Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) — Pediatric & Adult

HeartSOS by The Hope Source | Indianapolis, IN

About the Role

HeartSOS by The Hope Source is seeking a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who leads with root-cause thinking before reaching for a prescription pad — and who is just as comfortable reducing or discontinuing unnecessary medications as starting new ones. You'll provide thoughtful medication management within a collaborative, multidisciplinary team, working alongside therapists, BCBAs, and other clinicians to treat the whole child.

We're looking for a provider who asks "why" before "what dose" — someone who evaluates diet, sleep, sensory processing, and behavioral/environmental factors as first-line considerations, and who partners with families to simplify medication regimens whenever it's clinically appropriate, rather than defaulting to polypharmacy. We also respect that medication isn't the right path for every family, and we're looking for someone who can support those families just as fully as those who pursue pharmacologic treatment.

What You'll Do

• Conduct psychiatric evaluations and manage medication treatment for pediatric and adolescent clients
• Work collaboratively with the behavioral health team and family in all decisions to add, adjust, or reduce medications, ensuring changes are made based on how the client is responding to intervention — not on a fixed timeline or default protocol
• Actively evaluate existing medication regimens for necessity, appropriateness, and cumulative burden — leading deprescribing conversations with families when a medication is no longer serving the child
• Investigate root causes before or alongside pharmacologic treatment: sleep hygiene and sleep disorders, nutritional status and diet, sensory processing differences, and behavioral or environmental contributors
• Prescribe conservatively and explain medications in plain language — rationale, expected effects, side effects, and realistic timelines
• Respect and support families who choose not to pursue medication, offering evidence-informed non-pharmacological alternatives and remaining an active, engaged member of the care team regardless of that choice
• Work with children presenting with ASD, ADHD, anxiety, mood disorders, and trauma-related presentations
• Collaborate with therapists, BCBAs, OTs, Registered Dietitian and other team members so that behavioral, sensory, and medical interventions are coordinated rather than siloed
• Support families in understanding non-pharmacological options (behavioral intervention, sensory strategies, sleep and dietary changes) as part of a full treatment picture
• Maintain accurate, timely clinical documentation

Our Philosophy on Medication

Medication decisions at HeartSOS are never made in isolation. Every change — whether adding, adjusting, or reducing a medication — is made collaboratively with the behavioral health team and family, grounded in how the client is actually responding to intervention. Our primary goal is to build the skills and supports (behavioral, sensory, and environmental) that reduce a child's long-term dependence on medication, so that pharmacologic treatment is a bridge rather than a permanent solution wherever clinically appropriate. We also recognize that some families will choose not to pursue medication at all, and we're committed to supporting those clients with the same level of clinical engagement and alternative strategies.

What We're Looking For

• Active PMHNP certification and Indiana licensure (or eligibility to obtain)
• Experience with pediatric and adolescent populations
• Experience or strong interest in ASD, ADHD, and trauma-informed care
• A genuine root-cause, whole-child clinical philosophy — comfortable questioning whether a medication is still needed, not just whether one should be added
• Familiarity with the role of sleep, nutrition, and sensory regulation in behavioral and psychiatric presentations
• Comfort supporting families who decline medication, with the flexibility to offer non-pharmacological guidance and stay engaged in the treatment plan
• A collaborative mindset — comfortable working as part of an integrated care team rather than in isolation
• Strong communication skills with families navigating complex medication histories
• DEA registration (or ability to obtain)

Position Type

• Full-time, part-time, and contract (1099) arrangements available
• Schedule and caseload flexibility discussed based on candidate preference
• In-person and telehealth

Compensation

$125,000–$160,000/year, commensurate with experience and schedule (full-time/part-time/contract).

Note: this is a modest range relative to some large-system or corporate psychiatric postings in the area, reflecting our smaller practice size — we'd frame this transparently to candidates as trading top-of-market pay for autonomy, mission alignment, and a genuinely collaborative team culture, which tend to matter most to the providers who are the best fit here.