Lead Street Psychiatrist & Senior Behavioral Health Advisor
Los Angeles, CA Department of Medicine
Job Type
Full-time
Description

  

Position Overview

We are seeking a Lead Street Psychiatrist & Senior Behavioral Health Advisor to provide direct clinical psychiatric care to unhoused and underserved populations across Southern California through hands-on street medicine outreach, while also providing clinical supervision and mentorship to Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) at our Crisis Walk-In Center in Indio.


This is a hybrid clinical leadership role, ideal for a psychiatrist passionate about community-based, low-barrier psychiatric care, who also brings the clinical judgment and leadership presence to guide and support a growing behavioral health team. The role blends direct patient care (majority of time) with strategic clinical oversight and advisory responsibilities.


Key Responsibilities

Direct Clinical Care (Street Medicine) — ~60% In-Person (approximate)

  • Provide psychiatric evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment (including medication management) to unhoused individuals in field-based settings (encampments, shelters, mobile units, outreach vans, etc.)
  • Conduct psychiatric assessments in non-traditional, low-resource environments, adapting care delivery to meet patients where they are
  • Manage patients with serious mental illness (SMI), co-occurring substance use disorders, and complex psychosocial needs
  • Coordinate care with multidisciplinary street medicine teams (case managers, social workers, peer support specialists, medical providers)
  • Document care in compliance with regulatory, licensing, and organizational standards
  • Respond to psychiatric crises in the field as needed, including risk assessment and de-escalation

Clinical Supervision & Advisory (Crisis Walk-In Center, Indio) — ~40% Remote/Onsite Mix (approximate)

  • Provide clinical supervision and case consultation to Psychiatric APPs (NPs/PAs) at the Indio Crisis Walk-In Center
  • Review and co-sign charts as required by California scope-of-practice regulations and collaborative practice agreements
  • Offer real-time or scheduled clinical consultation for complex or high-risk cases
  • Support onboarding, training, and ongoing clinical development of APP staff
  • Participate in case reviews, quality assurance activities, and clinical protocol development
  • Serve as a clinical escalation point for the crisis center as needed

Strategic & Advisory Functions

  • Advise CMO/CBHO on clinical program design, quality metrics, and operational improvements for street medicine and crisis services
  • Contribute to the development of KPIs and outcome measures tied to bonus structure
  • Support organizational efforts related to psychiatric care standards, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance
  • Participate in select leadership or clinical governance meetings as requested

 


Requirements

 

Qualifications

Required

  • MD or DO with completed residency in Psychiatry
  • Active, unrestricted California medical license
  • Board Certified or Board Eligible in Psychiatry (ABPN or equivalent)
  • DEA license in good standing (California)
  • Minimum 2–3 years of clinical psychiatric experience; experience in community psychiatry, homeless health, or crisis settings strongly preferred
  • Demonstrated experience providing or supervising care in collaborative practice models with APPs
  • Comfort and willingness to deliver care in non-traditional field settings (outdoor, mobile, shelter-based)
  • Strong clinical judgment, especially in resource-limited or high-acuity crisis environments

Preferred

  • Prior experience in street medicine, homeless outreach, or mobile crisis programs
  • Experience with co-occurring SUD/psychiatric populations
  • Familiarity with California psychiatric hold procedures (5150/5250), LPS Act, and county behavioral health systems
  • Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus
  • Experience mentoring or supervising NPs/PAs in psychiatric practice

 

 

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

  • Fieldwork will include exposure to outdoor environments, encampments, and variable weather conditions
  • Must be able to travel locally throughout Southern California service areas (reliable transportation required)


Credentialing Requirement

This position is contingent upon successful completion of organizational credentialing, hospital/clinic privileging (if applicable), and background/license verification prior to start date. 

Salary Description
Base Pay: $130/hour + Bonus + Equity