Physician, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist

Join a mission-driven team dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of children, adolescents, and families throughout Santa Barbara County. As a Community Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, you will provide time-limited psychiatric evaluation and treatment for children and adolescents, focusing on establishing an accurate diagnosis and an effective, well-tolerated medication and/or treatment regimen within a defined course of care. Once the patient is clinically stable, transition ongoing management back to the patient's primary care provider, with clear guidelines for monitoring and criteria for re-referral if symptoms recur or treatment adjustments are needed. This consultative, hand-off-oriented approach preserves psychiatrist capacity to accept new patients promptly, reducing wait times and expanding access to specialty psychiatric care across the community.

LEVEL OF EDUCATION

• Doctor of Medicine degree (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree (DO) required.
• Board Certified in the physician's associated specialty required.

CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Physician's unrestricted license to practice medicine in the State of California required.

Must meet all requirements for membership and unrestricted clinical privileges of the Cottage Health Medical Staff.

• State of California DEA license required.
• Successful completion of specialty fellowship is preferred.

YEARS OF RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE

• Proven experience working in clinical practice as a physician required.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Strong understanding of examination methodologies and diagnostics.
• Broad knowledge of common medications, side effects, and contraindications required.

Why Join Cottage Health?

• Clinical Excellence: Join a team of dedicated healthcare professionals committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care in a supportive and collaborative practice environment.
• Opportunity for Leadership: Lead the development and growth of a new primary care practice, shaping the delivery of healthcare services and making a positive impact on the health and well-being of our community.
• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with flexible scheduling options, competitive compensation, and comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, and more.
• Community Engagement: Become an integral part of the vibrant Central Coast community, where you can build meaningful connections with patients and families and make a difference in their lives.
• Professional Growth: Benefit from opportunities for professional development, career advancement, and continuing medical education, supported by Cottage Health's commitment to lifelong learning and clinical excellence.

Benefit Highlights

• Competitive Salary
• Relocation Assistance
• Sign-On Bonus
• Homebuying program
• Temporary Housing Allowance
• Comprehensive Benefits Package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, pension plan, and 401(k)
• Malpractice Coverage
• Federal Loan Forgiveness Programs (if applicable)

MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES / SPECIFIC JOB COMPETENCIES

This is not an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Employees will be required to

perform any job, with related instruction given by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation.

• Examines and provides appropriate treatment within their specialty and refers patients to other

physicians when needed. Monitors quality of care delivered by network providers and manages

utilization for enrolled participants.

• Conducts routine clinical evaluations of patients to assess their health condition and discover possible

issues. Asks intuitive questions to discover causes of illness. Conducts examinations of ill patients and

evaluates symptoms to determine their condition. Cultivates a climate of trust and compassion for

patients.

• Completes charting and documentation to maintain records of patients’ clinical status and

appropriately documents diagnosis, treatment, or other significant information (e.g., allergic episodes)

for the facilitation of patient care by the care team and for appropriate coding and billing.

• Reaches an informed diagnosis based on scientific knowledge and the patient’s medical history.
• Prescribes and interprets lab tests to obtain more information for underlying conditions or

abnormalities. Prescribes medications or drugs and provides comprehensive instructions for

administration.

• Builds and maintains strong relationships with physician groups, specialists, contracted providers,

hospitals, and skilled nursing/post-acute rehab facilities as appropriate. Collaborates with physician

assistants and nurses to form a high-performing medical team. Medical Director duties as assigned.

Cottage Health is a leading acute care hospital system, located on the central coast of California, widely known for our superior patient care, innovation, medical research and education. Our health system operates primarily in Santa Barbara, CA, since 1888, and consists of three acute care hospitals, a Rehabilitation Hospital, multiple clinics and a multi-site Urgent Care system. Our mission is to serve the central coast communities with excellence, integrity, and compassion. Every day we touch thousands of lives in many different ways, resolute in our mission to put patients first. We take pride in helping our patients get back to living their lives - in the places they love.

*Pay for non-physician positions is determined based on related years of experience and internal equity. Eligible employees may also receive additional forms of compensation, including shift differentials, on-call pay, incentive pay, and bonus opportunities, where applicable. Manager and above positions may participate in Cottage Health’s annual management incentive program. Physician compensation is determined based upon specialty and may include bonus potential. For more information on our comprehensive Total Rewards offerings, please visit https://cottagehealth.org/careers/total-rewards .

If you're already a Cottage Health employee, please apply on this link only.