Deputy Medical Director-Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (Open & Promotional)

Description
Note: This recruitment schedule was amended on December 23, 2025 to extend the Final Filing Date. This recruitment has been changed to "Continuous."


Exciting news! Candidates have the opportunity to receive a sign-on bonus of up to $15,000.

First-time external new hires, or current staff promoted internally or from other County departments into a regular Supervising Adult Psychiatrist (Deputy Medical Director) position in Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) may be eligible to receive a sign-on bonus of up to $15,000 (subject to discontinuation at any time). The sign-on bonus will be in 3 phases and will be prorated for part-time positions. Restrictions Apply. Please see link for details. https://jobs.smcgov.org/hiring-incentives/

The Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) Division of San Mateo County Health seeks an experienced psychiatrist to serve as Deputy Medical Director -Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (Supervising Adult Psychiatrist) for our clinical system of care. The position is currently full time, 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week).

The Deputy Medical Director - Behavioral Health and Recovery Services provides leadership and supervision to several outpatient multidisciplinary teams (including several psychiatrists and other disciplines) and will serve as the Designated Institutional Official with responsibility for all ACGME-accredited programs for San Mateo County. The Deputy Medical Director will report directly to the Medical Director of BHRS, act in the absence of the BHRS Medical Director, and assist the BHRS Medical Director with the following responsibilities: Direct, administer and coordinate the medical services component of the Health System's BHRS. Exercise direct and indirect supervision over all levels of medical/professional, technical, and support staff. Participate in the overall management of division and inter-division issues. Develop standards of care. Recommend, develop, implement, and evaluate goals, objectives, policies, and procedures related to assigned program. Ensure program meets its overall goals in the areas of quality and safety, patient experience, staff experience and financial stewardship. Provide surveillance and planning for improvement of medical care. Act as formal liaison between administration and other physicians. Provide expert consultation and information to administration regarding assigned program's ability to meet the psychosocial, medical and physical needs of patients and their families. Review and evaluate incident reports, identify hazards and make recommendations to administration. Train and supervise interns and residents. Perform related duties as assigned. Serve as psychiatric reviewer and interviewer for workplace violence situations county-wide. Act as consultant on specific, complex clinical and human resources personnel situations. As a national leader in community mental health services, San Mateo County offers the Deputy Medical Director -(BHRS) the opportunity to serve as a member of our award-winning Psychiatric Residency Program and supervise and teach the psychiatric residents. We also offer the opportunity to practice state-of-the-art psychiatry without third party intrusions, the ability to work with a diverse client group with a wide range of SMI and co-occurring SUD diagnoses, and the chance to participate in an interdisciplinary team model.

Excellent Benefits Package
The position offers a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package which includes County funded malpractice insurance, pension plans and health benefits for retirees, 5% match into deferred comp, reimbursement of professional dues and expenses (up to $3,000/year), an additional 5% increase in salary for each qualifying Board certification up to two (2) Boards, administrative leave time at 5 hours per pay period up to 260 hours (this is prorated for part time employees) that can be used as time off or cashed out up to 50%, three days of Winter Recess (24 total hours) leave time, and a wellness program. The position is part of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists locally, and UAPD help determine salaries and benefits through periodic renegotiations.

The Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Division uses evidence-based treatment approaches in our system of care services, while seeking continuing improvement and development in the areas of cultural competence, integrated services for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use problems, and supportive housing. Our achievements reflect the work of dedicated staff as well as the valuable input of behavioral health system partners--criminal justice and human services agencies, private providers and contract agencies, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Commission members, families, and consumers.

The ideal candidate is:

• Board Certified in Adult Psychiatry and has at least three years of experience supervising psychiatrists and/or psychiatry residents,
• Has a keen interest in and knowledge of policy and planning on behavioral health issues and organizational and clinical performance measurements.
• Knowledge of substance use disorder treatment and medications for addiction is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of EPIC medical record system is strongly preferred as BHRS is planning to transition to EPIC in the next 1-2 years.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Leadership in fostering integrated care for clients with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders, developmental disorders, and medical disorders.
• Provide direct services to adult clients.
• Provide supervision and clinical consultation, review and guidance to other physicians in the evaluation and treatment of BHRS clients.
• Program planning for, and teaching, mentoring, and supervision of, adult psychiatric residents, including oversight of Graduate Medical Education.
• Quality Improvement activities including reviews of hospital admissions, higher level of care requests, and review of research proposals.
• Facilitate Informational Technology activities including Electronic medical record support.
• Co-Chair the BHRS Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and support the Pharmacy Services.
• Administrative duties including assisting the Medical Director in working with Health Plans and other Health Care and implementing regulatory and fiscal activities.
• Assume the duties of the Medical Director in his/her absence.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Member of the Residency Training Committee and its selection and evaluation process.
• Regular meetings with the BHRS Medical Director.
• Help review grievances that come to BHRS regarding psychiatrists at Central County and Coastside.
• Review and approve timecards for psychiatrists at Central County and Coastside.
• Organize and coordinate psychiatric coverage.
• Organize and facilitate meetings with psychiatrists as well as individual supervision, timecard/expense approvals, performance evaluations, and appraisals.
• Other duties as assigned.

NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

Qualifications
Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:

• Completion of a residency program and three years of experience in Adult Psychiatry and supervising psychiatrists and/or psychiatry residents.

Licensure/Certification:

• License to practice medicine or osteopathy in the State of California.
• Possession of a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Knowledge of:

• Health care management practices and principles including revenue retrieval.
• Current developments, trends and research in a medical specialty.
• Principles and practices of supervision.
• Development of medical policies, procedures and protocols.
• Preparation of comprehensive reports and other correspondence.
• Pharmacology and psychopharmacology including laws regarding informed consent, dosage ranges, drug incompatibilities, and side effects.
• Laws, statues, codes, and regulations related to the specialty area which govern health service providers, graduate medical education, JCAHO and other regulatory requirements.
• General Medicine and its relationship to psychiatry.
• Current techniques and dynamics of individual, couple, family, adult and group psychotherapy.
• Chemical dependency and abuse and its relationship to psychiatry.
• Advanced knowledge of psychiatric principles and practices.
• Current developments in the field of psychiatry.
• Community mental health practice and program options.
• Treatment approaches and differential diagnosis of the mentally ill.
• County-wide mental health services.

Skill/Ability to:

• Direct psychiatric programs.
• Clinically supervise and provide lead direction to medical/professional staff, including physicians and non-physicians.
• Fully supervise staff, including selection, performance evaluation, and corrective action.
• Prepare comprehensive reports and correspondence.
• Apply principles of effective management techniques.
• Diagnose patients and prescribe treatment or therapy in the designated specialty area.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients, their families, hospital staff, community organizations and others.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing with individuals within the County or at any level within the Health Services Department.

Application/Examination

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply . Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: Pass/Fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification . All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in County of San Mateo, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

This is a continuous recruitment which may close at any time. The final filing date will be posted 5 days in advance in the County of San Mateo Human Resources Department.

Apply immediately. This recruitment is open on a continuous basis and selections may be made at any time within the process.

About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 770,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.


HR Contact: Carolyn Burns (121225) (Supervising Adult Psychiatrist - F142)

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• County of San Mateo Human Resources Department

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