Psychiatric Advanced Practice Provider (O-4/O-5 Billet) Non-Supervisory

Summary

The Psychiatric Advanced Practice Provider delivers psychiatric care to ICE detainees, including evaluations, treatment plans, medication management, and crisis intervention. The role involves collaboration with psychiatrists, clinical directors, and consultants, mentoring peers, and supporting policy development. It requires psychiatric certification, clinical expertise, and adaptability to schedule changes.

This position is only open to USPHS officers and Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates.

Duties

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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provides direct psychiatric care to detainees via onsite and telepsychiatry services for scheduled appointments, emergency, or urgent care visit.
2. Consults with the Psychiatrist and/or Clinical Director for complex psychiatric patients and as required by IHSC policy.
3. Provides infirmary care including admission, discharge, and daily rounds for detainees that require higher levels of psychiatric care or monitoring.
4. Performs comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and initiates treatment plans for detainees as required by IHSC policy, or as required for detainee psychiatric complaint.
5. Works within and performs functions as outlined in the IHSC Psychiatric Advanced Practice Provider Collaborative Practice and Prescriptive Authority Agreement and the IHSC formulary.
6. Follows IHSC policies in the management of significant mental illness including prevention of violence, homicide, self-harm and suicide.
7. Applies knowledge of drugs and therapeutics when prescribing medication.
8. Applies patient-specific knowledge to monitor and control stress levels and provide emotional support and counseling to detainees.
9. Coordinates psychiatric care needs of detainees including referrals to off-site consultants.
10. Solicits and reviews pertinent psychiatric records as indicated
11. Interprets diagnostic and laboratory results when required for psychiatric evaluations.
12. Adheres to universal precautions.
13. May serve as medical escort of detainees as needed, for domestic/overseas travel.
14. Utilizes and documents interpretation and/or translation and/or assisted communication services as needed to ensure ability to communicate with detainees or others who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) or have a communication disability or impediment.
15. Maintains flexibility and adaptability to sudden changes in schedules and work requirements.
16. The incumbent will be required to provide on-call coverage as needed after regular work hours and may need to return to the facility outside of normal work hours for urgent mental health needs.
17. Provides relevant patient education to detainees verbally and/or with handouts.
18. Documents detainee care visits in the required health record using required format, in compliance with IHSC policy and guidance.
19. Maintains patient confidentiality and confidentiality of medical records.
20. Completes all training as required/assigned.
21. May serve in acting capacity as part of the IHSC Psychiatry Services Program leadership team.
22. Mentors Psychiatric APP onboarding and training.
23. Attends on-site, regional, and national meetings as required.
24. Participates in the Psychiatric APP peer review process.
25. Assists in program development, policy review and revisions, and data collection.
26. Travel may be required up to as much as 20% annually.
27. Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must successfully pass a drug screen.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC.
• ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission.
• Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate.
  Civilians are not eligible for this position.
• Applicants without a USPHS commission must begin the USPHS Commissioned Corps application process before applying to this position. Applicants must review the USPHS application requirements and submit an application at www.usphs.gov/apply-now/.
• Continued employment is contingent upon appointment to, and maintenance of, active-duty status in the USPHS Commissioned Corps.
• PHS officers must participate in IHSC TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS.) ITOS is either an entire month or two 16-day periods a year where, depending on the needs of the agency, the officer is required to be available to serve.

Qualifications

COMPETENCIES:

1. Cultural Competency
2. Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills.
3. Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.
4. Integrity/Honesty
5. Adult learner teaching skills
6. Experience in correctional health care preferred

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

1. Required to walk unaided at a normal pace for up to 5 minutes and maintain balance.
2. Required to jog/fast walk up to ¼ mile.
3. Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
4. Must have the ability to assist sick, injured or aging detainees or staff exiting the building.
5. Must be able to see, hear and smell with aids if necessary.
6. Must easily alternate between kneeling and standing.
7. Must be able to lift, push, or carry 30 pounds.
8. Must perform the duties of job in a stressful and often austere environment without physical limitations.

Education

[O-4 Billet] REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

1. Must have a minimum of 6 months of full-time experience as a Psychiatric APP in direct patient care or the express approval of IHSC Chief Psychiatrist.
2. Knowledge of training methods and sufficient interpersonal skills to develop a rapport with detainees and co-workers when instructional and educational information is presented.
3. Nurse Practitioner - Requires unrestricted PMHNP state license and national board certification through the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC).
   
   • Current licensure as a PMHNP by a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States.
   • PMHNP degree from a graduate school of professional nursing accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), typically a Master or Doctorial level education.
   • PMHNP board certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
4. Physician Assistant (PA) - Requires unrestricted PA state license and national board certification through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
   
   • Current licensure as a PA by a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States.
   • Graduate from a PA program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
   • Certificate of Added Qualification in Psychiatry from the NCCPA- preferred, not required.
5. Maintains a current license and meets continuing education requirements for the State(s) licensed in (It is the responsibility of the incumbent to fulfill the obligation(s) of their licensing or certifying body to maintain currency. This position will be required to perform clinical activities within the scope of licensure)
6. Maintains unrestricted license with state of licensure
7. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to prescribe controlled medications- not required at the timeof hire, but must be obtained within 90 days of the start date
8. Maintains basic readiness status
9. Maintains current CPR/BLS certification
10. Maintains clinical professional skills via continuing education opportunities.
11. Comprehensive knowledge of managing non-compliant patients, special needs populations, and patients with significant deficits in coping skills, thereby requiring continuing professional clinical support.
12. Flexibility and ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and work requirements.

[O-5 Billet] REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

1. Preferred minimum of 3-5 years of full-time experience as a Psychiatric APP in direct patient care or must have the expressed approval of IHSC Chief Psychiatrist
2. Knowledge of training methods and sufficient interpersonal skills to develop a rapport with detainees and co-workers when instructional and educational information is presented.
3. Nurse Practitioner - Requires unrestricted PMHNP state license and national board certification through the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC).
   
   • Current licensure as a PMHNP by a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States.
   • PMHNP degree from a graduate school of professional nursing accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), typically a Master or Doctorial level education.
   • PMHNP board certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
4. Physician Assistant (PA) - Requires unrestricted PA state license and national board certification through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
   
   • Current licensure as a PA by a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States.
   • Graduate from a PA program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
   • Certificate of Added Qualification in Psychiatry from the NCCPA - required.
5. Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist - Requires unrestricted pharmacist state license and board certification in psychiatric pharmacy through the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS).
   
   • Current licensure as a pharmacist by a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or territory of the United States.
   • Graduate from a Doctor of Pharmacy program accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE).
   • Board Certification in Psychiatric Pharmacy (BCPP) by the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS).
6. Maintains a current license and meets continuing education requirements for the State(s) licensed in (It is the responsibility of the incumbent to fulfill the obligation(s) of their licensing or certifying body to maintain currency. This position will be required to perform clinical activities within the scope of licensure).
7. Maintains unrestricted license with state of licensure
8. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to prescribe controlled medications- not required at the timeof hire, but must be obtained within 90 days of the start date
9. Maintains basic readiness status
10. Maintains current CPR/BLS certification
11. Maintains clinical professional skills via continuing education opportunities.
12. Comprehensive knowledge of managing non-compliant patients, special needs populations, and patients with significant deficits in coping skills, thereby requiring continuing professional clinical support.
13. Flexibility and ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and work requirements.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of forensic psychiatry concepts and principles
2. Correctional health care experience.
3. Certification as Correctional Healthcare Professional (CCHP)
4. Knowledge and/or experience with IHSC policies, NCCHC and PBNDS requirements.
5. Bilingual communication capability preferred.

Additional information

This position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Deputy Assistant Director of Clinical Services, Psychiatric Services Program. The incumbent will serve as a Psychiatric Advanced Practice Provider (APP), whether they are a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) or a Psychiatric Physician Assistant - Certified (Psych-PA-C). The incumbent will report to the facility clinical director; will establish a collaborative practice agreement with a psychiatrist.

As the Psychiatric APP the incumbent works within one of the facilities located across the nation as a member of the healthcare team providing mental health care to detainees in ICE custody.

IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1400 employees, including U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. The IHSC provides on-site direct patient care to ICE detainees at 19 detention facilities throughout the country and manages the provision of off-site medical care for detainees housed in approximately 240 additional Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) facilities. The ICE detainee population is approximately 34,000 detainees daily, with an average length of stay of approximately 30 days, and over 400,000 detainees annually. The IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground, and at sea.

DHS SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

1. DHS
2. ICE
3. ERO

HHS SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

1. DHHS
2. USPHS CC

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

1. The Psychiatric APP functions under the clinical supervision of the designated collaborating psychiatrist and the facility clinical director.
2. The Psychiatric APP is administratively supervis