How Locum Tenens Psychiatrists Can Help the Growing Pediatric Mental Health Crisis

The mental health crisis facing kids and adolescents has been growing year over year. The 2018-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health found that over 22% of children ages 3-17 years lived with one or more mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, heightening the growing mental health crisis facing kids. The Kaizer Family Foundation research shows that 31% of parents believe the pandemic harmed their children's mental or emotional health. To further complicate this growing problem, the restrictions caused by the pandemic have made it more difficult for parents to access psychiatric care for their children.

While demand for mental health services increases, so do opportunities in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. One of the ways that hospitals, clinics, and other facilities are working to address the growing pediatric mental health crisis is by bringing in locum tenens practitioners. Locum tenens Physicians work jobs temporarily to fill gaps of experienced consultants. On a locum assignment, you may work in a position while the practice is searching for a Physician to fill a permanent position or while the permanent Physician is on leave.

Keep reading to understand how you can best tackle the growing pediatric mental health crisis as a locum tenens Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.

Top Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist industry trends

One of the overarching trends in child developmental Psychiatry is the lack of available Practitioners. The heightened demand for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry providers due to the COVID-19 pandemic is shining a light on the gap between the need for psychiatric help and the available providers to meet those needs.

There are no signs that the increased need for Practitioners in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is going to wane any time soon. As a Child Psychiatrist, your expertise places you in high demand. There are Child and Adolescent Psychiatry locum jobs available in just about every area. You can pick and choose where and how you want to work through a job alert. This gives you more flexibility in your life, increases your earning potential, and allows you to continue having a significant and positive impact on children who need psychiatric care.

Top places to look for locum tenens psychiatry jobs

If the idea of working as a locum tenens Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist appeals to you, there are a number of resources out there to help you find your next job as a locum tenens Psychiatrist, such as:

• mentorship programs
• job fairs
• online job boards
• healthcare websites
• professional associations
• at a locum tenens provider

As you explore the resources for locum tenens work, it is important to understand that all of the available resources are not created equal.

Types of opportunities for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists

A locum tenens career offers a wide range of opportunities for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists. There are locum tenens opportunities in every state in the US. This means that you can explore opportunities near and far to find the position that best fits your needs and even try out a position for a few weeks before you evaluate if it is the right job for you. Locum tenens provides options for you to work in different settings and positions such as:

• inpatient hospital Psychiatry jobs
• telemed Psychiatrist
• school Psychiatry jobs
• private practice
• outpatient Psychiatrist in a clinic and private settings
• community and public health Psychiatry jobs

Benefits of working locum tenens jobs

Working locum tenens Child and Adolescent Psychiatry jobs can supplement your income and potentially provide you with higher pay than some full-time permanent positions. Many hospitals, clinics, and other different settings offer premium compensation to fill locum tenens roles and to quickly attract top talent to temporary positions.

Locum tenens Psychiatrist jobs are also common in rural and underserved areas where it is difficult to find full-time Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists. Locum tenens work is a great way to gain experience when you are starting out in your career in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry or as an option to have more flexibility in your life.

When it comes to opportunities for Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, the locum tenens model puts you in the driver’s seat of your career. If flexibility is the most important thing to you right now, the locum tenens model allows you to create a schedule that suits your lifestyle. If gaining experience and new skills are your top priority, locum tenens psychiatry jobs can provide you with unique opportunities in different locations across the country. If earning potential is your primary focus as you explore options, there are locum tenens positions that provide higher pay rates than permanent positions. The locum tenens model allows you to explore what is out there and have more control over your career trajectory.

Another benefit is malpractice insurance. Locum tenens coverage provides a malpractice policy that covers the Physician for damages suffered by a patient resulting from their professional healthcare services.

Find your ideal job with a locum tenens agency

Kids are facing a growing mental health crisis as they try to navigate all of the changes and unknowns during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. As a locum tenens Psychiatrist, you have a unique opportunity to help the ever-increasing number of children who are dealing with mental, emotional, and behavioral problems.

A big part of finding the best locum tenens psychiatry jobs is working with an agency that has good relationships with the hospitals and practices looking to hire a locum tenens Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. A great place to start your search for locum tenens Psychiatry jobs is with the Health Carousel Locums Tenens. Health Carousel Locums Tenens is a multi-brand network of locum tenens agencies that specialize in connecting locum tenens Physicians with the places that are looking for them. In addition to finding the best locum Tenens Psychiatrists' jobs available throughout the country, the Health Carousel Locums Tenens experts can help you navigate the credentialing, verification, and onboarding processes.

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