Psychiatric Prescriber (Advanced Practice Nurse, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatrist)

Description

Job Summary:

This position primarily provides services and psychiatric support to the Agency’s ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) team. This multi-disciplinary team of eight individuals provides services to 40 clients experiencing serious and persistent mental illness. The psychiatric care provider plays a vital role in supporting clients and guiding the ACT team, meeting with clients monthly to assess symptoms, side effects, and treatment progress, while also offering brief, evidence-based interventions such as motivational interviewing or cognitive restructuring. Beyond psychiatric needs, the provider monitors other health conditions, coordinates with primary care and specialists, and maintains communication with inpatient units during hospitalizations to ensure seamless continuity of care.

A portion of services are delivered in the home or community, reinforcing accessibility and client-centered care. The prescriber leads psychiatric treatment and oversees all health conditions and medications, while also serving as a fully integrated member of the multidisciplinary team, collaborating to provide feedback on client contact intensity, and educating non-medical staff about medications and health issues through regular trainings. The prescriber participates in treatment planning meetings, daily team huddles, and emergency reviews, ensuring that care plans meet regulatory standards and that the team responds effectively to crises.

This role, while primarily serving the ACT team, will also work in the outpatient clinic setting alongside a team of nurses, mental health professionals, mental health practitioners, and substance use providers to deliver comprehensive and holistic care to patients and their families.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• No

Duties/Responsibilities:

ACT Team Prescriber Expectations:

• Complete at least monthly psychiatric assessment and ongoing evaluation of symptoms, side effects, and treatment response. 

• Provide brief therapeutic interventions aligned with evidence-based models (MI, CBT, cognitive restructuring, problem-solving, etc.).

• Use a shared decision-making approach to medication education and treatment discussions.

• Monitor non-psychiatric medical conditions and coordinate care with primary care providers and specialists.

• Communicate promptly with inpatient psychiatric units during hospitalizations to ensure continuity of care.

• Conduct a portion of psychiatric services in the community.

• The psychiatric care provider serves as medical director for the team, taking the lead in all psychiatric treatments and monitoring all other health conditions and medications.  

ACT Team Integration Requirements

The psychiatric provider must function as an integrated member of the multidisciplinary ACT team by:

• Sharing overall clinical responsibility for treatment direction with the Team Lead.

• Providing feedback on frequency and intensity of client contacts, especially for those experiencing increased symptoms.

• Collaborating closely with nursing and supporting medical oversight.

• Providing education to non-medical staff on medications, side effects, and health conditions (met at least twice per year through team trainings).

• Attending treatment planning meetings, assisting with treatment plan development and updates, and ensuring plans meet 245I requirements.

• Participating in daily team meetings proportionate to ACT caseload size (currently twice per week).

• Participating in review of emergency psychiatric situations, risk assessments, and involuntary treatment processes.

• The psychiatric care provider is a fully integrated member of the team, actively collaborating and communicating with other team members and regularly attending all necessary meetings to guide treatment. 

Outpatient Expectations

• Meets with patients, guardians, and others face to face or via telemedicine for initial evaluations or routine visits to assess, diagnose, and review presenting problems and level of functioning. 

• Prepares an individualized program of treatment for the patients. Including but not limited to: assessment of medication and treatment effectiveness with adjustments as needed; counseling as needed; assurance that delivery of quality treatment is consistent with evidence-based practice and consistent with ethical guidelines determined by licensing board. 

• Review incoming referrals to determine if services are routine, urgent, or emergent-as respond as needed.

• Provide consultation and recommendations to other internal or external providers.

• Regularly attend multidisciplinary and clinical meetings and case reviews. 

• Completes documentation in a timely manner in compliance with Spero guidelines and HIPAA requirements and regulations in regards to confidentiality.

• Orders and/or reviews laboratory and diagnostic testing as needed and indicated.

• Return calls, emails, and other correspondence as needed, and delegate such correspondence as needed.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Background or experience with medication assisted treatment (MAT)

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, dealing effectively with a variety of people and personalities; communicating clearly and effectively both orally and in writing.

• Effective time management skills with the ability to work independently and as an effective team player, showing initiative and willingness to take charge of a situation. 

• Skilled in identifying and assessing a wide range of patient needs with knowledge about local and regional community resources and how to access them.

• Demonstrates thoroughness and organizational skills in the workplace.

• Shows proper etiquette when dealing with patients and other sources.

• Knowledge of principles and practices applicable to psychiatric and mental health prescribing, and the respective licensing board requirements.

• Able to diagnose and prescribe medications and treatment related to mental health and related conditions (specifically for adults; adolescent/youth not required but beneficial).

• Respectful of other professionals and other methods of therapeutic intervention.

• Understands billing procedures and prior authorization processes for collecting reimbursement.

• Displays flexibility to meet the Center’s and patient’s needs in an environment with interruptions.

• Understand and maintain the confidentiality of patient and organizational information.

• Experienced in the use of some office equipment such as copying machine, fax machine, postage machine, telephone system, instant message system, Microsoft TEAMS, EMR system, etc. Familiar with standard computer functions and applications including e-mail and two-way live interactive video communications.

Education and Experience:

• Psychiatrist (MD/DO) licensed in Minnesota and board-certified or board-eligible in psychiatry;

OR

• Psychiatric APRN (PMHNP/CNS) with independent prescribing authority, psychiatric certification, and =1 year supervised experience working with adults with serious and persistent mental illness;

Physical Requirements: 

Work Environment:

Office setting with approximately 30% community based work; traditional business hours

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Compensation:

Hours – 16-24 hrs per week; could develop into more with a growing caseload.

APRN Contract - $85 - $110, depending upon experience.

Psychiatrist Contract - $150-170/hr, depending upon experience.