Psychiatrist / Medical Director at Wellness and Equity Alliance LLC – Indio, California

OUR MISSION

Wellness Equity Alliance (WEA) is a novel national public health organization comprised of a multidisciplinary team of population and public health experts with backgrounds in infectious disease, public health, emergency medicine, primary care, cardiology, pediatrics, psychiatry, community health work (CHW), nursing and advanced practice pharmacy. We work nearly exclusively with underrepresented communities, fundamentally addressing healthcare disparities and the social determinants of health (SDoH) that have been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing the following:

• People experiencing homelessness
• Indigenous communities
• Immigrant communities
• Rural communities
• BIPoC communities
• LGBTQIA+ communities
• Justice-impacted communities

The WEA team is diverse, inclusive, and nimble enough to assemble teams of healthcare professionals within days using our proven local staff recruitment models to address population health crises and communicable disease outbreaks. Our partnership model is collaborative and enables hospitals, health jurisdictions, and state/local government agencies to deliver timely, equity-based care to marginalized populations.

Indio Crisis Walk-in Center

WEA’s Crisis Walk-In (CWI) Center, located on the behavioral health campus of Riverside University Health System in Indio, CA, offers 24/7 walk-in, voluntary crisis services for adults and children ages 5 and older. Designed to provide immediate, accessible care, the center serves up to 20 patients at a time, including both youth and adults.

Position Summary

The Psychiatrist / Medical Director provides clinical leadership and oversight for WEA’s Indio Crisis Walk-In Center (CWIC), ensuring high-quality, evidence-based psychiatric care for youth and adults experiencing acute behavioral health crises.

The Medical Director partners closely with the CWIC Site Director (administrative) and Psychiatric Nurse Manager, and with WEA executive medical, behavioral, nursing, and operational leadership as part of a multidisciplinary leadership structure, to ensure alignment and high performance across clinical care, nursing operations, and site execution.

This role combines direct clinical care with programmatic and medical leadership responsibilities. Operating within a fast-paced, walk-in crisis setting, the Medical Director oversees psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, medication management, and clinical decision-making while supporting rapid stabilization and safe transitions to appropriate levels of care. This role provides direct clinical supervision to psychiatric providers (e.g. PMHNPs/PAs) and serves as the clinical authority for complex cases, protocols, and quality standards.

This is a high-impact leadership role ideal for psychiatrists who are passionate about crisis care, systems-building, and improving access to behavioral health services for underserved communities. This role is 50% FTE patient care and clinical supervision and 50% administrative and leadership, subject to change based on CWIC development and performance.

Key Highlights

• Compensation: The compensation range for this role is $312,000-$416,000 annually, with final compensation determined based on experience, qualifications, and role scope.
• Work Location & Expectations: This role requires primary in-person engagement at Indio Crisis Walk-in Center location, with additional travel as needed to support organizational priorities.
• Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package including healthcare coverage, paid time off, and shareholder/equity options.
• Professional Development: Opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional leaders across Behavioral Health, Medical, Street Medicine, Public Health, Rural Health, and Tribal Health initiatives.

• Provide psychiatric evaluations, diagnoses, and treatment planning for individuals presenting in crisis.
• Assess for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Oversee medication management, including prescribing, monitoring, and adjusting treatment as needed.
• Support rapid stabilization and disposition planning within a walk-in crisis model.
• Provide direct clinical care as needed, particularly for high-acuity or complex cases.
• Serve as the clinical authority for psychiatric decision-making, including level-of-care determinations and transfers.

• Provide clinical supervision and guidance to psychiatric providers (e.g., PMHNPs, PAs, or other prescribers).
• Support interdisciplinary clinical decision-making across nursing, behavioral health, and peer teams.
• Serve as a resource for complex cases, including co-occurring mental health, substance use, and medical conditions.
• Promote adherence to evidence-based practices and trauma-informed care approaches.

• Support development and refinement of clinical workflows aligned with a walk-in crisis model.
• Ensure effective triage, stabilization, and transitions of care.
• Collaborate with leadership to optimize patient flow and minimize delays in care.
• Guide protocols for escalation, emergency interventions, and transfers to higher levels of care.

• Partner closely with the CWIC Site Director (administrative), Psychiatric Nurse Manager, and WEA executive leadership to ensure cohesive, successful program operations.
• Participate in multidisciplinary huddles, case reviews, and care planning discussions.
• Foster a collaborative, team-based care environment across disciplines.
• Serve as a liaison with county partners, hospitals, emergency services, and community providers.

• Lead clinical quality improvement initiatives focused on patient safety, outcomes, and care effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with state, federal, and county behavioral health regulations and standards.
• Support audit readiness and participate in regulatory reviews and site visits.
• Oversee development, implementation, and refinement of clinical protocols and treatment guidelines.
• Monitor performance metrics and use data to inform improvements.

• Support recruitment, onboarding, and development of psychiatric and clinical staff.
• Provide education, training, and mentorship to team members on crisis care and best practices.
• Contribute to program development efforts, including expansion of services and clinical capabilities.
• Stay current with emerging best practices in psychiatry, crisis care, and behavioral health systems.

• Communicate effectively with patients, families, and caregivers regarding diagnoses, treatment plans, and next steps.
• Serve as a clinical liaison with external partners, including hospitals, community-based organizations, and public sector agencies.
• Participate in meetings, case conferences, and stakeholder engagement efforts.

Key Competencies

• Clinical leadership and psychiatric expertise.
• Crisis assessment, stabilization, and rapid decision-making.
• Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration and team leadership.
• Systems thinking and program development.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Commitment to equity, cultural humility, and patient-centered care.

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from an accredited institution.
• Board Certified or Board Eligible in Psychiatry.
• Active, unrestricted California medical license.
• DEA registration and ability to prescribe controlled substances.
• Minimum 1-3 years of clinical psychiatry experience, including crisis, emergency, or acute care settings.
• Minimum 1-3 years as Medical Director or similar clinical leadership experience.
• Strong clinical judgment and ability to make decisions in high-acuity environments.

• Experience in mental health crisis programs, CWIC, CSU, emergency, or community behavioral health settings.
• Experience working with youth and/or family systems.
• Experience supporting individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions.
• Training in trauma-informed care, de-escalation, or addiction medicine.
• Familiarity with California behavioral health systems and county partnerships.
• Proficiency with electronic health records (EHRs).
• Willingness to work 12-hour shifts within minimum expectations for daytime, overnight, weekend, and holiday availability.