Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

About CLARE|MATRIX: CLARE|MATRIX is a nonprofit organization providing effective and compassionate treatment, recovery, and prevention services for alcoholism and substance use to individuals, families, and the community. Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA, CLARE|MATRIX maintains multiple facilities in the Southern California region.

Since 1970, CLARE|MATRIX has provided quality substance use and mental health treatment to individuals in treatment for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in Southern California.

Summary

This position provides clinical consultation, guidance, and oversight to interdisciplinary treatment staff and participates in the education and supervision of medical trainees and fellows as directed. The PMHNP may provide clinical support and mentorship to staff within scope of practice and organizational structure. The PMHNP works collaboratively under the clinical oversight of the supervising Psychiatrist, Medical Director and/or Chief Medical Officer within CLARE|MATRIX's clinical governance framework and reports administratively to the Sr. Director of Residential Services. Schedule and coverage responsibilities may include cross-program support, admissions consultation, and participation in after-hours clinical coverage as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position has direct supervisory responsibility for clinical and medical staff. The PMHNP provides clinical consultation and guidance to the treatment team and may precept interns and fellows as directed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function, with or without accommodation. The requirements listed below are representative of the duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

1. Psychiatric Evaluation and Diagnosis
   
   1. Clinical Services: Provides direct psychiatric services within scope of practice, including psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and timely clinical documentation.
   2. Assessment and Diagnosis: Conducts comprehensive psychiatric and biopsychosocial assessments for individuals presenting with substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health conditions, and dual diagnosis populations. Performs Assessments mental health status examinations, applies standardized assessment scales and clinical risk stratification, and established diagnoses I accordance with DSM-5 TR criteria.
   3. ASAM and Level of Care: Apply ASAM Patient Placement Criteria to contribute to support level-of-care determinations in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
   4. Crisis Assessment: Conduct risk assessments including suicidality, homicidality, and acute psychiatric crisis. Determine appropriate disposition and provides immediate clinical intervention as needed.

1. Medication Management
   1. Prescribing: May prescribe, manage, and monitor psychiatric medications including psychotropic medications, in accordance with California law, DEA regulations, and evidence-based practice.
   2. DEA and Furnishing: May prescribes controlled substances and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), in accordance with applicable federal and California law, including DEA registration and furnishing authority requirements, and performs required CURES 2.0 checks prior to prescribing.
   3. Monitoring: Monitors medication efficacy, side effects, and adverse reactions; adjusts treatment plans accordingly and communicates changes to the interdisciplinary team.
   4. Consultation: Collaborate with the Medical Director, Psychiatrist, and the inter-disciplinary treatment team on complex medication management decisions and clinical presentations.

1. Treatment Planning and Coordination
   1. Treatment Plans: Develop and contribute to individualized, integrated treatment plans that address psychiatric and substance use disorder needs in a coordinated and person-centered manner.
   2. Team Collaboration: Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings, case conferences, and clinical huddles; provide psychiatric consultation to therapists, AOD counselors, case managers, and program staff.
   3. Care Coordination: Collaborate care with external providers, hospitals, detox facilities, and community partners to support continuity of care and appropriate referrals.
   4. Transitions of Care: Support the interdisciplinary treatment team in facilitating participant transitions across levels of care, including admission planning, discharge planning, and step-down planning to ensure safe, clinically appropriate, and person-centered care continuity.

1. Documentation and Billing

1. Electronic Health Record (EHR) Documentation: Maintain accurate, timely, and complete documentation in the Electronic Health Record, including progress notes, treatment plan updates, group notes, participant contacts, and all required service entries.
2. File Compliance: Ensure all participant charts meet contractual, regulatory, and organizational standards, including proper documentation, signatures, consents, assessments.
3. Timeliness of Documentation: Complete documentation in real time or within required timeframes to support quality care, billing accuracy, and compliance with program expectations.
4. Billing: Ensure documentation supports billable services accurately reflecting the service provided. Verify that charts include necessary elements such as treatment plans, progress notes, session details, and attendance.
5. Service Reporting: Communicates clinically relevant changes with the interdisciplinary treatment team regarding changes in diagnosis, medication or treatment needs to ensure coordinated, timely, and person-centered care.
6. Care Coordination Documentation: Document case management activities, including referrals, follow-up, and participant coordination efforts in accordance with program expectations.

1. Safety and Compliance

1. Compliance: Adhere to CLARE|MATRIX policies and procedures, program guidelines, and all applicable federal, state, county, local regulations. Ensures participant safety, dignity, and confidentiality in all aspects of care.
2. Confidentiality: Maintains the confidentiality of participant information in compliance with HIPAA, 42 C.F.R. Part 2, and organizational privacy standards. Completes required training.
3. Professional Conduct: Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with participants in accordance with agency policies and applicable ethical and licensing standards.
4. Safety Standards: Complies with CLARE|MATRIX, OSHA, and CAL/OSHA health and safety regulations. Support the maintenance of a safe environment for participants and staff.
5. Incident Reports: Complete incident reports accurately and timely in accordance with organizational and regulatory requirements.

1. Teamwork and Collaboration
   1. Communication: Demonstrate effective and appropriate workplace communication by speaking clearly, directly, and with purpose. Actively listen, ask clarifying questions, and confirm understanding before acting. Provide timely updates to staff and participants regarding needs, concerns, or changes in participant status, ensuring information is accurate and complete. Maintain professional tone, body language, and boundaries. Address issues respectfully and constructively, avoid gossip or unprofessional dialogue, and follow established channels for reporting, documentation, and escalation. Consistently model courteous, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive communication that supports a safe and respectful environment.
   2. Meetings: Attend and actively participate in staff meetings, case conferences, one-on-one supervision meetings, training sessions, and team-building activities as required by the program.
   3. Collaborative Teamwork and Collaboration: Work collaboratively with interdisciplinary team to support participant care, resolve concerns, and maintain consistency in service delivery. Maintain positive and professional relationships with community partners and collaborate with outside agencies as part of the continuum of care, when applicable.
   4. Mission, Vision, and Philosophy: Supports CLARE|MATRIX's mission, vision, philosophy, and operating principles. Support a healthy work environment and uphold organizational standards of conduct.
   5. Supportive Work Environment: Contribute to a positive, safe, and team-oriented work environment by remaining receptive to constructive feedback, seeking guidance when needed, and supporting coworkers in program operations.

1. Secondary Areas of Responsibility

Other duties as assigned

1. Qualifications

1. Board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) required.
2. Active and unrestricted California Registered Nurse (RN) license and Nurse Practitioner (NP) certification required.
3. Active California furnishing number required.
4. Active DEA registration required for prescribing controlled substances.
5. CURES 2.0 registration required prior to prescribing controlled substances.
6. Eligibility to prescribe medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in accordance with applicable federal and state law.
7. Working knowledge of 42 C.F.R. Part 2 and behavioral health confidentiality requirements.
8. National Provider Identifier (NPI) required.
9. Medi-Cal provider enrollment required within established timeframes, if applicable.
10. Must maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) or First Aid/CPR certification as required by applicable federal, state, or local regulations.
11. All licenses and credentials must be maintained in good standing and are subject to primary source verification prior to hire.

1. Education and Experience

1. Completion of a graduate or post-graduate program in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing from an accredited institution required.
2. Minimum of two (2) years of post-certification clinical experience as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner preferred.
3. Direct clinical experience with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions required.
4. Experience prescribing and managing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) required.
5. Experience working in DHCS-licensed or other state-regulated behavioral health settings preferred; candidates without direct DHCS experience must demonstrate the ability to quickly learn and adhere to applicable regulatory and documentation requirements.
6. Experience in residential, outpatient, or community-based behavioral health settings preferred.
7. Experience in CARF-accredited programs preferred.

10. Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies

1. Knowledge: Comprehensive knowledge of DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria for psychiatric and substance use disorders; working knowledge of evidence-based treatment modalities, ASAM Patient Placement Criteria, and 42 C.F.R. Part 2 confidentiality requirements applicable to SUD treatment records. Candidates without direct ASAM experience must demonstrate the ability to apply structured clinical decision-making frameworks in a regulated care environment.
2. Skills: Functions effectively within the PMHNP scope of practice and collaborates with an interdisciplinary team to support safe, coordinated, and effective care.
3. Competencies: Demonstrates cultural humility and engages respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds; applies trauma-informed care principles and maintains appropriate professional boundaries consistent with ethical, licensing, and organizational standards.
4. Clinical Judgment: Demonstrates sound clinical judgment in managing complex psychiatric presentations, including co-occurring disorders, treatment-resistant conditions, and acute psychiatric crises in a SUD treatment context. Familiarity with publicly funded behavioral health systems in California preferred.

Physical Demands:

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is regularly required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and reach with arms and hands overhead or below the waist. The employee is rarely required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee is rarely required to lift, carry, push or pull up to 10 pounds. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Medical History:

All employees who have or require contact with participants, or in food preparation, shall complete a health screening report or a health questionnaire. A health screening report will be provided upon hire. A health screening report will be completed and signed off by a medical practitioner for clearance. All employees will complete a self-report screening questionnaire.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment TB screening in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.

Work Environment:

This job will be primarily located at CLARE|MATRIX facilities in Santa Monica, California. The position may involve working across multiple program sites. This job is primarily an office and clinical environment and requires the ability to operate standard office and clinical equipment. The work environment is fast-paced and dynamic and may involve exposure to participants experiencing challenging behaviors including occasional acts of aggression. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Disclaimer: The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodation will be provided to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship for the Company. Furthermore, job descriptions may change over time as requirements and employee skill levels change. The Company retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position.

Conclusion:

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the functions, job responsibilities and expectations of the role. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

M-F 8 am - 5 pm
40 Hours