Psychiatrist - Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (RRPT) Program Manager

Full Job Description

The Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System is seeking a highly experienced Psychiatrist to serve as the Behavioral Health Program Manager for the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH-RRTP).

The incumbent provides clinical leadership, administrative oversight and operational management for the MH-RRTP serving Veterans with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, PTSD, and other behavioral health conditions.

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement.

Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine.

The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.

Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification.

(NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences.

Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs).

PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis.

PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision.

Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Preferred Experience: Experience in Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs (RRTP) or other 24/7 residential or inpatient behavioral health settings.

Demonstrated experience providing supervisory or lead-level oversight of interdisciplinary staff in a mental health program.

Experience with high-acuity populations, including Veterans with serious mental illness, substance use disorders, PTSD, and co-occurring conditions.

Working knowledge of VHA Mental Health Services, residential care requirements, and Joint Commission Behavioral Health standards.

Experience supporting staff scheduling, workload management, and coverage planning in a 24/7 environment. Familiarity with workload capture, productivity principles, and labor mapping.

Experience with quality management, performance improvement, and accreditation readiness. Ability to respond to emergent operational and patient safety issues and support incident follow-up.

Experience collaborating with Program Managers, Service Chiefs, HR and interdisciplinary teams. Measurement-based care and evidence-based mental health treatment.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15lbs), light carrying (under 15lbs), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking (1hr), standing (1hr), repeatedly bending (1hr), operation of crane, truck tractor or motor vehicle, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception, and hearing (aid permitted).

Workload Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Major Duties:

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized.

Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting The Behavioral Health Program Manager provides clinical leadership, administrative oversight, and operational management of the MH-RRTP.

The Program Manager collaborates with the Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health (ACOS/MH), service line leadership, and interdisciplinary teams to ensure delivery of high-quality, Veteran-centered, recovery-oriented care consistent with Veterans Health Administration (VHA) national priorities.The position requires strong leadership skills, operational management expertise, and experience supervising interdisciplinary staff in a complex healthcare environment.

Major duties include but are not limited to: Program Leadership: Provides leadership and oversight for assigned Behavioral Health programs to ensure alignment with: VHA Mental Health policies and directives VISN operational priorities Joint Commission accreditation standards Whole Health and recovery-oriented care principles Leads program development, strategic planning, and implementation of initiatives that improve Veteran outcomes and access to care.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Provides leadership and supervision to interdisciplinary staff including: Registered Nurses Social Workers Psychologists Nurse Practitioners Psychiatrists Other behavioral health staff Responsibilities include: staff scheduling and coverage planning mentoring and professional development participation in recruitment and onboarding performance management and evaluation input Promotes a collaborative, interdisciplinary culture focused on Veteran-centered care.

Operational Oversight Monitors program performance and ensures compliance with VHA policies, regulatory requirements, and accreditation standards.

Responsibilities include oversight of: access to care metrics clinic utilization and productivity workload capture and labor mapping patient safety and incident review staffing models and operational efficiency Coordinates with service line leadership to address operational challenges and implement improvements.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders including: Behavioral Health Service Line leadership Medical Service leadership Primary Care Mental Health Integration programs Community partners and referral sources VISN-level program leaders Ensures effective coordination of care across services and supports continuity of care of Veterans.

Crisis Response and Operational Support Provides leadership support during operational challenges including: emergent patient safety events staffing shortages or coverage issues incident investigations and corrective actions Assists Mental Health leadership in maintaining safe and effective program operations.

Quality Management and Performance Improvement: Leads quality improvement initiatives to enhance clinical outcomes and patient experience.

Responsibilities include: monitoring quality indicators and performance metrics supporting accreditation readiness implementing corrective action plans when necessary participating in facility quality and safety committees Promotes a culture of continuous improvements and patient safety.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.