Psychiatrist - Adult

Salary : $320,923.20 - $348,150.40 Annually
Location : Orange County
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 4550HP-0626-042(O)-A
Department: Health Care Agency
Division/Service Area: Behavioral Health Services
Opening Date: 06/23/2026
Closing Date: Continuous


CAREER DESCRIPTION
PSYCHIATRIST - ADULT

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

Premium Pay

In addition to the hourly salary, eligible applicants may receive premium pay for the items listed below:

• Bilingual pay: Qualified employees who meet the criteria found (page 16) shall receive an additional $0.70 per hour for all hours paid
• Board Certification pay: Employees assigned on a regular, full-time basis in this classification, who are Board Certified, shall receive, in addition to his or her salary, the equivalent of $800 monthly

Other Additional Premium Pays

Additional Compensation:

• Five (5) days Conference Leave for Continuing Medical Education paid leave per year
• Educational and Professional Reimbursement of up to $10,000 per year
• No On-Call Responsibilities
• Flexible work schedules; A 4/10 schedule may be available
• Psychiatrist Loan Repayment Program (Psychiatrists employed at least half time in regular positions in all divisions of Behavioral Health Services (BHS) are eligible to receive up to $22,500 through the program, however, this does not include positions in Correctional Health. This program will continue as long as there are MHSA funds available. The County and/or HCA are under no obligation to continue funding this program should MHSA funding cease for this program.)

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
This recruitment will establish an open eligible list that will be used to fill current and future Psychiatrist positions. The eligible list established may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange.

DEADLINE TO APPLY
This recruitment is open to the public for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain open on a continuous basis until 11:59 P.M. (PST ) on the day the County's needs are met.

THE AGENCY
The County of Orange , Health Care Agency (HCA) is a dynamic organization dedicated to creating and supporting an environment that promotes the achievement of optimal individual, family and community health. Under the direction of the Agency Director, a new and dynamic executive team with an organizational structure comprised of five (5) service areas - Administrative Services, Behavioral Health Services, Correctional Health Services, Specialized Medical Services and Public Health Services - is committed to meeting the health needs of the diverse Orange County community.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES The Behavioral Health Services (BHS) Division consists of the following service areas Adult and Older Adult Behavioral Health, Children and Youth Services, Quality Management Services, Mental Health Services Act Office, Data Analytics and Evaluation, Crisis and Acute Care Services, Substance Use Services, BHS Navigation, and Forensics and Justice Involved. These service areas provide a culturally competent and client-centered system of behavioral health services for all eligible county residents in need of treatment for mental health and substance use disorders.

THE OPPORTUNITY Adult and Older Adult Behavioral Health Services (AOABH) provides recovery-oriented behavioral health services and episodic treatment services through a range of outpatient and residential treatment programs which emphasize individual needs, strengths, choices, and involvement in service planning and implementation. Adults who have a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and/or substance abuse disorder and impairment in their ability to function in the community or who have a history of recurring substantial functional impairment, hospitalization or symptoms can access services.


Outpatient Clinics, Intensive Care Management (ICM) and Collaborative Court Programs provide direct client care and may also provide supervision to an on-site Behavioral Health Nurse Practitioner. The population served consists of adults ages 18 and up impacted by a SMI and their families. Services include: assessment, evaluation, collateral therapy, individual and group therapy, substance use treatment, medication support, rehabilitation, linkage and consultation, placement, plan development and crisis intervention, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opiate and alcohol use disorders, treatment of substance use disorders with co-occurring mental illness.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES:
The ideal candidate will be familiar with recovery-oriented services, have a calm and flexible demeanor, and be willing to work in a team setting. Bilingual skills are highly desirable, especially in Spanish or Vietnamese, but are not required.

In addition, the ideal candidate must demonstrate substantial knowledge and practical experience directly related to the following competencies below:


Professional & Technical Expertise

• Performs biopsychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI)
• Recognizes the signs and symptoms of an acute mental crisis or psychiatric emergency, provides care to stabilize patients via medication adjustment or referral to a higher level of care such as an inpatient facility
• Responds and manages patients experiencing mood lability, severe depression, anxiety, anger, co-occurring substance use, and other symptoms of mental illness
• Thorough knowledge of the protective and risk factors for suicidal and homicidal ideation, and how to reduce the risk of a serious attempt
• Implements evidence-based recommendations for psychiatric treatment, including knowledge of how to utilize long-acting antipsychotics and clozapine for psychotic disorders
• Understands how to screen and modify treatment for adverse side effects or drug interactions related to psychiatric medications
• Assesses and treats patients with co-occurring substance use disorders, including recognition of substance use intoxication and withdrawal
• Interprets urine drug screens, understands false positives, provides counseling, and utilizes medications including naloxone to reduce the risk of substance use
• Proficient use of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) to monitor the individual's status, document psychiatric services, enter orders for medications and laboratory studies, determine and document medical necessity

Interpersonal Savvy | Building & Maintaining Relationships | Handling & Resolving Conflict

• Demonstrates non-verbal communication skills including appropriate eye contact, body language, and facial expressions when interacting with others
• Involves the patient in the treatment decision-making process and provides informed consent when discussing medications
• Assists other psychiatrists who are out of office by allowing consultations on their clients and medication refills if appropriate
• Participates in multidisciplinary team meetings and engages in effective communication with nurses, social workers, therapists, case managers, and other members of the treatment team
• Maintains a respectful and professional demeanor including when disagreements or conflicts arise between staff or patients
• Works collaboratively with other physicians providing medical care, personnel within the program, patient's families, conservators, court personnel, community hospital staff, and other County agencies

Oral Communication | Writing | Listening

• Prepares clear and concise documentation of the patient's biopsychosocial assessment, diagnoses, and treatment plan
• Documents rationale for modifying diagnoses and medications in the patient's chart, including diagnostic criteria that support a diagnosis and discussion on the benefits and risks to treatment
• Discusses and records the functional impairment caused by a patient's severe and persistent mental illness (e.g. unemployment, financial hardship, homelessness)
• Communicates about challenging interactions with patients or others in a respectful, unbiased, and accurate manner
• Practices active empathetic listening skills and use of open-ended questions with patients, communicates in a non-judgmental way to make patients feel comfortable opening up about their history and current symptoms

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Please click here for the minimum qualifications for Psychiatrist as well as the physical, mental, and environmental conditions.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) screens all applications to identify the qualified candidates for the position based on the skills required to meet the needs of the County. After the initial screening, the qualified candidates will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition.

Veterans Employment Preference The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click to review the policy.

Application Screening| (Refer/Non-Refer): Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.


Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

Eligible List:
Once the applications have been screened, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

EMAIL NOTIFICATION:

Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.


NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.


Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Click for additional Frequently Asked Questions.


For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, contact Gabriela Torres View phone number on click.appcast.io or

EEO INFORMATION
Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer,
encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Please note that Extra Help employees are not eligible for the benefits listed.
Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
01


Please select the option below that best describes your qualifications for the Psychiatrist position.

• Possession of a certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
• Completion of a formal training program in psychiatry as approved by the accrediting body governing graduate medical education.
• Anticipated completion of Psychiatric Residency within the next nine (9) months. Please note: An official letter of anticipated graduation from the Residency Director is required at the time of application and must be attached to this application.
• None of the above

02


If you are certified by the American Board of Psychiatry, provide your general certification number. If none, please write N/A.
03


If you are qualifying based on completion of your Psychiatric Residency, what is your graduation date? If none or not applicable, please write N/A.
04


Do you possess a valid Physician's and Surgeon's Certificate issued by the State Medical Board?

• Yes
• No

05


If yes, please provide the number and expiration date.
06


Do you possess a valid Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Registration Number for Controlled Substances, Level II?

• Yes
• No

07


Please provide and attach a copy of your DEA license number for verification. If none, please write N/A.
08


Describe your experience in treating individuals with a Serious Mental Illness in a Community Mental Health (CMH) setting? What interests you about providing treatment in this setting? If you do not have any experience, please write N/A.
09


Describe your experience working with clients that have co-occurring disorders/substance use problems. If you do not have any experience, write N/A.
10


Describe your experience and role in determining medical necessity for a CMH Level of Care?
11


Describe your experience and role in coordinating care with other staff on treatment teams (nurses, social workers, therapists, etc) to provide quality services for patients.
Required Question