Licensed Psychologist

Overview

Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital, located in Bakersfield, California, is an acute psychiatric and behavioral 90-bed facility situated on 8.8 acres. We offer inpatient and outpatient services for adolescents and adults needing mental/behavioral health, chemical dependency; and co-occurring disorders treatment through our medically supervised detoxification. Within our Workplace Community, BBHH is striving daily to be one of the BEST PLACES TO WORK not just here in Kern County, but throughout the Behavioral Healthcare Community.

By offering amazing benefits, encouraging individual growth and development, and incorporating our CARES values system into our daily operations, we are creating a workplace culture where people enjoy coming to work each day. BBHH CARES about your experience as a candidate, and we encourage you to apply to our open positions. CARES:
Compassion Acceptance Respect Empowerment Sincerity. Our progressive and dedicated healthcare team strives to change the lives of our patients and provide exceptional care. This is a fast-paced environment that requires critical thinking, exceptional leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.

The Director of the Competency Restoration Program is a licensed doctoral-level psychologist responsible for the clinical leadership, program oversight, and regulatory compliance of the hospital’s court-ordered competency restoration services. This role ensures the delivery of evidence-based, trauma-informed, legally defensible treatment for individuals deemed incompetent to stand trial under California Penal Code §1370 and related statutes.

The Director provides clinical supervision, program development, quality oversight, and interdisciplinary leadership, while serving as a subject matter expert in forensic psychology, competency restoration, and court interface. This position balances direct clinical authority with administrative, operational, and strategic leadership.

This role is central to the hospital’s mission to provide ethical, lawful, and clinically sound competency restoration services while supporting public safety, judicial efficiency, and patient dignity. The Director of the Competency Restoration Program serves as both a clinical authority and system leader, shaping outcomes for patients, courts, and the organization.

Simply put: HUMANS WHO CARE

Though we do need to meet some minimum requirements for the position such as a High School Diploma, a Doctoral Degree in Psychology, and a current California License as a Psychologist as described below, we’re really looking for people who bring their HEART to work.

If you have previous experience in a mental healthcare hospital environment where your attention was focused on human behavior, psychiatry, psychology, or other mental healthcare situations, particularly in forensics, your application to this position will be moved to the shortlist of candidates.

Program Leadership & Oversight

• Direct and oversee all clinical, operational, and administrative aspects of the Competency Restoration Program
• Ensure the program meets all California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) standards, Title 22, CMS, and Joint Commission requirements
• Lead program planning, census management, and capacity optimization in collaboration with hospital leadership
• Develop and maintain program policies, procedures, curricula, and treatment protocols

Clinical & Forensic Responsibilities

• Provide clinical oversight of competency restoration treatment plans, psychoeducation, and therapeutic interventions
• Ensure competency restoration services are evidence-based, legally appropriate, and individualized
• Review and approve forensic reports, treatment summaries, and restoration determinations
• Serve as a clinical resource for complex cases involving malingering, severe mental illness, or legal complications
• Interface with courts, public defenders, district attorneys, probation, and state agencies as required

Supervision & Staff Development

• Provide clinical supervision to psychologists, psychology interns, LCSWs, LMFTs, and other staff as applicable
• Suppo…