Chief Psychiatrist, C&RS (Safety) - Avenal State Prison (ASP), Avenal

Job Description and Duties

Effective July 1, 2025, in accordance with the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) was implemented in response to the status of the State budget. PLP 2025 requires each full-time employee in Bargaining Unit 16, and related Excluded, Exempt and Statutory Exempt employees, will have their base salary reduced by 4.62 percent and will receive 8 PLP 2025 leave credits monthly for at least 16 months. Salaries do not reflect the recent changes. Part-time employees are subject to the same conditions as full-time employees, on a prorated basis equivalent to their time-base. Permanent intermittent employees are subject to the same condition as full-time employees, based on the number of hours worked in the pay period.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree from an accredited college or university.
• Current California Medical License.
• Completion of a residency program in Psychiatry approved by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
• At least five (5) years of experience in a clinical setting, preferably in a correctional environment.
• Experience in developing and implementing psychiatric treatment plans.
• Knowledge of mental health disorders and effective treatment strategies.
• Ability to communicate effectively with inmates, staff, and other healthcare professionals.
• Experience in crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques.

Requirements

• Must be able to pass a background check.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid California Driver’s License and possess a reliable vehicle.
• Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.
• Must be able to travel to other facilities as needed.

Benefits

This position offers a competitive salary range of $34,420 - $35,280, subject to the California State Civil Service Pay Scales. Recruitment and Retention Bonus may be available for clinicians newly hired with California Correctional Health Care Services. Effective July 1, 2023, employees in this class, employed within the California Correctional Health Care Services, who are physically located at and assigned to direct in-person patient care on grounds or at a facility, shall receive a pay differential equivalent to 15% of their monthly base pay. Only employees who provide direct patient care, treating patients in-person, on grounds, or at a facility more than 50% of the pay period are eligible for this pay differential. Additionally, individuals may be eligible to receive a monthly recruitment and retention differential during their first year with CCHCS (totaling $5,000), should they meet the eligibility criteria.

Pay

The authorized HAM rate for this classification is $34,420 - $35,280.

Schedule

Flexible schedule to accommodate the needs of the prison and the inmate population.