Psychiatrist - Rapid Access to Psychiatry Program

JFS Ottawa is a multi-service non-profit community agency helping individuals and families across generations and cultures achieve stability, independence, and belonging.
Core service areas include mental health and wellbeing, social supports, and services for seniors, newcomers, and diverse communities.
Our work is grounded in Jewish values, and we strive to build community through the pursuit of social justice and inclusivity.

Position Summary: Rapid Access to Psychiatry Program

The Rapid Access to Psychiatry Program provides timely, short-term psychiatric consultation. This service is offered at no cost to clients and operates within a brief, community-based model.

The psychiatrist will be an independent contractor, providing consultations to clients referred through JFS’s Rapid Access to Psychiatry Program. Referrals to the Rapid Access to Psychiatry Program are received directly from primary health care professionals in the community. Once referred, clients may also receive ongoing support from JFS’s multidisciplinary mental health team, including social workers, psychotherapists, and psychologists, who collaborate to ensure smooth coordination, follow-up, and continuity of care.

This role is primarily focused on psychiatric assessment, diagnostic clarification, medication recommendations, and brief clinical guidance.

Compensation includes both clinical time and administrative/report-writing time associated with each consultation.

Duties and Responsibilities

The psychiatrist will provide:

• A single-session consultation (up to 1 hour) for referred clients.
• Initiation of diagnostic assessments when clients have no prior psychiatric evaluation.
• Diagnostic clarification when clients already have an assessment or formulation.
• Medication review and recommendations to support safe and appropriate treatment planning.
• Recommendations for psychosocial interventions to clients and their providers.
• A written clinical report summarizing the consultation, completed within 1–2 weeks of the appointment.
• Recommendations for additional medical or diagnostic testing as needed.
• Participation in a responsive, collaborative, and community-oriented clinical practice model to ensure continuity of care.
• Secure completion and storage of all documentation, in accordance with JFS protocols, privacy legislation, and program requirements.
• Transmission of clinical reports to the client and, with client’s consent, to other providers as required.
• Services may be delivered in person from JFS’s clinical offices or from the psychiatrist’s own professional workspace, with virtual appointments available as appropriate.

Experience and Knowledge

• Proven experience in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of clients with moderate to severe mental health disorders. Experience working youth and or seniors is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to complete comprehensive assessments leading to diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
• Strong crisis management and conflict-resolution skills with the ability to make timely, informed decisions.
• Knowledge of community-based supports, including mental health, addictions, social services, and healthcare resources.
• Understanding of client-centred, strengths-based, and anti-oppressive frameworks.
• Ability to develop and document interventions clearly and evaluate service outcomes.
• Comfortable using web-based video conferencing tools.
• Ability to work effectively with community partners and external service providers.
• Additional languages beyond English are considered an asset.

Qualifications

• Member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).
• Malpractice coverage through CMPA or a comparable commercial insurance provider.
• Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act and other relevant Ontario legislation.
• Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, with experience addressing issues related to racial justice, religious and ethnic bias, gender and LGBTQ+ equity, disability rights, and other aspects of social justice.

Jewish Family Services of Ottawa supports equal opportunity employment. We are committed to a selection process and work environment that is inclusive and barrier free. Accommodation will be provided in accordance with the Ontario Human Right Code. Applicants need to make any accommodation requests for the interview or selection process known in advance by contacting HRAdmin@jfsottawa.com.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.