Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health is seeking a physician (MD/DO) specializing in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry to provide psychiatric assessment, medication management, and integrated behavioral health care for children and adolescents with mental health conditions, including youth with co-occurring substance use disorders.

The Child/Adolescent Prescriber is an integral member of a multidisciplinary behavioral health team and works collaboratively with licensed psychiatric technicians, therapists, behavioral health clinicians, substance use disorder counselors, case managers, primary care providers, schools, families, and other community partners.

The position emphasizes accessible, evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, and patient- and family-centered care, with particular attention to youth with complex presentations, co-occurring disorders, and barriers to accessing traditional psychiatric services.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Conduct comprehensive psychiatric evaluations of children and adolescents, including assessment of psychiatric, developmental, medical, family, social, trauma, and substance-use factors.
• Diagnose and treat common and complex childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders, including ADHD, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and behavioral disorders.
• Provide evidence-based psychopharmacologic treatment and ongoing medication management, including monitoring effectiveness, adverse effects, adherence, and relevant laboratory or physical health parameters.
• Assess youth for alcohol, cannabis, opioid, stimulant, nicotine, and other substance use and identify co-occurring substance use disorders when present.
• Integrate mental health and substance use treatment rather than requiring youth and families to navigate separate systems of care whenever clinically appropriate.
• Collaborate closely with therapists, counselors, psychiatric technicians, and other members of the multidisciplinary treatment team to develop and update individualized treatment plans.
• Engage parents, caregivers, and youth in shared decision-making while appropriately balancing adolescent confidentiality, family involvement, safety, and developmental needs.
• Assess suicide risk, self-harm, aggression, psychosis, substance-related risk, and other safety concerns and determine when crisis intervention or a higher level of care is indicated.
• Coordinate with primary care, schools, hospitals, residential programs, child welfare, juvenile justice, and other community providers when clinically appropriate.
• Provide consultation and clinical guidance to other members of the treatment team regarding diagnosis, medications, psychiatric symptoms, and co-occurring conditions.
• Maintain timely, accurate clinical documentation consistent with County, Medi-Cal, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Participate in interdisciplinary case consultation, quality improvement, and efforts to improve access and continuity of behavioral health care for youth throughout San Luis Obispo County.

Click here to view a detailed job description

This recruitment may be used to fill future permanent, substitute, limited term, and temporary positions, both full-time and part-time throughout the County.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative, flexible, and clinically strong Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who enjoys working as part of a multidisciplinary public behavioral health system and is comfortable caring for youth with complex psychiatric and psychosocial needs.

The successful candidate will have:

• An MD or DO degree and an active or eligible California physician license.
• Completion of an accredited psychiatry residency and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship.
• Board certification or board eligibility in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
• Experience evaluating and treating a broad range of psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents.
• Strong knowledge of evidence-based pediatric psychopharmacology and appropriate monitoring of psychiatric medications.
• Comfort assessing substance use and co-occurring substance use disorders in adolescents, including cannabis, alcohol, nicotine, opioids, stimulants, and emerging substances.
• Experience working or an openness to learn how to work with youth with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, or a strong interest in developing expertise in integrated co-occurring care.
• Ability to determine appropriate treatment intensity and recognize when a youth requires crisis, inpatient, residential, substance use, or other higher-level services.
• Experience working collaboratively with therapists, counselors, nursing/medication support staff, primary care providers, families, and community partners.
• Strong communication skills and an ability to engage adolescents and families using a respectful, developmentally appropriate, nonjudgmental approach.
• Familiarity with motivational interviewing, harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and shared decision-making.
• An understanding that engagement and retention in treatment are important clinical goals, particularly for youth who may have difficulty consistently accessing or participating in care.
• Comfort practicing in a team-based environment in which psychiatric treatment is integrated with therapy, case management, substance use treatment, family interventions, and other supports.
• Sound clinical judgment, particularly around suicide risk, substance use, medication safety, and decisions regarding level of care.

Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience

A combination of education, training, and experience resulting in the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. An example of qualifying education and experience includes:

NOTE: Private Patients: The Staff Psychiatrist is not authorized to engage in any private practice on County premises or to conduct private business during assigned work hours, unless specifically authorized by separate written approval of the Board of Supervisors.

Licenses and Certificates

Possession of a valid California license as a physician and surgeon at the time of appointment; and evidence of having completed three years of graduate training in psychiatry in a program approved by the American Medical Association or the American Osteopathic Association.

Certain positions within this classification may require driving. When driving is an essential function of the position, a valid CALIFORNIA driver's license will be required at the time of appointment.

Applications, including answers to supplemental questions, must be submitted online by the final filing date.  Apply for this position at governmentjobs.com/careers/slocountyca.  Most County recruitments require you to respond to supplemental questions as part of the application process.  We recommend that you review these questions prior to beginning your application.

An initial application review will be conducted. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and are best qualified will be invited to participate in selection activities which may include online assessments, performance exams, written exams, and interviews.

Final candidates will be required to have an in-depth background review performed before proceeding in the process. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process. 

If you have questions or would like to discuss the opportunity further, please contact Human Resources at hr@co.slo.ca.us. Confidential inquiries are welcome.

For further information regarding the County of San Luis Obispo, visit our website at www.slocounty.ca.gov.

Your attached resume will not substitute for the completion of the application. Please complete all required fields and supplemental questions.

Be advised that while use of AI is common practice, we want to see your individual style and critical thinking skills in your answers to the supplemental questions.