Staff Psychiatrist

Who We Are:
Since 1985, BHCHP’s mission has been to ensure unconditionally equitable and dignified access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in greater Boston. Over 10,000 homeless individuals are cared for by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program each year. We are committed to ensuring that every one of these individuals has access to comprehensive health care, from preventative dental care to cancer treatment. Our clinicians, case managers, and behavioral health professionals work in more than 30 locations to serve some of our community’s most vulnerable—and most resilient—citizens.

From our earliest days as a program, we have always sought to do work that is transformational: recognizing our shared humanity; centering dignity, compassion, mutual respect and supporting the right of every individual to access the highest levels of health care and every staff member to reach their fullest potential. We continue to be committed to building bridges and breaking down barriers, including systemic racism which harms us all. We provide community-based healthcare services that are compassionate, dignified, and culturally appropriate, incorporating social determinants of health, with the goal of breaking down the physical and systemic barriers that our patients face.

Job Summary:
Hours: Full time, Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm
Union: None
Union Name: None
Patient Facing: Yes

As the staff psychiatrist, you will work to provide high quality mental health care, psychopharmacological evaluations and medication management to patients followed by BHCHP’s two MGH-based teams (Street Team and MGH Clinic/Consult Service). The Street Team engages and cares longitudinally for individuals who chronically sleep outdoors, while the MGH Clinic and Consult Team engages patients in our daily on-site clinic at MGH and rounds frequently on homeless and fragilely housed patients admitted to MGH.

Responsibilities:
Patient Care

• Provide comprehensive, high quality psychiatric care at BHCHP sites, working within BHCHP’s clinical and administrative guidelines. Locations of practice will include directly on the street, the BHCHP at MGH Clinic, the MGH inpatient wards and emergency department, the Barbara McInnis House (BHCHP’s 103-bed medical respite program, and directly in the homes of our patients.
• Perform consults on patients who are inpatient or in the emergency department at MGH, meeting patients at the bedside, assisting teams in developing homeless-specific care plans, and coordinating safe discharge planning.
• Coordinate patient care with onsite clinical staff at BHCHP’s network of shelter, soup kitchen, and street clinics as well as partner agencies and institutions across Boston.
• Refer patients when necessary for emergency, inpatient and diversionary services or other appropriate services in collaboration with the Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST) when indicated.
• Provide on-call (off hours) coverage for own patients.

Collaborative and Educational Responsibilities

• Provide BHCHP support staff with adequate physician back-up.
• Educate peers and other clinical staff by providing talks in areas of interest and expertise
• Participate in a collaborative agreement with psychiatric clinical nurse specialists, ensuring the highest quality clinical care for patients co-managed.
• Engage in the teaching of medical students and residents and to act as a role model and mentor for students, residents and fellows.
• Actively participate in department meetings, general staff meetings and other meetings including quality assurance, pharmacy, etc.
• Attend CME meetings on a regular basis as mandated by the appropriate State Medical Board to assure maintenance of the highest level of clinical competence.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Maintain adequate medical records, completed in a timely fashion, according to the guidelines of BHCHP, employing standard forms such as problem lists, medication lists, etc.
• Attend and participate in regular team meetings and case conferences as scheduled.
• Assist in peer review by performing chart review and working with the Quality and Efficiency Committee to develop clinical assessment tools, etc.
• Maintain an active DEA certificate, medical license, current hospital privileges, managed care credentials.
• Perform any other reasonable and appropriate duties at the request of the Medical Director.

Qualifications:
Experience and Education:

• M.D. licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish, Haitian Creole or Portuguese is strongly preferred
• Board eligible or certified in psychiatry
• Interest in working within multidisciplinary teams to provide episodic psychiatric and continuity care to homeless people.
• Life support training certification (e.g. CPR, BLS, ACLS) from a course that includes a hands-on, in-person component. If not certified prior to the start date, applicant must submit certification within 60 days of the start date.

Compensation and Benefits:

• The compensation increases based on years of experience and ranges from $172,000.00 - $275,200.00 annually.
• BHCHP full-time employees are eligible for our competitive time off program, health, dental and vision insurance, 403B retirement savings plan, pre-tax MBTA pass program with 40% discount, additional compensation for demonstrated bilingual proficiency and more. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.

Does this amazing opportunity interest you? Then we'd love to hear from you.

As an equal opportunity employer, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parental status, genetic information or characteristics, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Covid-19 Vaccination: Proof of Covid-19 vaccination(s) is optional for employment. Candidates who are offered employment will be given details about how to demonstrate receipt of vaccination if they choose to.

Please Note: Employment at Boston Health Care for the Homeless is at-will. Boston Health Care for the Homeless does not sponsor work authorization visas.