Psychiatrist

AvaMed Workforce•Lancaster, CA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

AvaMed Workforce, a healthcare staffing agency serving California State Correctional Facilities, is seeking a Psychiatrist for a full-time assignment at a correctional facility in Lancaster, California. The position is 40 hours per week on a 4/10 schedule, Thursday through Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Orientation lasts two weeks, and schedule flexibility is required during orientation. The stated rate is $270 per hour. Under the clinical direction of the Chief Psychiatrist, Senior Psychiatrist, or designee, and the administrative direction of the Chief of Mental Health, the Psychiatrist provides psychiatric services to mentally ill inmates or wards, or works in a review, evaluation, or consultative capacity. Duties may take place at state correctional institutions and facilities, or in headquarters or field offices in a review or consultative capacity. The role involves direct patient care, clinical documentation, treatment planning, medication management, consultation, and maintaining safety in the correctional setting.

Requirements

Must have an active California Psychiatrist License.
Must be flexible during the two-week orientation period.

Responsibilities

Meet with mentally ill patient-inmates or youths for crisis interventions and face-to-face interviews, including interviews at cell fronts in inmate housing units.
Conduct initial mental health evaluations, including criminal, psychiatric, and substance abuse histories, and recommend treatment based on current needs.
Conduct suicide risk evaluations using applicable protocols, chart reviews, documentation, and consultations as needed.
Participate in Interdisciplinary Treatment Team (IDTT) meetings and document care, face-to-face contacts, and meetings.
Monitor patient progress using Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan and Education (SOAPE) formatted progress notes.
Apply community standards of practice for psychiatric treatment and ethical standards.
Perform mental status examinations during face-to-face clinical interviews.
Identify signs and symptoms of medical and psychological disorders to diagnose, assess, and manage presenting symptoms.
Review mental health records, institutional chronos, probation reports, court records, and other available documents to support diagnosis and treatment planning.
Review and diagnose psychiatric patients of all ages and examine patient records to assess progress, effectiveness, and appropriateness of treatment services.
Consult with a supervising psychiatrist on unusual, complex, or serious cases, or present cases at clinical conferences.
Provide clinical consultation to psychiatric staff on unusual, complex, or serious cases requiring technical expertise.
Prescribe medication as appropriate, using the Correctional Formulary or obtaining non-formulary approval.
Interpret laboratory results and make clinically appropriate referrals to medical services.
Determine psychiatric and general medical treatment needs and prescribe treatment changes when indicated.
Comply with mandated reporting requirements, including reporting suspected child or elder abuse, danger to self or others, duty-to-warn matters, and other confidentiality mandates.
Develop therapeutic relationships with patients’ families and caretakers to support effective treatment.
Consult with primary care medicine to identify and manage co-occurring, comorbid, and treatment-related medical conditions.
Conduct clinical rounds and review patient progress, including assessments in inmate or ward housing units.
Periodically serve as psychiatrist-of-the-day for on-call or call-back coverage during weekends and off-hours for emergencies, Mental Health Crisis Bed follow-up, and five-day follow-ups.
Administer psychiatric treatment with assistance from other health care providers as necessary.
Maintain order and supervise the conduct of persons committed to the correctional facility to prevent escapes or injury to themselves or others.