Advance Practice Nurse (APRN) or Physician Assistant (PA)

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD in Houston, TX is seeking an experienced Physician Assistant (PA) to join our psychiatry team. The PA provides assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, including prescribing psychiatric medications, and works within a multidisciplinary team to deliver high‑quality mental health care.

Candidates should have graduated from an accredited PA program and hold Texas PA licensure.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant training program.
• Texas licensure as a Physician Assistant is required.
• Minimum 1 year of psychiatric PA experience; 2 years in outpatient psychiatry preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive psychiatric assessments and evaluations.
• Collaborate with supervising psychiatrist to develop and implement care plans.
• Provide medication management within established protocols, including prescribing and monitoring psychotropic medications.
• Educate patients and families about medications, disease processes and health maintenance.
• Perform related duties and adapt to changing requirements.

Skills

Effective communication

Data collection

Interpersonal skills

Clinical decision making

Initiative and time management

Education

Accredited PA program

Texas PA licensure

Job description

Brief Description

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, known as "The HARRIS CENTER," is seeking an experienced Physician Assistant (PA) to join our team. The Physician Assistant is a licensed provider with training and certification in advanced medical practice including prescriptive authority, and diagnosis, preferably with a focus in mental health treatment. The focus of care is on health promotion and disease prevention. Such care is delivered within the rules and regulations of the Texas Medical Board (TMB). The PA is prepared to practice in an expanded role to provide mental health care and services to individuals, families or groups in a variety of settings. The PA acts independently and in collaboration with other health care professionals in the delivery of services. The PA’s services include but are not limited to assessment, diagnosis, examinations, ordering, conducting and interpreting diagnostic and lab tests, prescription of psychiatric pharmacologic agents, and treatments and non-pharmacological therapies.

Your Role In Action

• Utilizes a systematic process to deliver patient services. This process includes but is not limited to assessment, analysis, planning, implementation of treatment and follow-up of the patient’s condition.
• Demonstrates decision making that is clinically sound, systematic, timely, well researched and reflects awareness of impact including reporting to appropriate members of the management, supervisory and administrative staff and works independently with minimal supervision.
• Completes and documents comprehensive psychiatric assessments and evaluations for assigned patients.
• As a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team and in collaboration with the supervising psychiatrist participates in the development and implementation of plans of care.
• In collaboration with the supervising psychiatrist, provides medication services within established protocol that includes but is not limited to ordering diagnostic tests and tests interpretation, psychiatric medication prescription, and medication monitoring.
• Promotes positive health behaviors and self-care skills through education and counseling of patients.
• Informs, explains and educates patient/family, health care team and community as needed regarding medications, disease processes and health information at level fitting patient, family, team members’, and community comprehension.
• Performs related work as assigned, adapts to changing work requirements and complies with Agency policies and procedures.

Education and Qualifications

• Graduate of a Physician Assistant training program accredited by the American Medical Association’s Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation.
• Licensure as a Physician Assistant in the State of Texas is required.

Experience

• 1 year as a certified physician assistant in psychiatry (not including clinical hours required for education).
• 2 years of post‑graduate practice experience preferably in the field of psychiatry in an outpatient community setting.

Required Knowledge, Skills/Abilities

• Texas Medical Board (TMB) professional standards of practice.
• Practice parameters as set forth by the TMB for PAs with prescriptive authority.
• Applicable pharmacy rules and regulations.
• Prescription practices and monitoring related to psychopharmacology.
• Health status assessments, physical examinations, psychiatric evaluations, abnormal involuntary movement scales (AIMS) and psychosocial behavioral assessments.
• DSM‑5 diagnostic criteria and formulation.
• Diagnostic test interpretation (labs, EKG, etc.).
• Crisis intervention techniques.
• Standard precautions and infection control procedures for dealing with sharp instruments, needles, blood and body fluids.
• Good body mechanics to avoid injury.
• Basic principles of psychiatric/mental health care.

Required Skills

• Effective communication skills (verbal and written).
• Effective data collection skills.
• Positive interpersonal skills.
• Clinically sound decision making.
• Initiative and self‑direction with strong time management skills.

About Us

The Harris Center is the state‑designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The Harris Center provides care to over 90,000 people and has an annual budget of over $300 million. As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The Harris Center provides a full continuum of services at 80 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 40 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the largest communities in the nation. By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,500 employees, The Harris Center is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.

What Else You Should Know

This opening is associated with position #2099‑97807.

What We Have To Offer

The Harris Center not only offers a competitive salary but also a suite of excellent benefits designed to enrich your life both professionally and personally. Imagine a future with a robust retirement plan complemented by our generous company matching – a testament to our investment in your long‑term financial well‑being. Experience the unique advantage of our prior service credit, accelerating your journey towards a more substantial paid time off accrual, empowering you to enjoy well‑deserved breaks. Enjoy cell phone discounts, exclusive entertainment deals through Tickets at Work, and a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness. Additionally, our employee assistance program supports your overall well‑being. Take advantage of significant financial relief through student loan forgiveness as a valued member of The Harris Center team. As a qualifying entity, our employees are eligible for various student loan forgiveness programs, designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with higher education. Contributes to suicide care and prevention by embracing our values and applying a trauma‑informed approach rooted in safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.