MENTAL HEALTH PSYCHIATRIST

County of Los Angeles; California (MO); On-site; USD 277,000 - 332,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20% Recruitment and Retention Bonus

Job summary

County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services seeks a Mental Health Psychiatrist to render professional psychiatric services within Correctional Health, supporting underserved jail populations. You will evaluate patients, develop treatment plans, and collaborate with interns and physicians.

Active California medical license is required; residency in psychiatry or equivalent training is expected. The role may require court testimony and coordination with attorneys and judges as needed.

Qualifications

• Residency in psychiatry or equivalent training recognized by the American Certifying Board.
• Active California State Physician and Surgeon certificate, unrestricted.
• Ability to meet licensing and documentation requirements to apply.

Responsibilities

• Performs psychiatric evaluations and screens for health-related concerns.
• Develops comprehensive psychiatric treatment plans.
• Evaluates individuals to determine detention under WIC 5150.
• Provides clinical consultation to other providers and staff.
• Prescribes medications and monitors their effects.
• Orders, reviews and monitors pertinent laboratory tests.
• Testifies in court as an expert witness.
• Discusses patient information with attorneys, judges, and family as required.

Skills

Psychiatry expertise

Clinical collaboration

Medication management

Education

Residency in psychiatry (ABMS) or equivalent training

Job description

Department Contact

Oscar Ramirez, Exam Analyst

Position/Program Information

Exam Number
Y4735C

Filing Date
September 22, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. (PT)

Closing Date
Continuous - Until needs of the department are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

Type Of Recruitment
NON-COMPETITIVE JOB OPPORTUNITY

Due to Critical Shortage Recruitment, incumbents and appointees shall be compensated beginning at Step 7 ($27,291.62 monthly)

of the salary range. The Critical Shortage Recruitment was established in the Los Angeles County Code Section 6.10.050A. The recruitment rates shall remain in effect through June 30, 2027, or until it is determined that a shortage no longer exists, whichever is sooner.

Correctional Health Services – 20% Recruitment and Retention Bonus

The County of Los Angeles is currently offering up to 20% bonus for full-time Mental Health Psychiatrist positions hired by Correctional Health Services and working on-site in a designated facility to meet critical healthcare needs for the uniquely underserved jail population.

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services invites motivated and career-focused individuals to apply for the position of Mental Health Psychiatrist. If you’re actively working toward meeting the minimum qualifications, you are still encouraged to submit an application and be considered.

About Los Angeles County Department Of Health Services

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation. Through its unified system of 23 health centers and four hospitals - and expanded network of community partner clinics – DHS annually provides direct care for over 500,000 outstanding patients, employs over 23,000 staff, and has an annual budget of over $8.4 billion .

Through academic affiliations with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences (CDU), DHS hospitals are training sites for physicians completing their Graduate Medical Education in nearly every medical specialty and subspecialty. In addition to its direct clinical services, DHS also runs the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and the County's 911 emergency response system, as well as Housing for Health and the Office of Diversion and Re-entry, each with a critical role in connecting vulnerable populations, including those released from correctional and institutional settings, to supportive housing.

For additional information regarding DHS please visit www.dhs.lacounty.gov

Mission

To advance the health of our patients and our communities by providing extraordinary care.

Definition

Renders professional medical services in the field of psychiatry.

Essential Job Functions

• Performs psychiatric evaluations and screens for health-related concerns as needed.


• Develops comprehensive psychiatric treatment plans.


• Evaluates individuals/clients to determine if probable cause is met to initiate detention under WIC 5150.


• Provides clinical consultation to other medical providers and staff, including interns and resident physicians, regarding treatment interventions, medical and diagnostic work performed and participates in clinical case conferences.


• Assists in the planning, direction, and implementation of departmental initiatives and protocols to enhance and improve client care.


• Performs medication support services by evaluating the need for psychotropic medications.


• Prescribes medications and monitors their overall effect and may administer medication/s, when necessary.


• Orders, obtains, reviews and monitors pertinent laboratory tests.


• Participates in evaluation of the quality of care and provides input into formulating corrective action plans to mitigate future clinical risk.


• Conducts academic and/or research activities.


• Conducts trainings or assists in the training of interns and resident physicians.


• Testifies in court as an expert witness.


• Discusses patient information with relevant third parties including attorneys, judges and family members, following appropriate release of information or court order.

Requirements

LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: To be considered for this exciting opportunity, prior to your start date, you’ll need to have a completion of a residency approved by an American Specialty Board in psychiatry or equivalent training* and will need to provide the hiring team supporting documentation.

• Equivalent training is defined as that training which the appropriate American Certifying Board formally recognizes in writing as being equivalent.

Still working on your license? No worries! You can still apply and may even receive a contingent job offer while completing the process. Throughout the process, we’ll confirm that you either have completion of a residency or are actively pursuing it.

Selection Requirements

To be considered for this position, you only need to possess a California State Physician and Surgeon's certificate, authorized by the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of California, at this time.

This certificate must be active and unrestricted or your application will not be accepted.

Please attach a copy of your certificate to your application or provide it to [e-mail] within seven (7) calendar days of submitting your application.

Please note: If you are unable to meet the additional requirements above while on the hiring list (12 months), your application will expire. If the job posting is still available, you are welcome to reapply.

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

Physical Class II

Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT: This is a noncompetitive examination. Applicants who qualify for this position will be placed on the list for a period of 12 months and will need to meet the requirements within that timeframe.

Eligibility Information: Applications will be processed as they are received and only those who qualify will be placed on the list for 12 months.

Special Information: AVAILABLE SHIFT: Appointees may be required to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Vacancy Information: The current vacancies are located within Correctional Health; however, the this list will be used to fill vacancies throughout the Department of Health Services as they occur.

Fair Chance Initiative

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

Computer And Internet Access At Public Libraries

For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.

Anti-racism, Diversity, And Inclusion (ardi)

The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

Social Security Number

Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed person have a Social Security number for record control purposes.

No Sharing Of User Id And Password

All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

Ada Coordinator Phone

[phone]

California Relay Services Phone

[phone]

Department Contact

Oscar Ramirez, Exam Analyst

[phone]

[e-mail]

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Employment Information

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.

This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement

The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/ .

Testing Accommodations For Applicants

The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/ .

Fair Chance

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

Employment Eligibility

Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.

Career PathFinder

Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov .

Veteran’s Credit

Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.

For more information on veteran’s credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdf

Revised September 2025