Updated 11/19/2024
POSITION DESCRIPTION
POSITION TITLE: Psychiatrist DEPARTMENT: Behavioral Health
REPORTS TO: Director of Behavioral Health/ CMO
FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt
HOURS: Part-time, 16-32 hours per week,
evenings and weekends may be required
Under the supervision of the Director of Behavioral Health and Chief Medical Officer (CMO), the
Psychiatrist is responsible for providing comprehensive direct psychiatric care to an ethnically and
socially diverse patient population in accordance with protocols, policies, and procedures. The
Psychiatrist will ensure a high level of quality in delivery of patient services. In addition, the
Psychiatrist must provide leadership and supervision for other behavioral health professionals in the
clinic and support staff to enhance their patient care skills. The Psychiatrist will also manage specific
clinic programs or initiatives as assigned.
CORE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES (Essential Duties):
1. Patient services: Ensures that patients/clients receive quality, timely, professional care in
accordance with VCH's mission and values, and leads the care team by utilizing the Patient
Centered Medical Home model.
• Conduct psychiatric evaluations and assessments of patients to determine appropriate
psychotropic medication treatment plans
High-Quality Health Care for All
The mission of Valley Community Healthcare is to improve the health and wellbeing of our
community by providing high-quality comprehensive healthcare services regardless of ability to pay.
We're in this together
Enhancing relationships with staff, businesses, foundations, and community leaders who share our
vision of high-quality healthcare for all.
We're providers of patient-centered care
Empowering patients to take responsibility for, and share in, decisions regarding their health status,
forming a partnership between patient and healthcare provider.
We're forward-thinking, accountable leaders
Assuring organizational viability through high standards of administrative and fiscal accountability
while managing growth responsibly and strategically.
Updated 11/19/2024
• Review patients' medical and behavioral health histories and collect additional information
from family members, therapists, and psychologists as needed
• Evaluate patients emotional, behavioral and mental state through discussion, observation,
and analysis
• Identify mental disorders and determine best treatment plan plans
• Develop and or participate in patient's therapy plans. Will indicated in medication treatment
plans frequency of patient's visits for medication management.
• Prescribe appropriate medications that are within patient's insurance plan.
• Administer, Score, and Analyze psychiatric tests and track patient's progress. Will assure that
PHQ9 is completed at each patient visit.
• Coordinate with external healthcare professionals when hospitalization is required
• Advise patients on how to cope with mental diseases and emotional breakdowns
• Support patients' loved ones and inform them about the patients' condition as appropriate
• Research medical issues and new medical treatments to update knowledge on mental
healthcare
• Provide psychiatric treatment to patients using evidence-based practices
• Collaborate with therapists and counselors ( ECM & Care Coordinators) to provide
comprehensive care to patients
• Monitor and track patient progress, adjusting treatment plans as needed
• Communicate effectively with patients, families, and other healthcare providers
• Maintain accurate and timely records of patient care, notes to be completed within 24 hours
of visit.
• Participate in peer supervision and professional development activities
2. Compliance: Ensures services provided comply with regulatory agency requirements, contractual
obligations and funding sources.
• Performs/supervises functions, duties and services in compliance with regulatory agencies,
contractual obligations and funding sources such as HRSA, CHDP, EWC, Medi-Cal, HCLA,
FPact, and Title X.
• Monitors and ensures compliance with clinical evidence based guidelines for adult,
pediatric, and adolescent mental health care.
• Participates in the review, revision, and implementation of policies and procedures to
ensure behavioral health practices are in full compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Oversees the maintenance of records/documents in accordance with clinic policies and
procedures, contractual obligations, regulations, and funding sources.
• Review request of release of information and determines appropriate PHI to be released.
• Monitors strict adherence to: universal infection precautions as established by the Center
for Disease Control and Prevention; Occupational Safety and Health Administration;
DHS/OA; and clinic standards
3. Administrative
• Participates in Quality Improvement initiatives, Quality Assurance assessments, peer review
processes, performance evaluations, and maintains confidentiality.
• Participates in team meetings and administrative tasks as assigned by the Director of
Behavioral Health or the Chief Medical Officer.
• Actively reviews no-show visits and lab results.
Updated 11/19/2024
• Reviews and implements guidelines and protocols as disseminated by administration.
• Responds to patient questions for treatment advice, directs staff to schedule patient
appointments.
• Executes appropriate and timely refill of patient medications.
• Participates or collaborates with marketing and other health education staff on education and
patient recruitment health fairs.
• Maintains current knowledge-base and appropriate licensure and provides proof of
Continuing Medical Education activities and board certification activities to clinic
administration.
• Maintains productivity and quality of care per VCH standards.
• Ensures compliance with license requirements as stated in Title 22.
• Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.
4. Communication:
• Creates and maintains effective interpersonal relationships with all employees; keeps
employees informed of changes which may affect the work environment.
• Communicates effectively with all levels of staff throughout the clinic by consistently utilizing
and facilitating effective strategies to encourage collaborative problem solving and decision
making.
• Trouble shoots difficult problems or situations and takes independent action to resolve them.
• Through teamwork and accountability exhibits behaviors and attitudes of courtesy and
respect for all staff at the clinic in accordance with its mission and values.
• Establishes and maintains effective and positive working relationships with representative of
outside agencies, government entities, vendors, as well as other clinical staff, volunteers, and
staff; represents the clinic site when appropriate.
• Ensures patient confidentiality and demonstrates complete discretion when discussing patient
information.
5. Fiscal management:
• Practices cost-effective medicine by executing appropriate laboratory and prescription orders
in line with clinic preferred laboratory and drug formulary.
• Completes documentation for clinic sessions in a timely manner ensuring accuracy and
completeness to ensure the clinic can collect funds for the services. Notes / Billing to be
completed within 24 hours of visit.
SUPPORTING JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Attend team meetings, team huddles, and assigned trainings.
• Other duties as assigned.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
These are general guidelines based on the minimum experience normally considered essential to the
satisfactory performance of this job. Individual abilities may result in some deviation from these
guidelines. To perform effectively in this position, the candidate must have:
Updated 11/19/2024
• Prior experience in a fast paced and large volume patient care/customer service
establishments.
• Ability to communicate clearly.
• Ability to work with little supervision.
• Takes initiative to problem solve before escalating to supervisor.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients, employees, and
the public.
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Customer Service - manages difficult or emotional customer situations: Responds promptly
to customer needs; meets commitments.
• Interpersonal Skills - focuses on solving conflict; maintains confidentiality; listens to others
without interrupting; keeps emotions under control.
• Oral Communication - speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations;
listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions; demonstrates group presentation
skills; participates in meetings.
• Written Communication - writes clearly and informatively.
• Teamwork - contributes to building a positive team spirit.
• Visionary Leadership - inspires respect and trust.
• Ethics - treats people with respect.
Qualifications: A valid and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the State of California.
• Board certification or eligibility in Psychiatry.
• Current DEA registration (all schedules) and a minimum of a BLS certificate.
• Competency in evaluation and treatment of ambulatory adult, pediatric, and adolescent
psychiatric patients.
• Exhibit a high level of professionalism.
• Experience in Federally Qualified Health Centers and/or an NCQA recognized Patient Centered
Medical Home is preferred.
• Working knowledge of state of the art medical scientific and treatment methods in area of
specialty.
• Understanding of current medical, educational, and psychosocial intervention procedures.
• Ability to perform clinical duties within established guidelines in an organized, efficient
manner.
• Ability to relate and communicate well to all cultural and ethnic groups in the community,
including fluency in written and spoken English. Bilingual skills in written and spoken Spanish
are preferred.
• Ability to complete and maintain records in accordance with procedures utilizing an electronic
health record system.
• General computer skills in Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, etc.) and patient medical
record system.
• Current California driver's license or identification card.