County of Nevada, CA
April, 2009
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MEDICAL DIRECTOR
DEFINITION
Under direction, responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, or prescribing or
ordering of drugs which may only be performed by a licensed physician, in
programs of the Behavioral Health Department, including Mental Health, and
Alcohol and Other Drugs.
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
This single classification position provides direct psychiatric services
including assessment, treatment and consultation to internal and external
providers, as well as providing leadership, performance evaluation and
supervision of other physicians in the department's programs, consultation
to external providers and support to the administrative process. This
position is distinguished from the Director of Behavioral Health in that the
latter is a Department Head, responsible for the overall activities of the
department.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES (Illustrative Only)
Essential:

Performs psychiatric and medical consultation to the Director of
Behavioral Health regarding programs within the Department

Provides leadership and supervision for all other physicians
functioning in the Department or in contracted programs

Provides consultation to non-physician practitioners in the
Department's programs, including its contracted provider panel,
primary care clinics, and to general medical practitioners in the
community.

Directs psychiatric services to consumers of department services,
including psychiatric evaluation, medical prescription and
management and other forms of treatment, as appropriate.

Evaluates for conservatorship pursuant to Section 5350, California
Welfare and Institutions Code and related court testimony, as
needed.

Educates public regarding psychiatry as applied to department
responsibilities via media contacts, public forums, etc.
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QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:

Public mental health systems generally with emphasis on the
California system, including funding mechanisms, rights and
responsibilities and the involuntary treatment provisions contained in
the Lanterman, Petris & Short (LPS) Act.

Principals, practices, and medications involved in diagnosing and
treating mental illness.

Current developments in the field of psychiatry, including the
concepts of recovery and resilience.

Clinic organization and procedure.

Clinical charting and documentation, reflecting Medi-Cal requirements
and standards.

Basics of organizational dynamics and supervision in an
organizational context.
Skill in:

Providing effective psychiatric care in a cost efficient manner

Guiding programs and personnel to deliver excellent care to
consumers

Preparing clear and concise reports

Working successfully with a variety of individuals from various socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds

Establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with
those contacted in the course of work

Education and Experience:
Completion of an accredited psychiatric residency program AND three
(3) years of experience in psychiatry with at least one (1) year in a
public mental health system context. Board Certification preferred.
Licenses and Certificates:
Board eligibility in general psychiatry
Possession of a valid California Physician and Surgeon license within
90 days of hire.
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Active Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) registration
CA Drivers License within 30 days of hire.
Physical Demands and Working Conditions:
Mobility and manual dexterity to work in a standard office
environment and use standard office equipment and attend off-site
meetings; speech and hearing to communicate in person and by
telephone; vision to read handwritten and printed materials and a
computer screen.
Some accommodations may be made for some physical demands for
otherwise qualified individuals who require and request such
accommodations.
Other Requirements:
This class description lists the major duties and requirements of the
job and is not all-inclusive. Not all duties are necessarily performed
by each incumbent. Incumbents may be expected to perform jobrelated duties other than those contained in this document and may
be required to have specific job-related knowledge and skills.
FLSA: E