Head Nurse - Apply by 3/16/2026
Location: Bridgeport, CT
Date Opened: 3/3/2026 12:00:00 AM
Salary: $91,192 - $120,638/year (Salary commensurate with education and/or experience)
Job Type: Open to the Public
Close Date: 3/16/2026 11:59:00 PM
Do you want to utilize your skills and make a difference? Are you looking to take the next step in your career? If so, please read on to learn more about this exciting opportunity!
The State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) is currently seeking qualified and experienced individuals for the position of Head Nurse to join our team.
Position Highlights:
DIVISION: Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS)
FACILITY: Greater Bridgeport Community Mental Health Center (GBCMHC)
LOCATION: Bridgeport, CT
SCHEDULE: Full-time (40 hours), 1st Shift, Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm with rotating weekends and holidays
POSITION NUMBER: 125931 - Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU 2)
ANTICIPATED POSITION NUMBER: 27805 - Co-Occurring Treatment Unit (CTU)
New! We’re excited that Connecticut has joined the Nurse Licensure Compact effective October 1, 2025. Visit Nurse Licensure Compact for more details.
What We Can Offer You:
Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
Professional growth and development opportunities.
A healthy work/life balance to all employees.
Discover The Opportunity To:
Engage in a rewarding career;
Showcase your talents in a meaningful role;
Provide support to a division that is passionate about the work we do.
The Role:
Job duties include but are not limited to:
Provide substantial input regarding patient care needs, response to treatment, and recommend modifications in the overall plan of care.
Complete comprehensive Initial Nursing Assessment for patients with acute psychiatric and addictive problems.
Provide direct patient care that includes education, counseling, medication administration and documentation of the treatment and progress made by the patient.
About Us:
DMHAS is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve.
Southwest Connecticut Mental Health System (SWCMHS) is responsible for the oversight and management of contracts with private not-for-profit agencies and residential providers providing mental health services in the southwest region of the state. With locations in Bridgeport and Stamford, SWCMHS provides inpatient, outpatient and assertive community treatment (ACT) services and community support services for adults with severe behavioral health disabilities; mental health services for people who are deaf or hearing impaired and a mobile crisis intervention team. SWCMHS also provides outreach to people who are homeless and mentally ill. Special agency programs include Shelter Plus Care, a housing program for people who are homeless and who have a history of substance abuse or mental illness or who have AIDS.
Psychiatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) 42 beds: The PICU 1 and PICU 2 each provide 21 beds for residents of Connecticut. Admissions to the psychiatric units are coordinated through a statewide Utilization Management process coordinated by the Office of the Commissioner. Both locked units are responsible for providing treatment for severely and acutely ill psychiatric patients who require a safe, supportive, highly structured hospital level of care. The treatment goals are developed in which the individual can be: stabilized, evaluated, rehabilitated, helped to accept the need for ongoing treatment, and assisted in regaining a level of functioning that will allow the person to be treated in a less restrictive environment or to return to community-based living. PICU treatment staff work closely with community providers to ensure that a smooth transition to the community exists. PICU 1 provides assessment and stabilization, with the emphasis on community reentry. PICU 2, the extended care unit, focuses on rehabilitation with an emphasis on intense skills building needed for community reintegration.
The Co-Occurring Treatment Unit is a 20 bed, locked inpatient psychiatric unit that provides treatment to individuals with co-occurring illness. The criteria for admission are major mental illness and substance use within six months of admission. The mission of CTU is to provide assessment and psychiatric stabilization as well as education around the clients co-occurring illness. The program model focuses on the inpatient Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment (IDDT) evidence-based practice, focusing concurrently on both psychiatric and substance abuse diagnoses. The treatment goals are similar to the PICU’s.
Please note:
A comprehensive medical examination, including a drug screening, will be required of all applicants upon a conditional offer of employment.
All state employees must adhere to Connecticut’s Policy for a Drug Free Workplace.
Qualifications & Requirements
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
Two (2) years of experience as a Registered Nurse
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED
A Bachelor’s degree in nursing may be substituted for one (1) year of the General Experience.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license or temporary permit as a Registered Nurse in Connecticut OR hold a Multistate or Compact Registered Nurse license.
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