Psychiatrist Crisis Services (78326)

At CrescentCare, we bring caregivers and the community together as partners in health and wellness for all. Our experience builds on more than 40 years of impact. In 2014, we became a Federally Qualified Health Center to offer an expanded range of health and wellness services for anyone and everyone who is seeking healthcare services in Greater New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana.

Our Mission

Strengthening our entire community through whole-person healthcare and education.

Position Summary

The Psychiatrist – Crisis Services is a full-time psychiatrist who will help establish, shape, and provide psychiatric clinical services for CrescentCare’s crisis center developed in support of Louisiana’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Demonstration Program. The position emphasizes direct clinical expertise, clinical consultation, development of evidence-informed clinical workflows, and support for high-quality crisis assessment, treatment and disposition. The Psychiatrist will work closely with CrescentCare’s behavioral health team and the CCBHC Medical Director and will report to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

The crisis center is initially expected to operate during normal business hours, with planned development toward 24-hour operations during 2027. The Psychiatrist will contribute clinical expertise to this development, though will not necessarily staff non-traditional hours. The clinician’s work will be supported by a robust multidisciplinary team including medical assistants, nurses, case management therapists, peer support and addiction services.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Psychiatric Care:

- Provide psychiatric evaluation, assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and clinical consultation within the scope of training, licensure, and CrescentCare-granted privileges.

- Assess psychiatric symptoms, acuity, safety concerns, functional status, and relevant medical, psychosocial, and substance-use factors including drop-in, urgent and crisis needs.

- Develop and document evidence-informed treatment recommendations, including medication and non-medication approaches when clinically appropriate.

- Assess suicide risk, risk of harm to others, grave disability, and other urgent safety concerns; develop appropriate safety plans and determine the appropriate level of care, referral, or transfer.

- Coordinate care and facilitate transitions between crisis services, outpatient behavioral health, emergency departments, hospitals, substance-use treatment, and community supports as clinically indicated.

- Maintain timely, complete, and accurate documentation in the electronic health record.

- Maintain clinical competency through continuing medical education, consultation, peer review, and quality improvement.

- Complete and close visit notes within 7 days of clinical encounter.

Clinical Practice Specific to this Position:

- Serve as a clinical and content expert in the development and ongoing refinement of CrescentCare’s crisis center model, clinical protocols, workflows, assessment approaches, and standards of care in alignment with applicable CCBHC requirements and Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Behavioral Health requirements.

- Provide direct psychiatric services to patients in drop-in, urgent and crisis contexts.

- Collaborate closely with the Chief Medical Officer, CCBHC Medical Director and behavioral health leadership on clinical model development, program adherence to CCBHC requirements, care coordination, and implementation of evidence-informed practices.

- Throughout evaluation, treatment, and discharge processes, including case consultation and care coordination activities, collaborate with the CrescentCare multidisciplinary care team of nurses, therapists, substance use treatment & recovery staff, case managers, and peer support specialists to support the treatment plan.

- Provide clinical guidance to crisis center staff regarding psychiatric assessment, treatment planning, de-escalation, safety planning, disposition, and escalation of care.

- Support development and review of clinical protocols for urgent psychiatric presentations, suicide and violence risk, psychosis, mood disorders, trauma-related presentations, and co-occurring mental health and substance-use conditions.

- Bring relevant expertise in addiction and co-occurring disorders to crisis care; support linkage to appropriate substance-use treatment and harm-reduction services when indicated.

- Serve as collaborating physician for at least one nurse practitioner, as assigned and in accordance with applicable Louisiana law and CrescentCare policy. This role does not include direct supervisory responsibility for the nurse practitioner.

- Contribute clinical expertise to planning for expansion from business-hours operation toward a 24-hour crisis service during 2027, including identification of clinical coverage needs and recommendations for safe, sustainable service delivery.

- Participate in case review, clinical quality improvement, and review of relevant outcomes to strengthen patient safety and service quality.

Core Provider Responsibilities:

- Obtain and document a health history;

- Perform and document complete, system-focused, or symptom-specific physical examination;

- Assess the need for and perform additional screening and diagnostic testing, based on initial assessment findings;

- Provide specialty specific consultation services upon request and within specialty scope of practice;

- Prioritize data collection;

- Perform clinic visits on assigned patient population;

- Document clinical progress notes, plan of care, evaluation and discharge summary;

- Manage diagnostic tests through ordering and interpretation;

- Formulate differential diagnoses by priority;

- Prescribe appropriate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment modalities;

- Utilize evidence-based, approved practice protocols in planning and implementing care;

- Initiate appropriate referrals and consults

- Obtains proper informed consent as a prerequisite to any procedure requiring informed consent.  This information must include the signature of the responsible practitioner.

Teamwork and Health Promotion:

- Assist in educational programs for staff and participates in team meetings.

- Provide education to patient and patient support systems in areas such as disease management, adherence, safety planning,etc.

- Communicate with medical staff concerning patient care issues and function as a part of psyciatric team using evidence-based practices.

- Promote teamwork, good interpersonal relations and communication among staff at the healthcare setting.

- Facilitate the patient’s transition between and within health care settings, such as admitting, transferring, and discharging patients.

Regulatory:

- Appropriately documents in the EHR services performed for clinical tracking, compliance, billing and reporting purposes.

- Maintains compliance with FTCA, Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME), OSHA and other regulatory agencies’ statutes and standards including Standards of Care.

- Complies with safety standards and infection control.

- Refers patients to medical specialists or other practitioners for necessary specialized treatment, follows patient results and completes documentation in EMR.

- Follows CrescentCare policies related to psychiatry.

- Assumes additional responsibilities as necessary.

- Operate within the scope of practice, privileges granted, and this job description.

- Participate in peer review and other required quality, credentialing, and clinical review processes.

- Obtain and document informed consent when required and comply with applicable confidentiality and health information privacy requirements.

Qualifications

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

- The minimum education level required for the position is the following:

Medical Degree (MD/DO)

- Holds current Louisiana Medical/Nursing Licenses without restrictions

- Board certification in the practitioner’s terminal board

- Successful completion of an ACGME or AOA-accredited residency/fellowship in Psychiatry.

- Has admitting privileges with a hospital directly or a collaborative agreement with a physician who has admitting privileges

- Preferred: 2 or more years’ post-residency experience

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

- Necessary technical skills to use electronic health record, incident reporting system, email, and other information systems.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

- Work with a diverse population as served by a Federally Qualified Health Center

- Standing and/or sitting for extended periods of time.

- Able to use a computer to chart patient information in the Electronic Health Record.

- Physical ability to participate in training sessions, presentations, and meetings.

- Some travel may be required

RESTRICTIONS

- Must maintain availability for clinical communication and consultation during scheduled work hours.

- The collaborating physician relationship with a nurse practitioner is not a direct supervisory relationship; any collaboration will be structured in accordance with applicable law and CrescentCare policy.

Total Compensation Package

We believe the investment we make in our employees is among the most important. Our compensation package includes:

- Comprehensive medical and prescription drug coverage options

- Health Savings Account (HSA)

- Employer-paid Dental

- Employer-paid life insurance & AD&D

- Employer-paid Wellness Program

- Employer-paid Employee Assistance Program

- Employer-sponsored vision insurance

- Employer-sponsored short-term disability insurance

- Vacation time (accrue 10 days in first 12 months)

- Sick time (accrue 8 days in first 12 months)

- Eleven (11) paid holidays

- 401(k) retirement plan with employer match beginning in employee’s second year