Nurse Practitioner for Mental Health Clinic

Medical Provider Job Description (PMHNP-BC, or PA-C)

Job Title:                      Medical Provider (Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant)

Department:                  Medical Department

Reports To:                   Chief Medical Officer / Supervising Physician (as applicable under Texas law)

FLSA Status:                 Exempt

Job Summary:

The Medical Provider delivers high-quality psychiatric and behavioral health services in an outpatient setting. The role includes psychiatric evaluations, ongoing medication management, diagnostic and risk assessments, treatment planning, patient education, and collaboration with the interdisciplinary care team. The Provider ensures compliance with all federal and state regulations, Board of Nursing / TMB rules, CMS guidelines, HIPAA, and internal clinical documentation standards.

The Provider practices within the scope of their education, training, licensure, and experience, and performs delegated medical acts under required supervision in accordance with Texas law.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Care

• Conduct comprehensive psychiatric evaluations for adults, adolescents, and geriatric patients.
  • Initial evaluations typically 40 minutes or more.
  • Medication follow-ups typically 10–20 minutes.
• Provide evidence-based pharmacological management consistent with best practices and state/federal guidelines.
• Assess and document suicide risk, homicide risk, hospitalization needs, and other acute psychiatric concerns.
• Provide emergency psychiatric interventions during clinic hours, when needed.
• Integrate intake findings, diagnostic impressions, and treatment plans to ensure continuity and quality of care.
• Obtain informed consent prior to treatment and discuss risks, benefits, and alternatives with patients.
• Ensure clinical decisions consider safety, efficacy, side-effect profiles, comorbidities, and patient preferences.
• Promote patient education regarding diagnosis, medications, side effects, and treatment expectations.
• Consult, collaborate, and coordinate care with the supervising physician, therapists, case managers, and other members of the care team.
• Make referrals to appropriate internal and external providers to ensure continuity of care.

Documentation & Compliance

• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely documentation in the EHR, meeting internal performance standards (e.g., 95% timely documentation).
• Prepare required clinical reports, documentation, and forms in compliance with regulatory and payer requirements.
• Follow HIPAA, CMS, Board of Nursing/TMB standards, ethical guidelines, and medical record regulations.
• Report unsafe clinical practices, patient-safety concerns, or quality-of-care issues as required by law and policy.
• Maintain required logs, controlled-substance records (if applicable), and documentation needed for delegation agreements and prescriptive authority.
• Assist the organization in meeting requirements for Medicare, Medicaid, commercial payers, audits, and utilization review processes.

Professional Expectations & Operational Requirements

• Provide services only within the Provider’s approved scope, competencies, and specialty training.
• Maintain all required licenses, certifications, prescriptive authority, DEA (if required), and good standing with regulatory boards.
• Immediately report any changes to licensure, prescriptive authority, Medicare/Medicaid participation, or any disciplinary actions.
• Uphold all company policies, procedures, clinical guidelines, and professional standards.
• Participate in required staff meetings, trainings, peer review, quality improvement initiatives, and compliance meetings.
• Promote an environment of respect, confidentiality, safety, and cultural sensitivity.
• Use infection-control precautions and adhere to OSHA standards.
• Maintain current CPR and First Aid certifications.

Teamwork & Collaboration

• Maintain open and consistent communication with administrative, clinical, and medical leadership.
• Participate in interdisciplinary care planning and case discussions.
• Train, mentor, or advise clinical staff as needed within appropriate scope.
• Contribute to designing and improving clinic workflows, service lines, and clinical processes.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Master’s degree from an accredited Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC preferred) or Physician Assistant program (PA-C).

Licensure / Certification

• Active, unrestricted license in the State of Texas as a:
  • Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC), or
  • Physician Assistant with appropriate certification.
• Texas prescriptive authority and NPI; DEA license if required for role.
• Current CPR and First Aid certification.
• Valid Texas driver’s license.

Experience

• Minimum of one (1) year of clinical experience in behavioral health, psychiatry, or mental health setting preferred.
• Experience working with diverse populations, including severe and persistent mental illness, dual diagnosis, and crisis response.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong clinical knowledge of psychiatry, behavioral health disorders, substance use disorders, and evidence-based treatment modalities.
• Ability to independently assess, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions within scope and under supervision rules.
• Proficiency in developing, implementing, and documenting individualized treatment plans.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams and maintain professional relationships with patients and staff.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and communication skills.
• Ability to analyze clinical data, identify trends, and propose solutions.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, ethical judgment, and respect for confidentiality.
• Competency using electronic health records (EHRs) and documentation workflows.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for extended periods (up to 2/3 of the time).
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, kneeling, or reaching.
• Ability to lift up to 15 lbs occasionally.
• Reasonable accommodation is available as required by ADA.

Work Environment

• Outpatient behavioral health clinic environment.
• Regular interaction with patients who may have acute psychiatric needs.
• Standard office equipment and EHR use.
• Exposure to infectious diseases mitigated by adherence to universal precautions.

Other Requirements

• Must maintain a professional appearance and demeanor.
• Must adhere to all confidentiality, ethics, and compliance standards.
• Must maintain eligibility for malpractice coverage.