Physician Assistant

We are seeking a compassionate and skilled Behavioral Health Specialist to join our team. In this role, you'll provide evidence-based interventions within our primary care clinic, providing a comprehensive range of trauma-informed evidence-based clinical services to people with alcohol and other drug-related problems, mental health, and/or co-occurring conditions. This position will be specifically working with patients participating in Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) alongside a multidisciplinary team including the physician, nurse, medical assistant, and alcohol and drug service specialist.

County of Santa Barbara Health is accepting applications to fill one (1) Full-Time, Limited Term* Behavioral Health Specialist, available as either a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Licensed Psychologist. This position is based at the Santa Maria Health Care Center in Santa Maria.

THE POSITION:

Under general direction, the Behavior Health Specialist (BHS) provides evidence based and trauma-informed mental health and behavioral health treatment including assessment, diagnosis, psychotherapy, as well as care coordination and referrals; provides education and develops behavioral change plans for patients; performs related duties as required.

The BHS is embedded within the primary care clinic of the Primary Care and Family Health (PCFH) division. The BHS clinician, under general direction, provides trauma-informed, evidence-based mental health and behavioral interventions within the primary care Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program; they collaborate closely with the MAT program treatment team.

Examples of Duties:

1. Conduct biopsychosocial assessments to identify substance use and co-occurring mental health needs. Assess readiness for change and stage of recovery. Develop diagnostic impression using DSM-5 criteria
2. Provide individual counseling using trauma-informed evidence-based approaches (e.g., EMDR, CBT, MI, ACT, Seeking Safety). Provide counseling specific to MAT adherence, stigma, and managing cravings or triggers.
3. Respond to crises such as suicidal ideation, overdose risk, or acute withdrawal symptoms. Conduct risk assessments and coordinate emergency care or safety planning as needed.
4. Collaborate with case managers and external providers to connect clients to housing, employment, legal aid, detox, residential treatment, or medical care.
5. Refer clients to higher or lower levels of care based on ongoing assessment.
6. Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings with clinicians, physicians, nurses, and case managers.
7. Works in partnership with other clinical staff (medical assistants, nurses, nutritionists, health care practitioners, and physicians) to provide needed behavioral health services to patients. Provides education to the clinic staff on behavioral health issues, as well as consultation on tips for successful care management and patient facilitation. May offer clinic-wide training(s) based on areas of interest or expertise related to integrated behavioral health topics.
8. Documents in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) all clinical activity presenting diagnostic and interview findings, clinical evaluations, and recommendations. As a member of a team, reviews diagnosis and treatment plans of clinic staff and consults with Primary Care Providers and other care team members regarding a plan of care for patients.
9. Participates in program evaluation and/or performance improvement activities.
10. Maintains expected productivity and billing practices for services.

NOTES:

*Limited Term: The duration of this appointment is limited to a period not to exceed three (3) years; but is subject to annual review by the Commission to ensure the temporary or limited term nature of such appointment remains appropriate based on business operational needs and/or resources.

Visa Sponsorship: Please note this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

The County of Santa Barbara is currently seeking dedicated and compassionate practitioners to join our team. As a Health Care Practitioner, you will play a crucial role in providing high-quality care to our patients. This position offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to deliver comprehensive services.

The County of Santa Barbara Health department is seeking to fill three (3) Health Care Practitioner vacancies, including positions for qualified Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Practitioners, or Certified Nurse Midwives. Two (2) Full-Time opportunities are available: one (1) in Lompoc at the Lompoc Health Center for Primary Care, one (1) in Santa Maria at the Santa Maria Health Center and Shelter Medicine. One (1) Part-Time opportunity is available in Santa Barbara for 0.5 FTE at the Franklin Health Center for Women’s Health Services.

Under supervision of a physician/psychiatrist, performs examinations and evaluations of patient health/mental state; performs diagnostic and therapeutic tasks in the care and treatment of patients; and performs related duties as required.

Examples of Duties:

1. Takes complete and detailed patient histories; performs physical examinations, records pertinent data, and makes evaluations; identifies abnormalities and develops treatment plans or makes referrals for further diagnosis and/or treatment; instructs and counsels patients and their families regarding matters pertaining to their physical and/or mental health; orders and interprets laboratory tests under the supervision of a physician; identifies patients who require the immediate attention of a physician; performs routine screening and laboratory techniques; and assists physicians in providing services to patients requiring continuing care, including reviewing and implementing treatment and therapy plans.
2. Gives technical direction to and works with the nursing staff of treatment team; performs emergency medical treatment; evaluates medical conditions of patients in a clinical setting; participates with other disciplines in case management of individuals and families who present multiple health problems; evaluates client's needs for other departmental services and refers patients to other community resources; works with other agencies to plan for the patient's continuity of care.
3. Under the supervision of a physician, performs routine therapeutic and minor surgical procedures such as applying casts for simple fractures, administering injections, incising and draining superficial skin infections, removing impacted ear wax, debridement and care of superficial wounds and burns, removal of foreign bodies from the skin, suturing, and administering of subcutaneous local anesthesia.
4. Participates as a member of an interdisciplinary team providing technical expertise and assists with oversight of nursing staff; and may provide supervision oversight of Licensed Pharmacy Technicians, Medical Assistants performing authorized supportive services in community clinic settings.
5. Under the supervision of a psychiatrist performs routine mental state examinations, mental health supportive counseling and interventions, including medication evaluation, evaluate medication refills, and administering injections.
6. Participates in medical staff peer review and quality assurance activities/procedures.
7. Provides follow-up to patients with continuing health care or mental health needs, which may include counseling, health teaching, and home visits to patients and families.

NOTE:

Visa Sponsorship: Please note this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

County of Santa Barbara Health department is currently accepting applications to fill (1) Full-Time, Limited Term* Health Navigator (Trilingual English/ Spanish/ Mixtec) vacancy. These positions can report from either Santa Maria or Santa Barbara but must be willing to commute countywide. The County classification title is Health Services Aide.

Health Navigators will work as a part of a collaborative inter-Departmental team to meet community health needs. Under general supervision, will support overall clinic operations including assisting clients with intake survey; providing translation services (both written and oral); assisting with client flow; and performing other duties as assigned to meet organizational needs. Will work as a part of a collaborative team to meet community health needs.

Examples of Duties:

1. Participates in outreach and engagement efforts to enroll clients in appropriate programs.
2. Assisting clients with care coordination needs, referral support, community resource connection, health care navigation, and tracking all referrals.
3. Assists clients in navigating the healthcare system, helping them to successfully participate in their medical and/or behavioral health care by identifying and overcoming barriers.
4. Interviews clients to collect medical history data and social determinants of health for review by healthcare professionals and care team members.
5. Completes duties in the office, through field-based outreach, and via meetings with service providers. Locations for service delivery may include the office, clinics, homeless shelters, homes, and on the street.
6. Engages with clients, both in-person and on the phone, in a manner that utilizes evidence-based approaches (such as Motivational Interviewing) to promote collaboration between the client and their care/service team, as well as to increase the client's sense of control over their whole health.
7. Ensures clients receive information that is culturally respectful, including using translation services when necessary.
8. Coordinates interdisciplinary team sessions with members from the clinical care teams and other service providers, such as housing.
9. Offers ongoing support, outreach, and engagement to connect clients with Santa Barbara County departments.
10. Collaborates with external partners to ensure comprehensive support for clients.
11. Utilizes a tailored approach to help clients navigate issues affecting their social determinants of health.
12. Assists in disseminating pertinent information through various communication channels.
13. Assists in cultivating and maintaining critical partnerships with departments and external stakeholders to enhance support services.
14. Supports the design, implementation, and evaluation of support services tailored to the needs of diverse community populations.
15. Under supervision, acts as a primary point of contact for clients, facilitating referrals to relevant departments.
16. Coordinates participant tracking to assess the effectiveness of programming in supporting clients.
17. Performs additional duties as assigned to support organizational goals.

NOTE:

*Limited Term: The duration of this appointment is limited to a period not to exceed three (3) years; but is subject to annual review by the Commission to ensure the temporary or limited term nature of such appointment remains appropriate based on business operational needs and/or resources.

Visa Sponsorship: Please note this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

We are looking for dedicated and compassionate Physicians to join our County Health team! The current vacancies are for two (2) part-time (0.5 FTE) Pediatrician positions at the Santa Maria Health Center in Santa Maria and one (1) full-time Internal Medicine Physician at the Santa Barbara Health Care Center in Santa Barbara. The County classification title is Staff Physician.

As a licensed medical doctor, assumes independent responsibility for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients of the County of Santa Barbara Health (County Health) department with the all of attendant necessities of care, including but not limited to history, physical examination, ordering of tests, interpretation of testing, procedures, referral to specialists and overall case management of the patients’ medical conditions; performs related administrative duties to support County Health clinic and program operations; and performs other related duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Staff Physicians are licensed medical doctors who are Board Certified or eligible in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, or other recognized specialty consistent with County Health assignment. Professional services are provided in clinic settings and for a variety of public health programs. Incumbents report to the County Health Medical Director or designated Staff Physician, Supervising and receive administrative direction from a Health Center Administrator.

Examples of Duties:

• Provides basic medical services to County Health patients consistent with community standard of care and County Health policy and procedures; provides clinic consultative services for the administration of County Health programs; and provides related medical leadership and consultative support to midlevel clinicians.
• Provides direct outpatient care services according to established appointment schedules; and provides indirect outpatient care services as required to support the case management of patients’ medical conditions, including review and response to all testing, patient and vendor requests for services related to medical conditions, specialty consultations, emergency care, and hospital follow up.
• Maintains medical records consistent with County Health guidelines and professional standards; completes billing statements with accurate diagnostic and E&M coding; and reviews and countersigns medical charts as required.
• Attends and participates in regular and special meetings of clinician, clinic, and/or departmental staff as requested; and participates in administrative committees, including peer review, medical quality, and utilization review committees and activities.
• Obtains and/or maintains current credentials and appointments as necessary for County Health clinic operations, including CenCal membership, and Medi-Cal, NPI, DEA, CHDP, and CCS status; and may supervise physicians and midlevel clinical staff in the absence of Staff Physician, Supervising.
• Provides clinical support to midlevel clinical staff and accepts designation as the supervising physician of midlevel clinical staff when requested.
• Serves as a County Health Emergency Responder for community, County, or State health-related emergencies and performs related duties as assigned by the County Health Emergency Operations Center, Health Officer, or Medical Director.

BENEFITS: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or CLICK HERE to view more information.

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards for an advanced vacation accrual rate

The County may provide reimbursement for reasonable relocation expenses, and, at the discretion of the CEO, can provide flexible relocation assistance, housing and student loan offsets, cash incentives, and/or vacation and sick leave pre-accruals in the interest of attracting the best talent to the organization.

NOTE: May be eligible for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness Program, Perkins Loan Cancellation and/or National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program under the National Health Service Corps (NHSC).

BENEFITS: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or CLICK HERE to view more information.

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

1. Retirement reciprocity
2. Time and service credit towards for an advanced vacation accrual rate

The County may provide reimbursement for reasonable relocation expenses, and, at the discretion of the CEO, can provide flexible relocation assistance, housing and student loan offsets, cash incentives, and/or vacation and sick leave pre-accruals in the interest of attracting the best talent to the organization.

BENEFITS: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or CLICK HERE to view more information.

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

1. Retirement reciprocity
2. Time and service credit towards for an advanced vacation accrual rate

The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or CLICK HERE to view more information.

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards for an advanced vacation accrual rate

NOTE: The County has a generous hiring incentive program and may provide reimbursement for reasonable relocation expenses, and, at the discretion of the CEO, can provide flexible relocation assistance, housing and student loan offsets, cash incentives, and/or vacation and sick leave pre-accruals in the interest of attracting the best talent to the