Addiction Medication Prescriber (County Classification- B.H. Nurse Practitioner)

Addiction Medication Prescriber (County Classification- B.H. Nurse Practitioner)

Salary

$132,683.20 - $177,819.20 Annually

Location

All Locations - San Luis Obispo County, CA

Job Type

Permanent - Hourly

Job Number

0826PM-000458-01

Department

Health Agency

Division

Health Agency - Behavioral Health

Opening Date

08/21/2026

Closing Date

9/18/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

About the Position

This recruitment may be used to fill future permanent, substitute, limited term, and temporary positions, both full-time and part-time throughout the County.

San Luis Obispo County Drug & Alcohol Services (DAS) is seeking a physician (MD/DO), nurse practitioner (NP), or physician assistant (PA) to provide medication treatment and integrated care for individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions.

This position is part of a multidisciplinary SUD treatment team and works closely with licensed psychiatric technicians, counselors, behavioral health clinicians, and other medical providers to provide accessible, evidence-based, patient-centered care.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Assessing, diagnosing, and treating substance use disorders, including opioid, alcohol, stimulant, nicotine, cannabis, and other substance use disorders.
• Initiating, prescribing, and monitoring medications for addiction treatment, including oral and long-acting injectable buprenorphine, naltrexone/Vivitrol, disulfiram, medications for nicotine use disorder, and evidence-based off-label pharmacotherapies when appropriate.
• Maintaining familiarity with emerging substances and evolving patterns of use, including kratom and novel or synthetic compounds.
• Assessing withdrawal and clinical risk and collaborating with counselors and the multidisciplinary SUD team to determine appropriate levels of care and treatment settings.
• Evaluating and managing mild-to-moderate co-occurring psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance-induced psychiatric symptoms, and mood disorders. Consultation and support from the County mental health team are available for individuals with more complex or severe psychiatric illness.
• Utilizing motivational interviewing, harm-reduction principles, overdose-prevention strategies, and shared decision-making to engage patients across different stages of readiness for change.
• Supporting low-barrier access to addiction treatment and California DHCSs "No Wrong Door" approach to behavioral health and SUD services.
• Coordinating care across outpatient, residential, withdrawal management, emergency, hospital, and community-based settings.
• Participating in the continued expansion of mobile MAT and community-based addiction treatment services.

The position provides services across three DAS clinic locations in North County, San Luis Obispo, and South County. As mobile MAT services expand, the provider will also have opportunities to provide community-based care to individuals who may have difficulty accessing traditional clinic-based services.

Click here to view detailed job description.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an MD, DO, NP, or PA with at least three years of relevant clinical experience and demonstrated experience caring for individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions.

The successful candidate will:

• Have experience assessing and diagnosing substance use disorders and determining appropriate levels of care.
• Be comfortable initiating, prescribing, and monitoring FDA-approved medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders, including oral and long-acting injectable medications, and medications for nicotine use disorder.
• Be comfortable with or a willingness to learn how to prescribe off-label medications for stimulant use disorder, cannabis use disorder, and emerging substances such as kratom, and how to use new pharmacologic and harm-reduction approaches.
• Understand withdrawal assessment, overdose prevention, harm reduction, and transitions between levels of SUD care.
• Be comfortable managing mild-to-moderate co-occurring psychiatric conditions while recognizing when specialty psychiatric consultation or a higher level of mental health care is indicated.
• Have experience with motivational interviewing and patient-centered approaches to individuals who may be ambivalent about treatment or continue to use substances.
• Be comfortable caring for patients with ongoing substance use, relapse, inconsistent engagement, and complex psychosocial needs.
• Value multidisciplinary care and collaboration with SUD counselors, nurses, therapists, case managers, peers, and other medical providers.
• Be familiar with, or interested in learning, Californias behavioral health and SUD treatment systems, including DHCSs "No Wrong Door" approach.
• Have a strong interest in improving access to treatment for underserved populations and individuals who have historically experienced barriers to MAT, mental health, and SUD services.
• Be flexible and comfortable practicing across multiple clinic and community-based settings.

Formal training or board certification in Addiction Medicine or Addiction Psychiatry is highly desirable but not required. Experience in community behavioral health, FQHCs, correctional health, street medicine, emergency medicine, or other settings serving individuals with complex substance use disorders is also desirable.

Education and Experience

A: Education and experience required to receive and maintain a license to practice as a Registered Nurse and registration as a Nurse Practitioner from the California Board of Registered Nursing;

And B: completion of a psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner certification program, or masters degree in psychiatric mental health nursing, or 5 years experience in direct treatment of individuals with psychiatric or substance use disorders

How to Apply

Applications, including answers to supplemental questions, must be submitted online by the final filing date. Apply for this position at governmentjobs.com/careers/slocountyca. Most County recruitments require you to respond to supplemental questions as part of the application process. We recommend that you review these questions prior to beginning your application. Your attached resume will not substitute for thecompletion of the application. Please complete all required fields andsupplemental questions.

An initial application review will be conducted. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and are best qualified will be invited to participate in selection activities which may include online assessments, performance exams, written exams, and interviews.

Final candidates will be required to have an in-depth background review performed before proceeding in the process. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process.

Be advised that while use of AI is common practice, we want to see your individual style and critical thinking skills in your answers to the supplemental questions.

If you have questions or would like to discuss the opportunity further, please contact Human Resources at hr@co.slo.ca.us. Confidential inquiries are welcome.

For further information regarding the County of San Luis Obispo, visit our website at www.slocounty.ca.gov.

Reasonable Accommodation Notice

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. Please call 805-781-5959 for assistance or e-mail hr@co.slo.ca.us for more information.

Veterans Preference Points

If you are applying for employment with the County of San Luis Obispo and you served in the United States Armed Forces, you may be eligible for veterans preference points as part of the recruitment process. Some dependents and survivors of eligible veterans may also be eligible for preference points. Click here for more information and to learn how to apply for this benefit. Please note that Veteran's credits must be on file with the County of San Luis Obispo Veterans Services Office prior to the recruitment closing date indicated on the job announcement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The County is an equal opportunity employer. Objectives are directed toward assuring equal opportunity in selection / promotion, pay, and job assignments. Recruitment and selection procedures have been established to ensure non-discrimination on the basis of political or religious opinions or affiliations, age, sex, race, color, national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or other non-merit factors. In addition, the County complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act in hiring and retaining employees. For more information contact the Human Resources Department at (805)781-5959.

Make a Difference

Employees of the County of San Luis Obispo are public servants who impact the lives of our community every day. From supporting efforts to reduce homelessness, keeping our drinking water clean, or serving the families in need in the community, County employees make a difference.

Compensation and Benefits

Your annual salary is supplemented by a generous benefit package.

In general, temporary employees are not eligible for County-sponsored benefits and may have limited benefit options available to them. For more information on benefit eligibility, please e-mail hr@co.slo.ca.us.

For additional information regarding the benefits listed that may be available to you, visit the associated Benefits-At-A-Glance webpage (click here for link).

Some benefits include:

• Medical (PPO, EPO, HDHP), Dental (HMO, PPO) and Vision Insurance
• Health enhancing programs such as Hinge Health, GIThrive and Carrum Health for medical enrollees.
• Cafeteria (County contribution to pay for insurance premiums)
• Free visits to the employee health clinic
• Mental Health resources/benefits including Headspace
• Voluntary insurance plans (life insurance, disability, critical illness and many more)
• A lifelong retirement benefit through the San Luis Obispo County Pension Trust
• Optional deferred compensation plan
• Tax savings accounts (medical and dependent care)
• Paid personal, sick and vacation days
• 12 paid holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Education and Wellness Allowance
• Post Employment Health Plan
• Family Friendly workplace policies
• Flexible work schedule options
• Rideshare commuter benefits
• Pet Insurance

The County of San Luis Obispo has been recognized as a Diamond Level Family Friendly Workplace by San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce. We support our employees through: childcare assistance, flexible scheduling practices, paid and unpaid leave, comprehensive health benefits, flexible spending accounts, and employee assistance programs.

Pension Benefit and Employee Contribution Rates:

The Countys pension is a defined benefit plan that provides a guaranteed monthly pension payment for life based on your time in service, wages, and other factors. The County is the primary contributor to the pension fund, but the health of the pension fund also depends on mandatory employee contributions. Employees are required to pay a percentage of their base pay towards the pension fund, ranging from 5% to 19%. This amount is deducted from your paycheck pre-tax every pay period. To find out how much will be deducted from your paycheck should you be hired for this position, please contact Pension Trust at (805) 781-5465.

Healthcare Benefits and Cafeteria Contributions:

The County offers comprehensive medical coverage to you and your family, along with two dental plan options and vision coverage. All permanent employees receive a monthly employer contribution (or 'cafeteria' contribution) to help them pay for their portion of the medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums. The amount of the cafeteria contribution varies by Bargaining Unit (BU) and the extent to which employees enroll their dependents. If the cafeteria amount is greater than your selected premiums, the remainder of the cafeteria is paid out to you in your paycheck as taxable income. If the cafeteria amount is less than your monthly premiums, you pay the remainder of the premiums with pre-tax wages.

To estimate your out-of-pocket costs (or cashback from extra cafeteria), visit the Cafeteria Rates webpage (click here for link).

Learning and Development

The County prioritizes your learning, personal and professional development, and career growth. Employees have access to over 1500 on-demand courses, instructor led courses, and job-specific trainings.

Employees can take courses to upskill to make themselves more competitive for promotional opportunities and further their career growth. Examples of courses include:

• Emotional Intelligence
• Supervisor/Manager academies
• Microsoft Suite courses
• Defensive Driving
• Financial management
• Retirement preparedness
• Teambuilding
• Written Communication
• Conflict Management
• Clifton StrengthsFinder and DISC
• Job specific conferences/trainings

Student Loan Forgiveness

Did you know that if you are employed by a government agency you may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program

County employees also have access to GotZoom, a program that offers tools and support to navigate your federal student loans.

Homebuyer assistance program

Employees have access to the "Assist-to-Own" program sponsored by Golden State Finance Authority (click here for link to more information) to get a loan for the down payment.

01

Please describe your experience treating individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. In your response, please include your experience assessing and diagnosing substance use disorders, prescribing medications for addiction treatment (including buprenorphine and medications for alcohol use disorder), managing co-occurring psychiatric conditions, and the clinical settings and populations in which you have practiced. Please attach a current CV or résumé detailing your relevant education, training, and clinical experience.

02

Do you posses proof of a valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse and registration as a Nurse Practitioner from the California Board of Registered Nursing?

• Yes
• No

03

Please select the option that best describes your qualifications.

• Completion of a psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner certification program.
• Master's Degree in psychiatric mental health nursing.
• Five (5) years of experience providing direct treatment to individuals with psychiatric or substance use disorders.
• None apply to me.

Required Question

Employer County of San Luis Obispo

Address 1055 Monterey Street

Suite D-250

San Luis Obispo, California, 93408

Phone 805-781-5959

Website http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/