Bonita House, Inc.
Oakland, CA
(posted February 5, 2008)

PSYCHIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER

Program:  Bonita House Homeless Outreach and Stabilization Team (HOST) Program

Position:  Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Hours:  Full Time

Starting Salary:  $120,000./year. Benefits include: Agency paid medical, dental, chiropractic and acupuncture plans, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, malpractice insurance, 403 (b) Thrift Plan with Agency contribution, and an excellent paid time off package. Also available are flexible spending account, dependent care assistance program, credit union, educational assistance plan, and legal services program.

Location:  Oakland, CA

Posting Date:  January 25, 2008

Application deadline:  Open until filled.

Agency:  Bonita House, Inc. is a non-profit social rehabilitation agency providing a full range of services to adults diagnosed with both serious psychiatric disabilities and co-existing substance use disorders. Bonita House, Inc. administrates Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment site and field based programs at eight locations throughout Alameda County. BHI prides itself on providing clients with evidence-based practices promoting dual-recovery in a client-driven system.

Program Summary:  HOST (Homeless Outreach and Stabilization Team) is a new Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program created through the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63) to actively outreach, engage, house, and provide a full range of services to 90 adults in northern Alameda County who are homeless and have serious psychiatric disorders.

Services will be predominately field-based rather than office-based, and will provide integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment. Key features are the voluntary nature of the services, the partnership with clients and families, service intensity, 24/7 coverage, the foundation of wellness and recovery principles and practices, and the commitment to do “whatever it takes,” utilizing the creativity of a multi-disciplinary, full team approach.

Position Summary:  As a member of the multidisciplinary team, the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in conjunction with the Program Director and Supervising Psychiatric Social Worker, has overall clinical responsibility for monitoring client treatment and staff delivery of clinical services. The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner provides psychiatric and medical assessment and treatment; clinical supervision, education, and training of the team; and development, maintenance, and supervision of medication and psychiatric and medical treatment policies and procedures.

The ideal candidate will be familiar and comfortable with homeless individuals and street culture and will demonstrate an ability to establish trusting, hopeful relationships with these individuals.

Duties and Responsibilities:

  1. Conduct integrated co-occurring disorders assessments including psychiatric history, substance use history, course of illness, response to treatment, mental status examination, and 5 Axis DSM IV Diagnoses and recent assessment results at daily team meetings and treatment planning meetings.
  2. Supervise the treatment team in the strength-based, culturally informed, comprehensive, integrated mental health and substance use assessments of psychiatric history, mental status and diagnosis; physical health and dental health; substance use history, activities of daily living, and family structure and relationships.
  3. Collaborate with the Mid Level Primary Care Provider in assessment of client physical health, making appropriate referrals to community physicians for further assessment and treatment and coordinating medical treatments with Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment.
  4. Prescribe psychotropic medications and conduct regular assessments of therapeutic responses and side effects and educate clients regarding psychotropic medications.
  5. Perform individual, group and family supportive therapy and psychotherapy and wellness education in the process of carrying out the tasks above.
  6. With other team members, provide support, education, and counseling to family members of clients to help them become knowledgeable about homelessness, mental illness and substance use disorders.
  7. Provide on-site crisis assessment and management of patients during regular work hours, both on-site and over the phone, during other hours, and as on-call backup to the first-line on-call staff.
  8. Be actively involved in the treatment of HOST clients who are receiving acute or long term inpatient care. Make outreach visits, collaborate and coordinate care with inpatient providers.
  9. Submit written reports and oral testimony and presentation of opinion in commitment and other legal proceedings and in a wide range of treatment, rehabilitative, and support services matters (e.g., Social Security applications, prior authorization of medications, etc.)
  10. Attend daily organizational staff meetings at least once per week to assess client status and progress, to coordinate treatment activities, and to develop treatment solutions to problems other staff are having.
  11. Participate in and supervise treatment planning meetings.
  12. Assist the Program Director and the Supervising Psychiatric Social Worker in the administration of the clinical program and the clinical supervision of individual team members.
  13. Train staff in the knowledge and skills basic to the integrated and stage-based treatment of severe and persistent mental illness and co-occurring severe substance use disorders.
  14. Direct and collaborate with the Mid-Level Primary Care Provider to develop, revise, maintain and supervise team psycho-pharmacologic and medical treatment and medication policies and procedures.
  15. All other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications:

  1. Completion of a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program
  2. Certification as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner from an accredited Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner training Program
  3. Valid California Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner license
  4. Certification from American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) as a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
  5. Valid DEA Schedule II certificate and a valid California Furnishing License
  6. Strong clinical skills and experience providing integrated treatment to persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses and co-occurring serious substance use disorders
  7. Knowledgeable about the ACT model, AB2034 model and services for homeless adults
  8. Clinical supervisory experience is desirable
  9. Demonstrated ability to effectively and sensitively provide care to people from different cultural groups
  10. Must be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
  11. Must be able to meet Immigration Reform Act of 1986 requirements
  12. Must have a valid California Driver License, a driving record acceptable by the Agency’s insurance company, and proof of personal vehicle insurance
  13. Must have a valid California Driver’s License, proof of insurance and use of personal automobile.

Appropriate candidates will be contacted. Bonita House, Inc. is a non-profit community agency, and an equal opportunity employer by choice. We value diversity of culture, disability, and other life experiences, and invite applications from those in mental health and/or chemical dependency recovery.

To apply for this position, send a cover letter detailing related experience and resume to:

Human Resources Director
Bonita House, Inc.
6333 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 102
Oakland, CA 94609-1328
FAX: (510) 923-0894

or send your resume via e-mail to Resumes@bonitahouse.org .

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