Forensics Psychiatrist - PC2603 Court Hearings

THE PRACTICE

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center – San Jose, CA

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is a 574-bed acute care public teaching hospital affiliated with Stanford University Medical School. TBH supports the Santa Clara County Main Jail Complex Main Jail is a third-generation correctional facility that uses the direct supervision model, with a capacity designed to house up to 854 inmates. In this environment, 2-3 officers oversee a locked "module" or dormitory with up to 64 inmates. Some of the units are special management units with a lower capacity. Cases are similar to county population. The inpatient unit cases are similar to other acute psychiatric inpatient units in the community.

PC2603 psychiatrist duties include

SCVMC Main Jail now pursues a PC2603 (California Penal Code 2603) order for involuntary medication treatment to be granted by the judge for patients that, as a result of mental illness are a danger to themselves, others or gravely disabled (DTS, DTO or GD), but are refusing medication and lacking capacity to make medical decisions about their mental health treatment. When the patient is lacking capacity, refusing psychotropic medications and are reaching the threshold of being DTS, DTO and/or GD and medication is thought to be needed to improve their condition, a PC2603 petition is filed which results in a court hearing 21-30 days later.

• PC2603 psychiatrist will present in court (which may be virtually through Microsoft Teams or in person, and is subject to change). 
• Filing PC2603 petitions on patients refusing medication that are DTS, DTO or GD.
• Presenting in court and testifying as an expert witness where you will be interviewed by county counsel about why involuntary medication treatment is needed.
• Court is currently held every Monday and Thursday from 1:30 PM to 5 PM
• The PC2603 psychiatrist follows up regularly with their case load of patients that are pending PC2603 awaiting their court hearing, or have already had PC2603 granted and are actively under involuntary medication treatment.
• The patients that are currently under PC2603 will need declarations prepared every 30-60 days advocating for the need to continue the involuntary medication order or not.
  • County counsel staff help assist with when these are do and getting them submitted to the court.

Inpatient Unit Details

• 41 bed inpatient unit
• Average Daily Census of 30; with no official cap
• Triple physician coverage; 7am – 5pm (10-hour shifts)
• Average caseload of 8-13 cases per psychiatrist
• Traditions Behavioral Health is proud to accept and work with H1B and J1 Visa holders

THE BENEFITS

• $375,000.00 Annually for Full-Time (40-hours per week) W-2 Employees
• Comprehensive Benefits Package
• Attractive 401K and Competitive Company Match
• Generous Annual Bonuses
• PTO and CME Accrual

THE AREA

• San Jose is notable as a center of innovation, for its affluence, Mediterranean climate, and extremely high cost of living. As of June 2021, the city has the highest percentage of million-dollar (or more) homes in the United States. Its location within the booming high tech industry as a cultural, political, and economic center has earned the city the nickname "Capital of Silicon Valley". San Jose is one of the wealthiest major cities in the United States and the world, and has the third-highest GDP per capita in the world (after Zürich, Switzerland and Oslo, Norway). San Jose lies between the San Andreas Fault, and the Calaveras Fault. San Jose is shaken by moderate earthquakes on average one or two times a year.