Psychiatric Advanced Practice Provider (O-4/O-5 Billet) Non-Supervisory

About the role

The Psychiatric Advanced Practice Provider delivers psychiatric care to ICE detainees, including evaluations, treatment plans, medication management, and crisis intervention. The role involves collaboration with psychiatrists, clinical directors, and consultants, mentoring peers, and supporting policy development.

Responsibilities

• Provides direct psychiatric care to detainees via onsite and telepsychiatry services for scheduled appointments, emergency, or urgent care visit.
• Consults with the Psychiatrist and/or Clinical Director for complex psychiatric patients and as required by IHSC policy.
• Provides infirmary care including admission, discharge, and daily rounds for detainees that require higher levels of psychiatric care or monitoring.
• Performs comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and initiates treatment plans for detainees as required by IHSC policy, or as required for detainee psychiatric complaint.
• Works within and performs functions as outlined in the IHSC Psychiatric Advanced Practice Provider Collaborative Practice and Prescriptive Authority Agreement and the IHSC formulary.
• Follows IHSC policies in the management of significant mental illness including prevention of violence, homicide, self-harm and suicide.
• Applies knowledge of drugs and therapeutics when prescribing medication.
• Applies patient-specific knowledge to monitor and control stress levels and provide emotional support and counseling to detainees.
• Captures psychiatric care needs of detainees including referrals to off-site consultants.
• Interprets diagnostic and laboratory results when required for psychiatric evaluations.
• Adheres to universal precautions.
• Maintains flexibility and adaptability to sudden changes in schedules and work requirements.
• May serve as medical escort of detainees as needed, for domestic/overseas travel.
• Utilizes and documents interpretation and/or translation and/or assisted communication services as needed to ensure ability to communicate with detainees or others who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) or have a communication disability or impediment.
• Documents detainee care visits in the required health record using required format, in compliance with IHSC policy and guidance.
• Maintains patient confidentiality and confidentiality of medical records.
• Completes all training as required/assigned.
• Attends on-site, regional, and national meetings as required.
• Participates in the Psychiatric APP peer review process.
• Assists in program development, policy review and revisions, and data collection.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must successfully pass a drug screen.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC.
• ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission.
• Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate. Civilians are not eligible for this position.
• PHS officers must participate in IHSC TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS).
• ITOS is either an entire month or two 16-day periods a year where, depending on the needs of the agency, the officer is required to be available to serve.

Qualifications

• Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Must have a minimum of 6 months of full-time experience as a Psychiatric APP in direct patient care or the express approval of IHSC Chief Psychiatrist.
  • Knowledge of training methods and sufficient interpersonal skills to develop a rapport with detainees and co-workers when instructional and educational information is presented.
  • Nurse Practitioner - Requires unrestricted PMHNP state license and national board certification through the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC).
  • Physician Assistant (PA) - Requires unrestricted PA state license and national board certification through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
  • Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist - Requires unrestricted pharmacist state license and board certification in psychiatric pharmacy through the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS).
• Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Knowledge of forensic psychiatry concepts and principles.
  • Correctional health care experience.
  • Certification as Correctional Healthcare Professional (CCHP).
  • Knowledge and/or experience with IHSC policies, NCCHC and PBNDS requirements.
  • Bilingual communication capability preferred.