Jail Health Psychiatrist - Short-term Temporary

About the role

Public Health – Seattle & King County Jail Health Services (JHS) Division’s Psychiatric Services team is seeking a Short-term Temporary (STT) part-time Jail Health Psychiatrist. The Psychiatric Services team provides behavioral health care to detained residents at the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC).

Jail Health Psychiatrists are responsible for providing psychiatric care as part of a team of other mental health/psychiatry professionals (Psychiatrists, ARNPs, and independently Licensed Mental Health Counselors or Social Workers) within the larger Jail Health Services division of Public Health.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

Work Schedule

This position is part-time with potential for day and evening shifts throughout the week.

Work Location

This position will be assigned shifts at both the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) located at 500 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) located at 620 W James St, Kent, WA 98032.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

• Provide psychiatric services as an independent psychiatric health care provider based on Public Health - Seattle & King County clinical practice guidelines, CDC guidelines, mental health care standards as well as the current community standards.
• Assess patients and establish diagnoses by performing psychiatric evaluation. This includes gathering patient history, performing a physical examination, and other methods of assessment.
• Order or perform appropriate diagnostic and screening tests and collect additional data for evaluation of illness/wellness. This work may be done in a clinic setting or within psychiatric housing as required.
• Develop differential diagnosis and identify risk through assessment and interpretation of data.
• Provide managed patient health care by developing and implementing an individual treatment plan, prescribe/dispense medication, and provide counseling and case management.
• Complete documentation in Epic electronic health record, communicate care through electronic charting and verbal interactions with your patient and health care team, providing them with leadership and direction where necessary.
• Respond to medical or psychiatric emergencies as part of the jail healthcare team.
• Ensure quality of professional practice by practicing within professional, legal, and ethical standards and by participating in and providing continuing education, peer review, chart review, development of practice guidelines, and community work.
• Provide leadership and collaboration within the health care team to ensure quality patient care.
• Provide training, orientation, and education to resident patients, staff, and students.
• Participate in continuing education and staff development.
• Participate in quality assurance activities to demonstrate compliance with standards, laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Act as a consultant to the health care team, other staff, and the community including advocating for patients.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Washington State medical license in good standing.
• At least two (2) years of experience prescribing psychotropic medications.
• Current Board certification or board eligibility in Psychiatry, or current participation in a Psychiatry Residency or Fellowship Training program.
• Federal Drug Enforcement certificate.
• Must possess a current Basic Life Support CPR for Healthcare Providers with AED certification before hire.
• This position requires in person work in correctional facilities.
• Washington State Driver’s License or the ability to utilize transportation to and from assigned work locations.
• Security clearance and/or background check.
• Willing to provide options counseling and possible referral for pregnancy termination.
• Interest in treatment of substance use disorders.
• Advanced knowledge of human systems, including wellness/illness, growth and development, basic nutrition, behavioral health, psycho-social and family systems.
• Knowledge of diagnostic testing and interpretation of results.
• Knowledge of diagnostic reasoning and clinical decision-making.
• Knowledge of alternative treatment modalities.
• Knowledge of health promotion, risk assessment, and education techniques and principles.
• Knowledge of community, professional, and educational resources.
• Knowledge of health care system structure and function.
• Knowledge of therapeutic client interventions and group dynamics.
• Knowledge/experience of electronic health record medical records documentation.
• Ability to effectively engage in, and sustain, relationships with people from diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Demonstrated proficiency with business applications, such as Microsoft Office suite and Office 365 systems.

Desired Qualifications

• Two or more years of experience providing adult psychiatric services.
• Experience and/or training in addiction psychiatry and/or addiction medicine.
• Correctional or inpatient psychiatric care experience.
• Bi or multilingual language skill desired.
• Demonstrated commitment to diverse cultural and socio-economic populations, providing therapeutic patient interventions and group dynamics.

Additional information

Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County’s vision for unified, equitable, and high-performing government, please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable, ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Salyse Duckworth at.

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve.

Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

Necessary Special Requirements

• The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
• The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR.
• The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation and Pre-Employment Physical, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
• Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
• Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
• When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.
• If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Additional Information

Public Health - Jail Health Services follows and maintains federal and state requirements standards including, but not limited to, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards which apply to all public and private institutions that house adult or juvenile offenders. PREA standards preclude the department from hiring or promoting anyone who has engaged in, or been convicted of any conduct which would violate PREA standards related to sexual assault including:

• Sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution.
• Convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse; or,
• Has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described above.

Additional information

Additionally, PREA standards require that the department consider any incidents of sexual harassment involving an inmate or detainee in determining whether or not to hire or promote anyone.

The above is in compliance with PREA and its implementing regulations, 28 C.F.R. Part 115, Subpart A, Section 115.17, Hiring and Promotion Decisions.

Union Membership

This is a non-represented position.

Contact

If you have questions or would like more information about the recruitment process, please contact Salyse Duckworth, HR Analyst at.