Senior Psychiatrist (Sr Director), Correctional Health Services

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation. We are a network of 11 hospitals, trauma centers, neighborhood health centers, nursing homes, and post-acute care centers.  We are a home care agency and a health plan, MetroPlus. Our health system provides essential services to 1.4 million New Yorkers every year in more than 70 locations across the city's five boroughs. Our diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees are uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. Visit us at https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem nycHHC or Twitter@hhcnyc.

NYC Health + Hospitals is also home to Correctional Health Services, one of the nation’s leading correctional health care systems in quality of, and innovations and access to care.  In-jail services include medical, mental health, nursing, substance use treatment, social work, dental and vision care, discharge planning, and reentry support. In addition to providing direct patient care in the jails, CHS conducts enhanced pre-arraignment screening and forensic psychiatric examinations; and leverages the resources of the Health + Hospitals  system to help discharged patients successfully return to their communities. CHS is also a pivotal partner in New York City’s criminal justice reform efforts.  Our workforce is comprised of more than 1,500 dedicated professionals, with locations in all five boroughs and on Rikers Island.

At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.

Summary of position
The Senior Psychiatrist is the psychiatric leader of the facility or program and works in close collaboration with the Mental Health Unit Chief, Clinical Supervisors, and Supervising Psychiatrists (if applicable) to ensure that safe, holistic, and evidence-based psychiatric care is provided to incarcerated patients with varying levels of mental health needs. A team-based approach to care is critical; one that incorporates all relevant mental health and medical disciplines as well as security staff. A major component of this position will be training, recruiting and retaining high quality staff and providing strong leadership and mentorship for existing staff.

Responsibilities Include (depending on location):

• • Ensure the highest possible quality of mental health care both in the facility and in collaboration with the other jail facilities in the system. This includes active participation in quality improvement, staff and patient safety initiatives, treatment supervision, and personnel mentorship and management.
  • In coordination with the facility-specific Mental Health Unit Chief, design, implementation, ongoing review, and monitoring of relevant clinical facility-specific procedures, policies and operating manuals
  • Direct clinical individual and group supervision of the relevant psychiatric prescribing staff, including psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychiatric physician assistants. This supervision must include both in vivo reviews of clinical skills as well as chart review.
  • Close collaboration, including regularly scheduled meetings, with other relevant disciplines within the mental health, medical, nursing and operations departments, as well as the Department of Correction
  • Ensure that medication renewals are completed in a timely manner
  • Educate clinical staff about new developments regarding best practices in all aspects of psychiatric care, with specific attention to the challenges and issues facing a jail setting (e.g., influence of legal case, dual loyalty, medication diversion)
  • Ensure compliance with all regulatory standards
  • In collaboration with the Mental Health Unit Chief, oversee the orientation of new staff to the facility or program
  • Conduct regular and multi-disciplinary case conferences
  • Report on an as-needed basis to the CHS Morbidity and Mortality review committee.
  • Work in collaboration with the Mental Health Unit Chief to manage clinical schedules, vacation requests, CME activities and other relevant activities as they pertain to psychiatric staffing and education
  • Participate in policy revision and creation, and practice guideline creations, related to psychiatric care, including input into the psychiatric medication formulary
  • Lead at least monthly interdisciplinary mental health staff meetings in coordination with the Mental Health Unit Chief and Clinical Supervisor.
  • Personnel management of clinical staff, including setting quality standards, establishing effective recruitment and retention strategies, and managing workforce complaints
  • At least 30% of time devoted to direct clinical care, which may include direct supervision of psychiatric trainees. For smaller facilities or programs with less supervisory need, more direct patient care will be expected
  • On-call responsibilities for 2 weeks at a time, one to times/year, for off-hours issues that require high level clinical intervention
  • Other duties at the discretion of the Medical Director of Mental Health or the Chief of Service

• Department Preferences:

  
  • Excellent diagnostic and treatment skills with particular attention to issues of psychopharmacology, safe administration of medication in a variety of settings, medical complications of mental illness and therapeutic resistance
  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with other disciplines, including DOC staff
  • Strong leadership skills with ability to identify staff needs and provide mentorship and education to suit those needs
  • Buprenorphine waiver training highly encouraged but not required

  
  Qualification Requirements:

  
  1. Education

  
  a. M.D. degree with active NY State license in good standing
  b. Completion of a 4-year psychiatric residency training program
  c. Active certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry

  
  2. Experience

  
  a. At least two years of post-residency experience working with individuals with mental illness in a criminal justice setting (jail, prison, probation and/or parole) or public health community setting
  b. At least one year of post-residency experience in a supervisory role in psychiatry
  c. At least one year of post-residency experience working with individuals with serious mental illness

  
  3. An equivalent and satisfactory combination of education and experience may be considered.

Minimum Requirements:

1. A Master's degree from an accredited college or university in hospital administration, health care planning, business administration, public administration or an approved related program and seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in health and medical service administration, public administration, personnel and labor relations, finance or appropriate functional discipline with an emphasis on planning, liaison and inter-organizational relationships, or related administrative or managerial functions; or

2. A Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in health and medical service administration, public administration, personnel and labor relations, finance or appropriate functional discipline with an emphasis on planning, liaison and inter-organizational relationships, or related administrative or managerial functions; or

3. A satisfactory equivalent combination of education, training and experience. However, all candidates must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree.

Please be advised that proof of Covid-19 vaccination is required prior to hire.

If you wish to apply for this position, please apply online by clicking the "Apply Now" button or mail your resume, noting the above Job ID #, to:

NYC Health + Hospitals / Correctional Health Services

Talent Acquisition Human Resources Department
55 Water Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10041
Attn: Talent Acquisition

If applying online, please include your cover letter in the same file attachment with your uploaded resume.

NYC Health and Hospitals offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• Comprehensive Health Benefits for employees hired to work 20+ hrs. per week
• Retirement Savings and Pension Plans
• Loan Forgiveness Programs for eligible employees
• Paid Holidays and Vacation in accordance with employees' Collectively bargained contracts
• College tuition discounts and professional development opportunities
• Multiple employee discounts programs