Staff Psychiatrist

The Adult Behavioral Health Division is currently recruiting for a Staff Psychiatrist to support the County to treat patients with severe mental health disorders.  

We are seeking skilled and compassionate Staff Psychiatrists to join our County Behavioral Health Department as permanent employees and contract employees, providing comprehensive psychiatric care to Medi-Cal/CenCal covered patients with severe mental health disorders. This role involves performing intakes, follow-up appointments, and prescribing medications in both in-person and virtual settings. As part of a collaborative team, you will work closely with therapists, licensed psychiatric technicians, and other mental health providers to ensure patients receive the highest quality of care.

Essential Job Functions:

• Conduct psychiatric evaluations, assessments, and intakes for patients with severe mental health disorders.
• Prescribe and manage psychiatric medications, monitoring efficacy, side effects, and making necessary adjustments to treatment plans.
• Collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team, consulting with therapists, licensed psychiatric technicians, and other mental health providers on patient care and treatment plans.
• Provide training and guidance to interns and resident physicians, contributing to the development of future mental health professionals.
• Consult with staff physicians and para-medical personnel on patient care and diagnostic work, ensuring alignment with best practices in psychiatry.
• Participate in administrative responsibilities, such as assisting in budget preparation, determining equipment and supply needs, carrying out personnel functions, and revising work procedures to improve service quality and workflow efficiency.
• Assist in the planning, direction, and development of health programs in the field of psychiatry to support the mental health needs of our community.

Qualifications:
Selection Requirements:

• Training and Experience: Completion of a residency approved by an American Specialty Board in Psychiatry.
• License: California State Physician and Surgeon’s license, authorized by the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of California.

• Strong commitment to serving individuals with severe mental health disorders, ideally within the Medi-Cal/CenCal population.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a collaborative approach to team-based care.
• Flexibility in providing care through both in-person and virtual platforms.
• Ability to adapt to administrative and clinical responsibilities as needed, contributing to a high-functioning and supportive clinic environment.

Most County recruitments require you to respond to supplemental questions as part of the application process. We recommend that you review these questions prior to beginning your application.

An initial application review will be conducted. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and are best qualified will be invited to participate in selection activities which may include online assessments, performance exams, written exams, and interviews.

Final candidates will be required to have an in-depth background review performed before proceeding in the process. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process.

If you have questions or would like to discuss the opportunity further, please contact Human Resources at ha.humanresources@co.slo.ca.us. Confidential inquiries are welcomed.

For further information regarding the County of San Luis Obispo, visit our website at www.slocounty.ca.gov.    

Reasonable Accommodation Notice
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. Please call 805-781-5959 for assistance or e-mail hr@co.slo.ca.us for more information.

Veteran's Preference Points 
If you are applying for employment with the County of San Luis Obispo and you served in the United States Armed Forces, you may be eligible for veteran's preference points as part of the recruitment process. Some dependents and survivors of eligible veterans may also be eligible for preference points.  Click here for more information and to learn how to apply for this benefit.  Please note that Veteran’s credits must be on file with the County of San Luis Obispo Veterans Services Office prior to the recruitment closing date indicated on the job announcement.

Equal Employment Opportunity 
The County is an equal opportunity employer. Objectives are directed toward assuring equal opportunity in selection / promotion, pay, and job assignments. Recruitment and selection procedures have been established to ensure non-discrimination on the basis of political or religious opinions or affiliations, age, sex, race, color, national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or other non-merit factors. In addition, the County complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act in hiring and retaining employees. For more information contact the Human Resources Department at (805)781-5959.