Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner - Covington, VA

Alleghany Highlands Community Services (AHCS) is seeking a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner to provide assessment, treatment, and medication management for individuals receiving short-term care in our Crisis Receiving Center. This role works closely with nursing, crisis staff, and community partners to support stabilization and determine the appropriate next level of care.

What you'll do

• Evaluate individuals with acute mental health or substance use concerns, including suicide and violence risk, withdrawal symptoms, and immediate safety needs.
• Diagnose conditions, develop treatment recommendations, and prescribe and monitor medications within your scope of practice and agency protocols.
• Reassess individuals during crisis observation and stabilization, responding to changes in their condition.
• Provide clinical consultation to CRC staff and coordinate with nursing on treatment, monitoring, and escalation of care.
• Educate individuals and, when appropriate, their families or support persons about diagnoses, medications, and treatment recommendations.
• Coordinate with hospitals, emergency departments, and community providers on transfers, discharge planning, and continuity of care.
• Document care in the electronic health record and contribute to clinical review and CRC medical and medication protocols.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited nurse practitioner program with a master's or doctoral degree in nursing.
• Current Virginia RN and APRN licensure.
• National Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certification and authorization to prescribe in Virginia.
• Required prescribing registrations and credentials, plus a practice agreement or approved autonomous practice designation when applicable.
• Ability to maintain required CPR/First Aid and agency-approved crisis prevention and behavioral intervention training.

Experience in behavioral health or psychiatric crisis assessment and treatment is preferred. Experience with co-occurring substance use, emergency or short-stay stabilization, and interdisciplinary care is also preferred.

This is an on-site position in an active crisis care setting. The schedule may include evenings, weekends, or holidays based on program needs, as well as after-hours on-call coverage.

Candidates who are offered a position must undergo a background check, including social services review, and drug screen. Virginia has restrictions on hiring individuals with certain convictions. Here is the list: http://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/assets/doc/hr/biu/attachment-2rev072019.pdf - http://www.dbhds.virginia.gov/assets/doc/hr/biu/attachment-2rev072019.pdf