Clinic Operations Mid-Level Provider / Nurse Practitioner - Denver

Division Of Youth Services

This position is open only to Colorado state residents. Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! About the Division of Youth Services:

The Division of Youth Services (DYS) provides a continuum of residential and non-residential services that encompass juvenile detention, commitment, and parole. DYS is the agency statutorily mandated to provide for the care and supervision of youth committed by the District Court to the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services. The Division operates fifteen secure facilities that serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21, who are pre-adjudicated, sentenced, or committed. The Division also contracts with numerous private residential and non-residential service providers throughout the State. For pre-adjudicated youth, the Division is also responsible for the management and oversight of Colorado Youth Detention Continuum, a State-funded, locally administered program that provides services to youth at risk of further progressing into the juvenile justice system. In addition to residential programming, the Division administers juvenile parole services throughout the State.

Description Of Job

Purpose of this Position: Deliver health care to detained, pre-trial, and committed youth. Primary care is provided by licensed independent practitioners/Mid Level Providers with responsibility for a continuum of health care from initial assessment through development and maintenance of health care including physical, psychiatric, and dental maintenance.

Primary Job Duties Clinical Management:

• Provide clinical and operational leadership across multiple facilities within the Division. This role ensures consistent clinical practice standards and supports the effective implementation of medical and care protocols to promote safe, high-quality patient care across all assigned programs. A core responsibility of the position is integrating clinical quality initiatives into daily operations. The Clinical Operations Lead translates clinical expectations into practical workflows, ensuring policies, procedures, and evidence-based practices are consistently followed. This includes ensuring that health screenings, health appraisals, histories and physicals, and SOAP notes reflect accurate assessments, appropriate treatments, and timely referrals.
• Work in collaboration with the Medical Lead, to supervise the completion of health screenings, appraisals, and physical examinations for all youth admitted to the facility through direct observation and review of medical documentation completed by clinic staff. Ensure communicable diseases are identified promptly and that appropriate interventions are implemented to prevent transmission within the facility, including required reporting to the CDC and State Health Department in accordance with applicable regulations. Manage complex cases and consults, which comprises. This position provides guidance on high-acuity medical, dental, and specialty cases, serving as the first-line clinical resource for staff evaluating case complexity. This includes determining the need for specialist referrals, collaborating with the DYS Medical Operations Coordinator and Director of Medical Operations on challenging cases, and ensuring that all youth receive timely, appropriate, and evidence-based care.
• Serve as a key liaison between Medical Leads, the DYS Medical Operations Coordinator, and the Director of Medical Operations. Through clear communication and collaboration, the role supports alignment between clinical care delivery and operational oversight. Pertinent health information is communicated to facility staff, families, supervisors, and administration to ensure continuity of care, regulatory readiness, and optimal health outcomes for all youth.

Oversight and Supervision of Staff:

• This position provides ongoing supervision of medical clinic staff's assessment and diagnostic skills, in collaboration with the Medical Lead as needed. This includes regular observation of clinical practice and review of documentation in the electronic health record to ensure accuracy and compliance with established standards. This position supervises proper documentation practices, including histories, exams, diagnoses, and treatment plans, and reviews daily medical documents pertinent to the department. The role ensures safe and legally compliant medication administration by monitoring staff adherence to preparation and administration protocols. This position facilitates resolution of interpersonal conflicts, investigates complaints, and problem-solves internal and external issues raised by staff, youth, families, or other stakeholders. Responsibilities also include supporting Medical Lead with scheduling clinic staff to meet the operational needs of the clinic and facility. The position oversees the orientation and training of new staff, including students and interns, and serves as the point of contact for local educational programs for Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant students. Regular staff meetings are facilitated to maintain communication, reinforce best practices, and support team cohesion.

Data and Reporting:

• Collects and reports monthly statistical data for required for Behavioral Health and Medical Services, and the critical incidents related to medical for the facility. Review policies and procedures on a regular basis and collaborates with facility administrators and supervisors in the writing and/or revising facility medical implementing procedures. Completes the medical logs pertinent to medical department.

Medical Quality Assurance and Compliance:

• This position directs and monitors quality assurance and clinical compliance initiatives across medical clinics to ensure adherence to DYS standards, regulatory requirements, and accreditation guidelines. Responsibilities include reviewing clinical documentation such as medication administration records, medication packaging, incident reports, pharmacy invoices, and Electronic Health Record (EHR) entries to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with established protocols. The position responds to annual audits by identifying deficiencies and developing and implementing corrective action plans to maintain compliance
• The role supervises clinical staff to ensure adherence to treatment protocols, monitors documentation quality through audits of health screenings, appraisals, medical histories, physical examinations, and SOAP notes, and evaluates care plans for effectiveness, recommending adjustments to support continuous quality improvement across assigned facilities. The position collaborates regularly with the Medical Operations Coordinator and Medical Authority to plan, recommend, and implement operational and clinical improvements.

Clinical Duties:

• Performing physical exams, ordering appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic tests, interpreting results, formulating treatment plans using established protocol, and documenting thoroughly. Detects and prevents the spread of communicable infectious disease by interviewing youth through the completion of health assessments, sick calls and the obtaining of a complete history. Participate in obtaining data for health program planning. Consulting the DYS Medical Director for necessary referrals to other physicians and specialists for medical, dental and specialty problems beyond the scope of the agency clinic. Consult with the DYS Medical Director regarding variance from established protocols or when protocols are unavailable. Provide health education and training to both juveniles and staff, regarding the health care needs of high risk adolescents in a secure correctional facility. Documents history, exam, diagnosis, treatment in medical records. Provides written guidelines for staff including emergency care. Communicates information to staff, supervisors and administration. This includes Food Service for allergy or other medical purposes. Evaluate mental status, mental health conditions of youth through interview and observation. Use established protocol for prescribing medication and treatment for diagnosed illness. Prepare and administer medication without error. Diagnose medical problems including emergency medical situations by performing physical exams, obtaining lab tests, ordering diagnostic tests, interpreting results, formulating treatment plans, including education. Initiating and monitoring effectiveness of plans and adjusting them as indicated. Communicates information to the appropriate DYS personnel.

Other Duties as Assigned

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

You are required to work at your assigned work location during your scheduled work times. Please note: Work arrangements are subject to change at any time.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Current, valid licensure as an Advanced Practice Nurse from the Colorado Board of Nursing; or current, valid licensure as a Physician Assistant from the Colorado Medical Board
• And Prescriptive authority - "RXN status" (Per DORA).

Substitutions: None

Preferred Qualifications: The successful candidate will have two or more years experience in the following areas:

• Adolescent health care
• Assessing, diagnosing, and treatment of acute and chronic illness
• Documentation in an electronic medical record
• Relevant years of State service experience

Highly Desireable Competencies:

• Knowledge to detect and prevent the spread of communicable infectious disease
• Knowledge to diagnose medical problems including emergency medical situations by performing physical exams, obtaining lab tests, ordering diagnostic tests, interpreting results, formulating treatment plans of the basic principles of supervision,
• Knowledge to use established protocols for prescribing medication and treating diagnosed illnesses,
• Knowledge to evaluate the mental status, and the mental health, conditions of youth through interview and observation,
• Knowledge of Oral and Written Communication Skills,
• Ability to resolve conflict,
• Knowledge and ability of Interpersonal Skills,
• Knowledge and experience clinically supervising medical staff.

Conditions of Employment:

• Be a minimum of 21 years of age, with no felony convictions or history of domestic violence
• Full Background. CDHS employees (all Direct contact with vulnerable persons): CBI name check and fingerprint check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference Checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), Drug Screen, PREA (Division of Youth Services), Trails check (direct contact with children), CAPS (direct contact with adults Mental Health