcefulness to interpret circumstances in a variety of situations and establish guidelines that direct how an agency program will be implemented.
Line/Staff Authority -- The direct field of influence the work of a position has on the organization is as an individual contributor. The individual contributor may explain work processes and train others. The individual contributor may serve as a resource or guide by advising others on how to use processes within a system or as a member of a collaborative problem-solving team. This level may include positions performing supervisory elements that do not fully meet the criteria for the next level in this factor.
OR
The direct field of influence the work of a position has on the organization is as a work leader. The work leader is partially accountable for the work product of two or more full-time equivalent positions, including timeliness, correctness, and soundness. At least one of the subordinate positions must be in the same series or at a comparable conceptual level. Typical elements of direct control over other positions by a work leader include assigning tasks, monitoring progress and workflow, checking the product, scheduling work, and establishing work standards. The work leader provides input into supervisory decisions made at higher levels, including signing leave requests and approving work hours. This level may include positions performing supervisory elements that do not fully meet the criteria for the next level in this factor.
OR
The staff authority is a pacesetter that has a unique level of technical expertise in a field or profession that, as part of the ongoing permanent assignment, is critical to the success of an agency. It is an essential component of the work assignment that has been delegated by management to the position. This authority directly influences management decisions within an agency. For example, management relies on such a position when making decisions regarding the direction that policy or a program should take in the staff authority's field of expertise. Managers and peers recognize and seek this level of technical guidance and direction regarding the application of a program or system within the agency or to its clients.
Entrance Requirements
Minimum entry requirements and general competencies for classes in this series are contained in the State of Colorado Department of Personnel web site.
For purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the essential functions of specific positions are identified in the position description questionnaires and job analyses.
History of Changes Made to Class Description
The following is a summary of changes made to this class description.
- June 30, 2015
Updated and removed the purpose of contact 6.30.2015
- July 1, 2001
Effective 7/1/01 (LLB). HCS Consolidation Study revised class description for Psychologist Candidate, and Psychologist I and II. Psychologist III (C5G4) converted to Health Professional VII (C7C7).
- February 21, 2001
Draft published 2/21/01, proposed 5/10/01, and final 7/1/01.
- September 1, 1993
Effective 9/1/93 (KAS). Job Evaluation System Revision project. Published as proposed 5/24/93.
- October 1, 1991
Revised 10/1/91. Nature of work and examples of work changed.
- July 1, 1982
Revised 7/1/82. Title changed and multiple range established. Nature of work and distinguishing factors changed. KSAs modified.
- January 1, 1975
Created 1/1/75.
Summary of Factor Ratings
| Class Level | Decision Making | Complexity | Line/Staff Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychologist Candidate | Operational | Patterned | Individual Contributor |
| Psychologist I | Process | Formulative | Individual Contributor |
| Psychologist II | Process | Strategic | Individual Contributor or Work Leader or Staff Authority |
Minimum Qualifications
Valid as of: August 31, 2023
This document includes the following levels:
| Class Title | Class Code |
|---|---|
| Psychologist Candidate | C4M1XX |
| Psychologist I | C4M2XX |
| Psychologist II | C4M3XX |
PSYCHOLOGIST CANDIDATE (C4M1XX)
Experience Only:
Current, valid permit as a Psychologist Candidate from the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners
No Substitutions
PSYCHOLOGIST I (C4M2XX)
Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience:
Current, valid licensure as a Psychologist from the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners
One (1) year of experience as a licensed psychologist or permitted psychologist candidate
No Substitutions
PSYCHOLOGIST II (C4M3XX)
Education/Licensure/Certification/Experience:
Current, valid licensure as a Psychologist from the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners
Three (3) years of experience as licensed psychologist or permitted psychologist candidate, two of which must have been at the level of a fully operating psychologist
No Substitutions
History of Changes Made to Minimum Qualification
The following is a summary of changes made to this minimum qualification.
- Aug. 1, 2017 (Whole Document)
- Part of the 2017 MQ Project
- New format
- Aug. 1, 2017 (Whole Document)
- Standardized language regarding education and experience requirements
- Oct. 17, 2017 (Whole Document)
Made grammatical changes
- Aug. 31, 2023 (Whole Document)
New format (updating to adhere to accessibility standards)