Employment evaluations & SCREENINGS

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As of September 1, 2023, the Texas Department of Public Safety requires all level III/VI security officers and personal protection officers to take and pass the MMPI to receive their license. 

MMPI testing is most commonly required for positions involving public safety and high responsibility, which often correspond to roles with higher security or risk clearance. While the MMPI is not exclusively used for official government security clearances (which often rely on different background and polygraph checks), its use in Texas for screening positions that require emotional stability and reliability aligns with the intent of high-security roles. The MMPI is used for roles such as:

• Law Enforcement: Police officers, border patrol, etc.
• Firefighters/First Responders
• Correctional Officers
• Certain roles within government agencies (especially those requiring access to sensitive information or authority over others).

An in-office appointment lasts for 2-3 hours. A completed report will be provided within 3 business days. If the candidate passes, the signed State of Texas required PSP-13 form will be provided also. 

A pre-employment psychological evaluation is a specialized assessment used by employers to determine if a candidate possesses the mental and emotional characteristics necessary to perform the essential functions of a job, particularly those with high stress, public safety, or fiduciary responsibilities.

The primary goals of a psychological evaluation are to:

1. Assess Suitability: Determine if the candidate's psychological profile aligns with the demands and environment of the position.
2. Identify Risk Factors: Screen for potential psychological issues, behavioral risks, or personality traits (e.g., impulsivity, poor judgment, severe stress management issues) that could interfere with job performance or public trust.
3. Ensure Safety: For public safety roles (e.g., police, firefighters), ensure the candidate is mentally and emotionally stable enough to handle high-stress, life-or-death situations.
4. Evaluate Core Competencies: Gauge personality traits like conscientiousness, emotional stability, integrity, and teamwork capabilities.

An in-office appointment lasts for 2-4 hours. A completed report will be provided within 3 business days along with any required documents that were provided for the doctor's signature.

A Fitness for Duty (FFD) Psychological Evaluation is a specialized assessment, initiated by an employer, to determine if an employee's psychological or behavioral condition is impairing their ability to perform the essential functions of their job safely and effectively, or if the condition poses a direct threat to the health or safety of the employee or others.

This type of evaluation focuses specifically on mental, emotional, and behavioral stability as it relates to the workplace. A psychological FFD evaluation should only be requested when objective evidence strongly suggests a mental health or behavioral issue is impacting job performance or safety. Examples include:

• Significant Behavioral Changes: Documented instances of unpredictable behavior, extreme emotional volatility, sudden decline in judgment, paranoia, or hostility.
• Threats or Violence: When an employee makes threats of violence, engages in workplace harassment, or displays actions suggesting a propensity for harm.
• Safety-Sensitive Roles: For positions (e.g., law enforcement, security, operation of heavy machinery) where mental instability could lead to catastrophic failure or injury.
• Inability to Follow Direction: Documented evidence of an employee's apparent inability to understand or comply with reasonable instructions due to suspected mental impairment.
• Post-Traumatic Incident: To assess the mental readiness of an employee to return to duty following a highly stressful or traumatic workplace incident.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on challenging and changing cognitive disorders (such as thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes) and their associated behaviors to improve emotional regulations and develop personal coping strategies that target solving current problems. 

*Available to agencies that have a current service agreement with SFPS. Rate of service is based on the fee schedule of the agreement. If there is no service agreement, please inquire with SFPS for pricing.

Psychological debriefing is an immediate intervention used following a traumatic experience that purportedly helps individuals manage their normal stress reactions to the incident. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) was designed for workers in high-risk occupations, such as police officers, disaster workers, and firefighters.

*Available to agencies that have a current service agreement with SFPS. Rate of service is based on the fee schedule of the agreement. If there is no service agreement, please inquire with SFPS for pricing.