Job Description

Correctional Psychiatrist - Kern County, CA (#R10043)

Board Certification in Forensic Psychiatry (Preferred): ABPN certification not mandatory but strongly recommended.

Greenlife Healthcare Staffing is seeking an Correctional Psychiatrist to fill an opening in the KernBHRS department that provides specialty behavioral health services to Medi-Cal recipients and uninsured, located in Kern County, CA.

Schedule of the Correctional Psychiatrist:

• Full-Time (FTE)
• Shift: 8-hour day (e.g., 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. to align with jail intake protocols).
• Activities: 10–12 inmate evaluations, competency assessments, and testimony preparation.
• On-Call Requirements
• Rotation: 1–2 weekends monthly for urgent forensic consultations (additional compensation).

The Correctional Psychiatrists provide mental health services within Kern County detention facilities, focusing on competency restoration, suicide risk mitigation, and continuity-of-care planning for post-release community reintegration.

Job Responsibilities:

• Conduct competency-to-stand-trial (CST) evaluations under Penal Code 1369, collaborating with public defenders and court-appointed experts.
• Manage opioid withdrawal protocols using buprenorphine/naloxone in compliance with CDCR formulary restrictions.
• Develop safety plans for inmates with borderline personality disorder and histories of self-injurious behaviors.
• Coordinate with probation officers and FQHCs to ensure medication access post-release, including 30-day supplies of antipsychotics.

Greenlife Healthcare Staffing is a nationwide recruitment agency, matching both new grads and advanced practitioners to hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, multi-specialty groups, and private practices.

Requirements

Requirements of the Correctional Psychiatrist:

• Must have an active California Medical License.
• American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) certified.
• Must be DEA Certified

Benefits

Benefits of the Correctional Psychiatrist:

• The salary for this position is $225/hr.
• Sick days
• Health insurance
• Matching 401k