Jail Health Psychiatrist

Full Job Description

Public Health – Seattle & King County Jail Health Services Division’s Psychiatric Services team is seeking a Jail Health Psychiatrist.

The Psychiatric Services team provides mental health and psychiatric care to detained residents at the King County Correctional Facility and Maleng Regional Justice Center.

Jail Health Psychiatrists are responsible for providing psychiatric care as part of a team of other mental health/psychiatry professionals (Psychiatrists, ARNPs, and independently Licensed Mental Health Counselors or Social Workers) within the larger Jail Health Services division of Public Health.

The Jail Health Psychiatrist position is distinguished from the Jail Health Managing Psychiatrist in that the incumbent within the Jail Health Managing Psychiatrist classification functions as the designated mental health authority, overseeing psychiatric clinical operations, developing and implementing mental health policies and protocols, ensuring compliance with professional standards, and providing consultation and leadership to staff and management.

The Jail Health Managing Psychiatrist includes supervisory duties and broader accountability for the effectiveness and strategic direction of the facility’s mental health program.

Background

JHS provides needed health and social services to the incarcerated population located in the King County jails – King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle, WA and Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent, WA.

The primary services we provide include medical, dental, mental health, social and release planning services, treatment of substance use disorders, and pharmaceutical services.

We care about the patients we serve and their health outcomes. Our division includes over 250 employees and an annual budget of over $60 million.

The purpose of JHS is to assure that high-quality health and human services are available to the incarcerated population in the King County adult correctional facilities: the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent.

The JHS vision is opening doors to healthier, happier lives, and the mission is to assess and stabilize serious health problems for the detained population of the King County Correctional Facility and the Maleng Regional Justice Center with a focus on transition from jail.

Staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, JHS provides a broad range of health care to all individuals booked into the jails.

For patients with serious mental health or medical conditions, special housing units (psychiatric and infirmary) along with a higher level of services and medical monitoring are provided.

Since the patient population varies both in numbers as well as in acuity of health conditions, staffing is adapted and flexed to meet the constantly changing needs of the population.

JHS staff manage the complex health needs of underserved populations, many of whom come to the facility without access to care in the community and with decompensated acute and chronic health conditions.

Note: This posting will create a list of qualified candidates that may be considered for selection of additional vacancies of the same position type over the next 6 months.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr.

Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world.

It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities.

With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups.

Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx

Work Schedule

The exact work schedule may be negotiable with the chosen candidate, but in general this position will be three 8-hour shifts per week during the Monday through Friday work week.

The position also has a weekend rotation and overnight on call rotation components as well. Weekend shifts worked result in a flex day off during the regular work week.

This position also includes rotating day pager (on-site) and overnight (off-site) on-call shifts with compensation.

A sample standard schedule is 7:30am to 3:30pm Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Work Location

This position will be assigned shifts at both the King County Correctional Facility located at 500 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 and the Maleng Regional Justice Center located at 620 W James St, Kent, WA 98032.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Requirements

• Provide psychiatric services as an independent psychiatric health care provider based on Public Health - Seattle & King County clinical practice guidelines, CDC guidelines, mental health standards as well as the current community standards.
• Assess patients and establish diagnoses by performing a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. This includes gathering patient history, performing a physical examination, and other methods of assessment.
• Order or perform appropriate diagnostic and screening tests and collect additional data for evaluation of illness/wellness. This work may be done in a clinic setting or within psychiatric housing as required.
• Develop differential diagnosis and risk identification through assessment and interpretation of data.
• Provide managed patient health care by developing and implementing an individual treatment plan, prescribe/dispense medication, and provide counseling and case management.
• Complete documentation in Epic electronic health record communicate care through electronic charting and verbal interactions with your patient and health care team, providing them with leadership and direction where necessary.
• Respond to medical or psychiatric emergencies as part of the jail healthcare team.
• Ensure quality of professional practice by practicing within professional, legal, and ethical standards and by participating in and providing continuing education, peer review, chart review, development of practice guidelines, and community work.
• Provide leadership and collaboration within the health care team to ensure quality patient care.
• Provide patient care consultation to other Jail Health Services staff when on call.
• Provide training, orientation, and education to staff, clients, and students.
• Participate in continuing education, guidelines development, staff development, and committee meetings.
• Participate in quality assurance activities to demonstrate compliance with standards, laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Act as a consultant to the health care team, other staff, and the community including advocating for patients.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum):

• At least two (2) years of experience prescribing psychotropic medications.
• Washington State medical license in good standing.
• Current Board certification or board eligibility in Psychiatry Federal Drug Enforcement certificate.
• Basic Life Support CPR certification with AED.
• Washington State Driver’s License or the ability to utilize transportation to and from assigned work locations.
• Security clearance and/or background check.
• Willing to provide options counseling and possible referral for termination.
• Advanced knowledge of human systems, including wellness/illness, growth and development, basic nutrition, behavioral health, psycho-social and family systems.
• Knowledge of diagnostic testing and interpretation of results.
• Knowledge of diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making.
• Knowledge of alternative treatment modalities.
• Knowledge of health promotion, risk assessment, and education techniques and principles.
• Knowledge of community, professional, and educational resources.
• Knowledge of health care system structure and function.
• Knowledge of therapeutic client interventions and group dynamics.
• Knowledge/experience of electronic health record medical records documentation.
• Ability to effectively engage in, and sustain, relationships with people from diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Demonstrated proficiency with business applications, such as Microsoft Office suite and Office 365 systems.

The most competitive applicants will have the following experiences and qualifications (Desired):

• Two or more years of experience providing adult psychiatric services.
• Experience and/or training in addiction psychiatry and/or addiction medicine.
• Correctional or inpatient psychiatric care experience.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse cultural and socio-economic populations providing therapeutic client interventions and group dynamics.

Additional Information

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Who May Apply

This position is open to all qualified applicants.

The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• NEOGOV Job Application - The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process.
• Supplemental Questions - The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process.
• Resume - Your resume should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process.

(Please note: Cover letters, and additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process if not outlined as a required application material as outlined above).

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Contact

If you have questions or would like more information about the application process, please contact Salyse Duckworth, HR Analyst at sduckworth@kingcounty.gov.

Necessary Special Requirements

• The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
• The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR.
• The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation and Pre-employment Physical, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
• For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en.
• Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
• Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.

When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description.

This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.

• If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Additional Information Public Health - Jail Health Services follows and maintains federal and state requirements standards including, but not limited to, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards which apply to all public and private institutions that house adult or juvenile offenders.

PREA standards preclude the department from hiring or promoting anyone who has engaged in, or been convicted of any conduct which would violate PREA standards related to sexual assault including:

• Sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution.
• Convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse; or,
• Has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described above.

Additionally, PREA standards require that the department consider any incidents of sexual harassment involving an inmate or detainee in determining whether or not to hire or promote anyone.

The above is in compliance with PREA and its implementing regulations, 28 C.F.R. Part 115, Subpart A, Section 115.17, Hiring and Promotion Decisions.

Union Membership

This is a non-represented position.