Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Location 6635 W Happy Valley Rd,Ste A104 Box 602,Glendale, AZ, 85310,United States Title Department Medical Location Phoenix metro; hybrid. Minimum two (2) days per week onsite, plus onsite presence for admissions, treatment team, and family conferences. Multi-site travel required. Operational Reporting Director of Medical Services Clinical Oversight Medical Director Direct Reports None. This is an individual contributor role. Panel Residential treatment center census, up to thirty (30) beds Employment Type Full-Time Effective September 1, 2026 Position Summary The PMHNP owns the psychiatric care of the residential program's census, up to thirty (30) beds, and owns what the resident and family experience while receiving it. This role provides psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis, and medication management for residential clients, working closely with the treatment team, the Director of Medical Services, and the Medical Director. Operational authority - scheduling, coverage, documentation timeliness, and administrative performance - runs to the Director of Medical Services. Clinical authority - prescribing, diagnostic judgment, and standards of psychiatric care - runs to the Medical Director. The PMHNP is expected to build genuine relationships with residents and families, provide responsive, white-glove psychiatric care, and ensure documentation, safety, and clinical practice meet Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and Joint Commission standards. CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES Essential Functions 1. Engagement with Residents and Families Builds a genuine working relationship with each resident on the panel, using what they care about and are working toward in the clinical work. Explains diagnoses, medications, side effects, and alternatives directly to the adolescent in language they can act on. Serves as the consistent psychiatric contact for parents and guardians; treats responsiveness as clinical care, addressing urgent concerns the same business day. Obtains and confirms informed consent with the parent or guardian for every medication decision and provides medication education the family can use at home. Recognizes and repairs service failures with the family, and surfaces the cause so it can be corrected. 2. Psychiatric Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Medication Management Completes comprehensive psychiatric evaluations within required timeframes and reassesses on a defined interval or any material change in presentation. Verifies inherited diagnoses rather than adopting them; treats a diagnosis carried in from a prior program as a hypothesis until confirmed. Initiates, titrates, monitors, and discontinues psychotropic medications using evidence-based, age-appropriate practice within scope of practice and prescribing authority. Writes prescriptions with a single defined dose; medication changes are never verbally authorized through unlicensed staff. Completes medication reconciliation at admission, at transitions in level of care, and at discharge; reviews and signs the Medication Administration Record for own patients. Monitors treatment response, side effects, and metabolic, cardiac, and movement-related safety indicators, and orders required monitoring. Determines the clinical response to repeated refusals, missed doses, medication errors, and near misses involving own patients. 3. Laboratory, Toxicology, and Diagnostic Testing Orders laboratory, toxicology, and diagnostic testing for own patients, documents clinical indication, interprets results, and directs follow-up. Ensures every test - including drug and pregnancy testing - has a documented clinical indication and valid provider order. Reviews results in the patient chart through the internal ordering pathway and escalates critical values immediately. 4. Documentation, Charting, and Utilization Review Documents every patient encounter the same day or within policy-defined timeframes, signing and closing each encounter rather than leaving it open. Completes required psychiatric assessments and treatment plans within licensing, accreditation, payer, and internal deadlines. Ensures documentation supports medical necessity and responds promptly to utilization review and billing documentation requests. Reviews all assistive-transcription-generated notes for clinical accuracy and completeness before signing, and remains fully accountable for the signed record. Obtains patient/guardian consent for recorded encounters in accordance with policy, and handles recordings and generated documentation under HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 confidentiality requirements. Participates in internal and external chart audits and documentation reviews. 5. Interdisciplinary Collaboration Attends treatment team meetings and case staffings for residents on the panel, delivering psychiatric input in time to be useful. Collaborates with therapists, case managers, nursing, medical assistants, and behavioral health technicians on clinical observations affecting residents. Coordinates with neuropsychology and neurodiagnostic providers, and communicates with external providers and specialists to maintain continuity and safety. Contributes psychiatric input to discharge planning and completes a warm handoff of the psychiatric plan when a resident steps down or discharges. 6. Safety, Crisis Response, and Regulatory Practice Assesses and documents suicide risk, self-harm risk, aggression risk, and safety planning for residents on the panel, reassessing on any change in presentation. Supports de-escalation and crisis response, and provides psychiatric direction during behavioral emergencies involving own patients. Determines when a higher level of psychiatric care is indicated and coordinates transfer with the treatment team and Director of Medical Services. Practices within Arizona licensure, national certification, and DEA authorities, and in accordance with Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) licensing requirements and Joint Commission standards. Complies with 42 CFR Part 2, HIPAA, and Horizon Recovery's confidentiality requirements in every clinical and family communication. 7. Onsite Presence and Availability Maintains a minimum of two (2) days per week onsite across residential program sites and the clinic. Is onsite for the initial psychiatric evaluation of new admissions, treatment team meetings, family conferences, and safety reviews, unless the clinical picture supports telehealth. Is reachable for urgent psychiatric and medication questions during business hours and reasonable extended hours; coordinates coverage and briefs the covering provider for planned time off. Maintains punctual attendance for scheduled appointments, treatment team, and family conferences. 8. Communication and Escalation Brings problems forward with current conditions, actions taken, and a recommendation, distinguishing root cause from symptom. Escalates a deteriorating resident, medication safety concern, documentation backlog, or family losing confidence immediately, without waiting for resolution. Closes communication gaps between this role and other departments rather than treating them as another department's problem. Other duties as assigned. AUTHORITY Supervisory Responsibilities This is an individual contributor role with no direct supervisory authority over staff. Operational authority - scheduling, coverage, caseload assignment, documentation timeliness, and administrative performance - runs to the Director of Medical Services. Clinical authority - prescribing, diagnostic judgment, scope of practice, and standards of psychiatric care - runs to the Medical Director, who provides quarterly mentorship and case consultation on complex presentations. Operates independently within the scope of Arizona PMHNP licensure and prescribing authority, exercising clinical judgment for the residential panel. Expected to take initiative in identifying resident and family needs and escalating significant concerns to Medical leadership without delay. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Advanced clinical knowledge and judgment in adolescent psychiatry, child and adolescent development, trauma, substance use, and psychopharmacology. Diagnostic rigor with adolescent presentations, including differentiating trauma, substance effects, developmental factors, and primary psychiatric illness. Skilled in psychotropic prescribing for adolescents, including medication safety monitoring and management of inherited polypharmacy. Ability to conduct suicide and self-harm risk assessment, safety planning, and crisis response with adolescents. Ability to build a working relationship with a guarded or shut-down teenager, and to communicate diagnoses, medications, and risk to frightened parents in language they can act on. Strong documentation discipline under a full census - timely, accurate, payer-compliant records produced concurrently with clinical work. Working knowledge of Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) licensing requirements, Joint Commission standards, 42 CFR Part 2, and federal controlled substance and state board requirements governing behavioral health. Ability to work collaboratively across Medical, Clinical, Operations, Utilization Management, and Admissions. Proficiency with electronic medical record systems and clinical documentation that supports medical necessity. Sound judgment in distinguishing a diagnostic question from a behavioral one, including willingness to recommend against a medication change when not clinically indicated. Qualifications Active, unrestricted Arizona Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner licensure in good standing, or multistate compact privilege to practice in Arizona. National certification as a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) - required. National certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) - preferred. Current DEA registration with prescribing authority and Arizona controlled substance prescribing authority. Current CPR/BLS certification and first aid certification. Arizona Level One IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card, or the ability to obtain one. Tuberculosis screening and health documentation as required by Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) licensing rules. Valid Arizona driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel between program sites. 21 years of age or older; ability to pass a criminal background check and drug screen. Demonstrated experience providing psychiatric care to adolescents. Behavioral health or residential treatment experience preferred. P H Y S I C A L R E Q U I R E M E N T S Physical and Work Environment The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Primary work setting is Horizon Recovery's residential program sites and clinic; multi-site travel within the local area is required. With or without reasonable accommodation, must be able to walk, bend, stand, climb stairs, communicate effectively in English, hear, use a telephone, drive an automobile, and operate standard office equipment, and lift and carry up to 30 pounds. Active participation in a residential behavioral health environment serving adolescents; potential exposure to emotionally dysregulated clients requiring calm, professional response. Potential exposure to blood, body fluids, and communicable disease; standard precautions required. When working remotely, requires reliable high-speed internet and a private, professional workspace, with the ability to participate in remote meetings and telehealth sessions. At-Will Employment Statement Horizon Recovery is an at-will employer. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; an employee will also perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned by their immediate manager or other management as required. Horizon Recovery reserves the right to revise or change job duties as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr