Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Medical Director
Salary
$294,777.60 - $358,425.60 Annually
Location
Merced County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services Department 301 E 13th St. Merced, CA
Job Type
Full-time
Job Number
2600252
Department
Behavioral Health & Recovery Services
Opening Date
04/09/2026
Closing Date
Continuous
Bargaining Unit
20B Management
Examples of Duties
Please Note: This is an at-will classification under the direction of and serves at the pleasure of the Director of Behavioral Health & Recovery Services/Public Guardian-Conservator.
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Consults, advises, and makes recommendations to the Director of Behavioral Health & Recovery Services regarding the scope and quality of psychiatric, medical and other professional services provided.
Supervises, assigns, trains, and evaluates psychiatric and clinical staff including independent contract status physicians and other positions.
Coordinates the planning and implementation of medical training and education for physicians.
Assists with the recruitment of physicians for the departments.
Provides medical oversight for medical/clinical services of the Mental Health Plan.
Assures appropriate medical and psychiatric consultation and liaison with primary health care providers and physicians.
Makes appropriate business decisions in overseeing, directing, and managing assigned activates.
Provides strategic leadership through communication, demonstration, and accomplishment of the organizational mission, vision, and values.
Analyzes legislation and regulations for impact on mental health and substance abuse services.
Implements appropriate departmental compliance procedures.
Provides psychiatric, diagnostic, and therapeutic services including continuing patient care; jail-based psychiatric care; acute psychiatric care; emergency on-call consultation; conservatorship evaluation and court testimony.
Consults with other medical and substance abuse practitioners.
Directs nursing follow-up care.
Completes medical records and court reports to mandated standards.
Evaluates social support/rehabilitation needs. Also educates patient/families/staff and oversees intake and treatment plans.
Establish, implement, and achieve goals and objectives.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience:
Five (5) years progressively responsible experience in the practice of medicine in psychiatry.
License:
Possession of a valid license to practice medicine issued by the California Medical Board.
Certification:
Board certified or Board eligible in Psychiatric Medicine by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
OR
Experience:
Five (5) years of progressively responsible executive or senior administrative experience overseeing behavioral health or specialty mental health programs.
License:
Possession of a valid Physician and Surgeon license issued by the Medical Board of California.
Essential Functions
Operate a personal computer and other office equipment.
Communicate effectively with others in person and over the telephone.
Provide psychiatric, medical and medication evaluations and crisis intervention.
Provide psychiatric consultations to primary care physicians treating mental health or substance abuse illnesses.
Provide medical direction and oversight of County-operated Psychiatric Health Facility.
Analyze data, interpret policies, procedures and regulations, develop appropriate conclusions, and prepare reports.
Meet deadlines under stressful conditions.
Develop, interpret and enforce policies, procedures and processes regarding medical/psychiatric services.
Plan and ensure adequate medical staffing.
Supervise, train, direct and evaluate medical and clinical staff
Resolve conflicts and respond appropriately to complaints.
Complete multiple priority projects with conflicting deadlines.
Maintain confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations.
Frequent use of depth perception, peripheral vision and color perception.
Sit, stand, or walk for extended periods.
Frequently lift, carry, reach, push, pull, twist and manipulate large and small objects.
Kneel, bend, twist, squat, balance and crawl.
Frequent use of hand-eye coordination.
Frequent use of data entry device including repetitive hand and arm motion.
Occasionally lift and carry up to 40 pounds.
Normal dexterity, frequent holding and grasping.
Represents the department with other government jurisdictions and community partners.
Regular attendance is an essential function.
Knowledge of:
General psychiatric medicine and forensic psychiatry
Psychosocial rehabilitation
Laws, legislation and regulations impacting mental health and substance abuse services
Community support systems.
Fundamentals of staff supervision, training and development.
Ability to:
Work effectively in a multidisciplinary team
Supervise and direct medical and clinical staff
Conduct and coordinate training
Manage patient flow efficiently
Consult/collaborate with multiple systems
Work with seriously mentally ill and their families.
ALLOWANCES
EXPENSE ALLOWANCE
$100 per month expense allowance.
HOLIDAYS & LEAVES
MANAGEMENT LEAVE
96 hours per Fiscal Year.
VACATION
10 days the first 5 years of continuous employment (limited to a maximum of 160 hours), 15 days in the second 5 years of continuous employment (limited to a maximum of 240 hours), and 20 days after 10 years of continuous employment (limited to a maximum of 320 hours). Optional annual sell back of a portion of accumulated vacation leave hours (maximum - 40 hours).
SICK LEAVE
0.0625 hours sick leave for each paid regularly scheduled work hour. 16 days (130 hours per year) with unlimited accumulation. Optional annual buy back of a portion of accumulated sick leave hours upon meeting certain criteria.
HOLIDAYS
Twelve paid holidays annually plus two optional holidays.
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE
Five (5) regularly scheduled workdays.
INSURANCE
HEALTH INSURANCE
Medical Insurance - Merced County offers multiple Medical Plans and contributes towards employee and dependent premiums.
Dental Insurance - Delta Dental
Vision Insurance - VSP
DISABILITY INSURANCE
Management Disability Insurance - Unrepresented Management Levels A-E - 100% premium paid by employer
LIFE INSURANCE
County-paid Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Voluntary Term and Whole Life Insurance are available - premium paid by employee
RETIREMENT
DEFERRED COMPENSATION
The County offers a 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. Employees choose their investment funds and can make pre-tax or post-tax contributions to the plan up to the maximum allowable.
EXTRA HELP EMPLOYEES DO NOT QUALIFY FOR COUNTY BENEFITS.
MERCED COUNTY EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION
The retirement plan is a defined benefit plan administered pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 and other provisions of the California Government Code. MCERA members also pay into Social Security. The applicable benefit formula is dependent upon your hire date with an MCERA employer; your pension amount will be determined by your age, years of service and final compensation amount.
EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)
Anthem EAP services provide up to five face-to-face counseling sessions per incident and provides a toll-free "800" hotline available 24/7 for emergencies and crisis intervention. EAP services include counseling services, legal services, financial services and work-life resource services.
EMPLOYEE TICKETS, COUPONS, and DISCOUNTS
The County of Merced has partnered with Employee Savings Tickets to provide discounted coupons and tickets for all county employees to attractions throughout the state and out-of-state. The discounts and coupons are available for shopping, movies, sporting events, theme parks, zoos and aquariums and much more.
THIS BULLETIN IS NOT A CONTRACT AND DOES NOT CREATE CONTRACTUAL OR LEGAL RIGHTS ON BEHALF OF ANY EMPLOYEE. THIS BULLETIN IS SUBJECT OF BEING SUPPLEMENTED, MODIFIED, WITHDRAWN OR OTHERWISE CHANGED PENDING LABOR AGREEMENTS AND/OR AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER OR AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DEEM NECESSARY.
For answers to specific questions regarding employee benefits, please call Human Resources at 209.385.7356.
01
Do you possess a valid license to practice medicine issued by the California Medical Board?
02
Are you Board certified or Board eligible in Psychiatric Medicine by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology?
Required Question
Employer Merced County
Address 2222 M Street
Merced, California, 95340
Phone (209) 385-7682
(209) 385-7682
Website http://www.countyofmerced.com