PACT Psychiatrist

Vinfen•Plymouth, MA

About The Position

As a member of the Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) multidisciplinary team, the Psychiatrist, in conjunction with the Team Leader, has overall clinical responsibility for monitoring persons served treatment and staff delivery of clinical services. The Psychiatrist provides psychiatric and medical assessment and treatment; clinical supervision, education, and training of the team; and development, maintenance, and supervision of medication and psychiatric and medical treatment policies and procedures. As a member of the Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) multidisciplinary team, the Psychiatrist, in conjunction with the Team Leader, has overall clinical responsibility for monitoring persons served treatment and staff delivery of clinical services. The Psychiatrist provides psychiatric and medical assessment and treatment; clinical supervision, education, and training of the team; and development, maintenance, and supervision of medication and psychiatric and medical treatment policies and procedures.

Requirements

Sensitivity to cultural, religious, racial, disability, and gender issues
Knowledge of managed care practices and health system organization and dynamics
Knowledge of developmental disabilities and mental illness
Knowledge and use of different communication styles
Participatory skills, collaborative skills
Knowledge of human, legal, civil rights, community, and other resources
Knowledge of available equipment, therapies, and service providers
Knowledge of empowerment and self advocacy techniques
Knowledge of formal and informal assessment practices
Knowledge of participatory planning techniques
Knowledge of crisis intervention techniques
Knowledge of documentation requirements
Ability to provide leadership to staff
Ability to work in a professional and confidential capacity
Knowledge of Code of Ethics
Experience in a related setting preferred.
Strong clinical skills and experience providing treatment to persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses.
Licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts
Current Federal DEA and State Controlled Substances Certificates are required.
CPR required within two weeks of hire
PACT Module Training required within 3 months of hire
Ability to lift at least 25 pounds using proper lifting techniques.
Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment such as a calculator, copier, and printer.
Ability to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time as needed.
Ability to bend, reach, file, sit, stand and move around the facility.
Ability to speak, hear and communicate with person served, staff and external representatives.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

Clinical supervisory experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

Act as psychiatrist for all persons served within the team.
Conduct psychiatric assessments, including psychiatric history, course of illness, response to treatment, mental status examination, and 5 Axis DSM IV diagnoses; and present assessment results at Daily Organizational Meetings (DOM), Individual Treatment Team (ITT) meetings, and Individual Action Plan (IAP) meetings.
Supervise the ITT in the comprehensive assessment of psychiatric history (e.g., onset, course and effect of illness, past treatment and responses, and risk behaviors), mental status, and diagnosis; physical and dental health; use of drugs or alcohol; education and employment; social development and functioning; activities of daily living (e.g., self-care, living situation, nutrition, money management); and family structure and relationships.
Collaborate with registered nurses in assessment of persons served physical health, making appropriate referrals to community physicians for further assessment and treatment, and coordinating medical treatments with psychiatric treatment.
Prescribe psychotropic medications and conduct regular assessments of therapeutic responses and side effects and educate persons served regarding psychotropic medications.
Perform individual, group, and family supportive therapy and illness education in the process of carrying out the tasks above.
With other team members, provide support, education, and counseling to family members of persons served to help them become knowledgeable about mental illness, collaborate in the treatment process, and assist in their family member's progress.
Provide on-site crisis assessment and management of persons served during regular work hours, both on-site and over the phone, during other hours, and as on-call backup to the first line on-call staff during all other hours. Issue Section 12 and Section 35 for persons served, as indicated.
Be actively involved in both acute and long-term psychiatric inpatient treatment of persons served, including initiation and facilitation of admission to the hospital; regular communication and consultation with the attending psychiatrist; frequent visits to persons served in the hospital; and along with other team members, collaboration with the inpatient staff in the planning and implementation of treatment and discharge to the community.
Submit written reports and oral testimony and presentation of opinion in commitment and other legal proceedings and in a wide range of treatment, rehabilitative, and support services matters (e.g., guardianships, Social Security applications, prior authorization of medication, etc.).
Regularly attend DOM at least twice per week to assess persons served status and progress, to coordinate treatment activities, and to develop treatment solutions to problems other staff are having, providing supervision and support to PACT staff.
Participate in and supervise the development of the IAP for each person served at IAP meetings occurring twice weekly.
Assist the Team Leader in the administration of the clinical program and the clinical supervision of individual team members, providing information and opinion regarding the performance of individual staff in order to assist in employee performance reviews.
Train staff in the knowledge and skills basic to the treatment of persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses.
Direct and collaborate with the registered nurses to develop, revise, maintain, and supervise team psychopharmacologic and medical treatment and medication policies and procedures.
Provide services and supports to PACT persons served in the field in the course of home visits one day per week.
Perform other related duties, as required.