Health Care Practitioner

Health Care Practitioner

The County of Santa Barbara is currently seeking dedicated and compassionate practitioners to join our team. As a Health Care Practitioner, you will play a crucial role in providing high-quality care to our patients. This position offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to deliver comprehensive services.

The County of Santa Barbara Health department is seeking to fill three (3) Health Care Practitioner vacancies, including positions for qualified Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Practitioners, or Certified Nurse Midwives. Two (2) Full-Time opportunities are available: one (1) in Lompoc at the Lompoc Health Center for Primary Care, one (1) in Santa Maria at the Santa Maria Health Center and Shelter Medicine. One (1) Part-Time opportunity is available in Santa Barbara for 0.5 FTE at the Franklin Health Center for Women's Health Services.

We are also accepting applications to establish one employment list that will be used to fill current and future Full-Time, Part-Time, Extra Help and 1414* vacancies in multiple locations including Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Lompoc. This job classification is also utilized by the Department of Behavioral Wellness within the County of Santa Barbara. Please select ALL departments and locations you would like to be considered for initial employment.

Visa Sponsorship: Please note this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or to view more information.

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards for an advanced vacation accrual rate

The County may provide reimbursement for reasonable relocation expenses, and, at the discretion of the CEO, can provide flexible relocation assistance, housing and student loan offsets, cash incentives, and/or vacation and sick leave pre-accruals in the interest of attracting the best talent to the organization.

Under supervision of a physician/psychiatrist, performs examinations and evaluations of patient health/mental state; performs diagnostic and therapeutic tasks in the care and treatment of patients; and performs related duties as required.

County of Santa Barbara Health (County Health): Founded in 1925, our mission is to improve the health of our communities by preventing disease, promoting wellness and health equity, while ensuring access to needed health care, and maintaining a safe and healthy environment. Our vision of "healthy people, healthy community, healthy environment" is made possible through our team of over 500 professionals. With an annual budget of $98.7 million, we serve more than 440,500 residents across Santa Barbara County through a wide range of innovative public health programs and services.

The Department's range of responsibilities includes:

• Investigating disease outbreaks
• Conducting health education campaigns
• Inspecting food establishments
• Working with high-risk mothers and children
• Operating health clinics for the underserved
• Staffing medical shelters during emergency evacuations
• Caring for our four-legged friends through our animal control program and many other programs and services.

Department of Behavioral Wellness (BWell): Founded in 1962, it is our mission to promote the prevention of and recovery from mental illness and addiction among individuals, families and communities, by providing effective leadership and delivering state-of-the-art, culturally competent services. The Department provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to 10,000 clients with mental illness and substance use disorders annually through its professional staff of over 400, in addition to its many contracted Community-Based Organization (CBO) providers.

The Department's decisions and service delivery are guided by the following values:

• Quality services for persons of all ages with mental illness and/or substance abuse
• Integrity in individual and organizational actions
• Dignity, respect, and compassion for all persons
• Active involvement of clients and families in treatment, recovery, and policy development
• Diversity throughout our organization and cultural competency in service delivery
• A system of care and recovery that is clearly defined and promotes recovery and resiliency
• Emphasis on prevention and treatment
• Teamwork among department employees in an atmosphere that is respectful and creative
• Continuous quality improvement in service delivery and administration
• Wellness modeled for our clients at all levels; i.e., staff who regularly arrive at the workplace healthy, energetic and resilient
• Safety for everyone

The Ideal Candidate for County Health will possess:

• Experience working in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or Community Health Center (CHC) with underserved populations.
• A minimum of one (1) year of experience providing Primary or Urgent Care services.
• Ability to work independently and follow protocols when the supervising physician is off-site.
• Bilingual skills in English/Spanish preferred, but not required, for this position.

Distinguishing Characteristics: Positions may be located in the County Health or Behavioral Wellness Departments. Incumbents perform license-appropriate diagnostic and treatment tasks under the supervision of a licensed physician or psychiatrist. Incumbents are either: 1) registered nurses who have completed an approved nurse practitioner training program in family practice, family planning, pediatrics, mental health/psychiatric nursing, or other specialty; 2) licensed physician assistants assigned to areas of clinical or psychiatric specialty; or 3) certified nurse midwives. Nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives may furnish drugs and devices according to State regulations. Physician assistants may assist physicians in ordering drugs and supplies.

1. Takes complete and detailed patient histories; performs physical examinations, records pertinent data, and makes evaluations; identifies abnormalities and develops treatment plans or makes referrals for further diagnosis and/or treatment; instructs and counsels patients and their families regarding matters pertaining to their physical and/or mental health; orders and interprets laboratory tests under the supervision of a physician; identifies patients who require the immediate attention of a physician; performs routine screening and laboratory techniques; and assists physicians in providing services to patients requiring continuing care, including reviewing and implementing treatment and therapy plans.
2. Gives technical direction to and works with the nursing staff of treatment team; performs emergency medical treatment; evaluates medical conditions of patients in a clinical setting; participates with other disciplines in case management of individuals and families who present multiple health problems; evaluates client's needs for other departmental services and refers patients to other community resources; works with other agencies to plan for the patient's continuity of care.
3. Under the supervision of a physician, performs routine therapeutic and minor surgical procedures such as applying casts for simple fractures, administering injections, incising and draining superficial skin infections, removing impacted ear wax, debridement and care of superficial wounds and burns, removal of foreign bodies from the skin, suturing, and administering of subcutaneous local anesthesia.
4. Participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team providing technical expertise and assists with oversight of nursing staff; and may provide supervision oversight of Licensed Pharmacy Technicians, Medical Assistants performing authorized supportive services in community clinic settings.
5. Under the supervision of a psychiatrist performs routine mental state examinations, mental health supportive counseling and interventions, including medication evaluation, evaluate medication refills, and administering injections.
6. Participates in medical staff peer review and quality assurance activities/procedures.
7. Provides follow-up to patients with continuing health care or mental health needs, which may include counseling, health teaching, and home visits to patients and families.

1. Possession of valid license to practice as a Physician Assistant issued by the State Board of Medical Quality Assurance, as required by State law; OR,
2. Possession of a valid California Registered Nurse license, California Nurse Practitioner Certificate, and active furnishing number issued by the California Board of Registered Nurses; OR,
3. Possession of a valid California Certified Nurse Midwife license and active furnishing number issued by the California Board of Registered Nurses.

Additional Qualification: Some positions may require a United States Drug Enforcement Administration furnishing number. May also require possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License.

Knowledge of: techniques and procedures used in diagnosis and treatment of personal health / mental health problems; ethics and laws under which medicine is practiced and governed; services commonly provided by local health / mental health agencies; roles of the various health occupations; and social economic and cultural factors which influence Public Health/mental health.

Ability to: identify abnormal health conditions/mental disorders; gather complete