PACT Psychiatrist

Psychiatrist

As a member of the Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) multidisciplinary team, the Psychiatrist, in conjunction with the Team Leader, has overall clinical responsibility for monitoring persons served treatment and staff delivery of clinical services. The Psychiatrist provides psychiatric and medical assessment and treatment; clinical supervision, education, and training of the team; and development, maintenance, and supervision of medication and psychiatric and medical treatment policies and procedures.

The essential job duties/responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to the information listed below:

• Act as psychiatrist for all persons served within the team.
• Conduct psychiatric assessments, including psychiatric history, course of illness, response to treatment, mental status examination, and 5 Axis DSM IV diagnoses; and present assessment results at Daily Organizational Meetings (DOM), Individual Treatment Team (ITT) meetings, and Individual Action Plan (IAP) meetings.
• Supervise the ITT in the comprehensive assessment of psychiatric history (e.g., onset, course and effect of illness, past treatment and responses, and risk behaviors), mental status, and diagnosis; physical and dental health; use of drugs or alcohol; education and employment; social development and functioning; activities of daily living (e.g., self-care, living situation, nutrition, money management); and family structure and relationships.
• Collaborate with registered nurses in assessment of persons served physical health, making appropriate referrals to community physicians for further assessment and treatment, and coordinating medical treatments with psychiatric treatment.
• Prescribe psychotropic medications and conduct regular assessments of therapeutic responses and side effects and educate persons served regarding psychotropic medications.
• Perform individual, group, and family supportive therapy and illness education in the process of carrying out the tasks above.
• With other team members, provide support, education, and counseling to family members of persons served to help them become knowledgeable about mental illness, collaborate in the treatment process, and assist in their family member's progress.
• Provide on-site crisis assessment and management of persons served during regular work hours, both on-site and over the phone, during other hours, and as on-call backup to the first-line on-call staff during all other hours. Issue Section 12 and Section 35 for persons served, as indicated.
• Be actively involved in both acute and long-term psychiatric inpatient treatment of persons served, including initiation and facilitation of admission to the hospital; regular communication and consultation with the attending psychiatrist; frequent visits to persons served in the hospital; and along with other team members, collaboration with the inpatient staff in the planning and implementation of treatment and discharge to the community.
• Submit written reports and oral testimony and presentation of opinion in commitment and other legal proceedings and in a wide range of treatment, rehabilitative, and support services matters (e.g., guardianships, Social Security applications, prior authorization of medication, etc.).
• Regularly attend DOM at least twice per week to assess persons served status and progress, to coordinate treatment activities, and to develop treatment solutions to problems other staff are having; providing supervision and support to PACT staff.
• Participate in and supervise the development of the IAP for each person served at IAP meetings occurring twice weekly.
• Assist the Team Leader in the administration of the clinical program and the clinical supervision of individual team members, providing information and opinion regarding the performance of individual staff in order to assist in employee performance reviews.
• Train staff in the knowledge and skills basic to the treatment of persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses.
• Direct and collaborate with the registered nurses to develop, revise, maintain, and supervise team psychopharmacologic and medical treatment and medication policies and procedures.
• Provide services and supports to PACT persons served in the field in the course of home visits one day per week.
• Perform other related duties, as required.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Sensitivity to cultural, religious, racial, disability, and gender issues
• Knowledge of managed care practices and health system organization and dynamics
• Knowledge of developmental disabilities and mental illness
• Knowledge and use of different communication styles
• Participatory skills, collaborative skills
• Knowledge of human, legal, civil rights, community, and other resources
• Knowledge of available equipment, therapies, and service providers
• Knowledge of empowerment and self advocacy techniques
• Knowledge of formal and informal assessment practices
• Knowledge of participatory planning techniques
• Knowledge of crisis intervention techniques
• Knowledge of documentation requirements
• Ability to provide leadership to staff
• Ability to work in a professional and confidential capacity
• Knowledge of Code of Ethics

About Vinfen:

Why Vinfen? We are committed to you! We offer great training, great benefits, career growth and job security!

Our comprehensive and generous benefits package includes (for eligible employees):

• A fully funded 401(a), employer-sponsored retirement plan that requires no employee contribution as well as an employee-funded 403(b) plan
• First-rate Medical, Dental and Vision plans that are open all employees scheduled to work 30 hours per week or more. Plus, we offer a generous employer contribution toward the cost of medical insurance!
• Employer-paid Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment and Long-Term Disability Insurance (no cost to you!)
• Employer-paid Short-Term Disability Insurance for employees who qualify
• Flexible Spending Reimbursement Accounts (Health and Dependent care)
• Voluntary Term Life, Whole Life, Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance
• Generous paid time off (Employees scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week).

Established in 1977, Vinfen is a nonprofit, health and human services organization and a leading provider of community-based services to individuals with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and behavioral health challenges. Our services and advocacy promote the recovery, resiliency, habilitation, and self-determination of the people we serve. Vinfen's 3,500 dedicated employees are experienced, highly-trained professionals who provide a full range of supportive living, health, educational, and clinical services in over 550 sites throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. For more information about Vinfen, please visit

My Job. My Community. My Vinfen.

Vinfen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Typical Requirements:

Experience in a related setting preferred.

Strong clinical skills and experience providing treatment to persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses.

Clinical supervisory experience is desirable.

Licensed to practice medicine in the state of service is required.

Current Federal DEA and State Controlled Substances Certificates are required.

Required Certifications Post Hire:

CPR required within two weeks of hire

PACT Module Training required within 3 months of hire

Driving Requirements:

Driving is not required.

Physical Effort:

Ability to lift at least 25 pounds using proper lifting techniques.

Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment such as a calculator, copier, and printer.

Ability to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time as needed.

Ability to bend, reach, file, sit, stand and move around the facility. Ability to speak, hear and communicate with person served, staff and external representatives. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus

Pay Range:

USD $142.48 - USD $142.48 /Hr.