Upcoming Filing Cutoff Dates:

• 4/18/2025
• 5/2/2025
• 5/16/2025
• 6/6/2025
• 6/20/2025
• 7/4/2025
• 7/18/2025
• 8/1/2025
• 8/15/2025
• 9/5/2025
• 9/19/2025
• 10/3/2025
• 10/17/2025
• 11/7/2025
• 11/21/2025
• 12/5/2025
• 12/19/2025

Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) must be received or postmarked by the filing date indicated above. Applications postmarked, personally delivered or received via interoffice mail after the filing date will be processed in the next group.

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

• SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR EVALUATOR - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

4234

For SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR EVALUATOR, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 6 months:

Exam Code(s):

• EX-04234

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

You may apply by mail to:

• Department of State Hospitals
  Selection Services Unit
  1215 O Street, MS 14
  Sacramento, CA 95814
  

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678).

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

• Department of State Hospitals
  Selection Services Unit
  1215 O Street, MS 14
  Sacramento, CA 95814
  8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678). All applicants must provide proof of identification. Accepted forms of identification are: 1) a photo identification card or 2) two forms of signed identification.

The following items must be submitted with your Examination/Employment Application form. Failure to submit these items may result in rejection of your application.

• License - Valid CA Psychologist license

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

License: Possession of a valid license as a Psychologist issued by the California Board of Psychology and possession of an earned Doctorate Degree in Psychology or equivalent field from an educational institution meeting the criteria of Section 2914 of the Medical Board of California's Business and Professions Code. (Individuals possessing a valid license as a psychologist outside the State of California and who are eligible for licensure may take the examination; however, evidence of licensure is required prior to appointment in this class.)

AND 

Experience: Five years of full-time postdoctoral, post-internship experience as a licensed psychologist in the practice of psychological evaluation and risk assessment and diagnosis of the sexually violent predators or equivalent class of sex offenders.

AND 

Forty (40) hours of expert witness testimony in high risk sex offender cases or sexually violent predator cases. (Training administered by the Department of Mental Health on expert witness testimony may be used to satisfy up to 10 hours of the required 40 hours as specified).

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Components that are due with your application will be scored and will count toward your final examination result. Failure to submit these items may result in disqualification or elimination from the examination.

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

Applicants must submit their exam application AND complete the exam during the same cut-off period.  For example, if you submit your exam application on July 8^th, 2024 (which is after the July 5^th, 2024 cut-off) you must complete the exam by July 19^th, 2024.  Filing Cut-Off Dates are listed at the beginning of the exam bulletin.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of: High risk sex offender and/or sexually violent predator clinical psychological evaluation processes and risk assessments, current research; principles, techniques, and trends in psychology with particular reference to sex offender evaluation, risk assessment and treatment, human development, learning, individual differences, adaptation, and social interaction; methods for the assessment and modification of human behavior; characteristics and social aspects of mental disorders and disabilities; program evaluation; institutional and social process, group dynamics, and professional training; interrelationships of federal, state, and local professional and voluntary mental health agencies and of programs and services of such agencies; current trends in the field of mental health; functions of psychologists in various mental health services; community organization and allied professional services; and consultative methods in various mental health fields. 

Ability to: Plan, organize, evaluate, and work in a forensic and/or sex offender evaluation program; interpret and apply the mental health policies and standards of the Department's program; promote the organization of community mental health resources and their effective utilization in a mental health program; teach and participate in professional training; plan, organize, and conduct research, data analysis, and program evaluation; evaluate and conduct assessment on psychological treatment procedures; evaluate and assess forensic mental health treatment procedures; evaluate the quality and scope of psychological services provided under mental health programs; communicate effectively; provide professional consultation and leadership; recognize situations requiring the creative application of technical skills; develop and assess creative approaches to the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of mental disorders; conduct the research, development, and direction of a psychological program; secure the cooperation of professional and lay groups; and train other psychologists and other mental health professionals.

A Departmental Open eligible list for the SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR EVALUATOR Classification will be established for:

• Department of State Hospitals

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

• A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
• A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Instructions: Rate your knowledge and experience performing specific job-related tasks.

1. Conduct psychological interviews (virtual or in-person), clinical interviews, diagnosis and risk assessments of sex offenders.
2. Prepare and present expert testimony to support a case or opinion in legal proceedings.
3. Maintain confidentiality and routinely and/or always work with sensitive issues and/or materials.
4. Prepare written reports.
5. Review relevant research as related to the performance of forensic evaluation of sex offenders.
6. Review relevant policies, regulations, statutes, standards, and guidelines for the evaluation of sex offenders. 
7. Contribute to clinical discussions around forensic issues related to the evaluation and testimony of sex offenders to present and share cases, knowledge, and information. 
8. Seek and provide clinical and program consultation.
9. Consult with various levels of care staff (e.g. custody, medical, treatment providers, and other personnel) to present and share cases, knowledge, and information.
10. Consult with outside parties including attorneys and other professional organizations.

• Department of State Hospitals

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Department of State Hospitals reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.