LA County Correctional Health Services (CHS) is the nation’s largest county run correctional health system, caring for thousands of patients in custody every day with a focus on social justice medicine and compassionate whole person care. For physicians who want their daily work to matter, CHS offers a rare combination of clinical depth, mission, and county backed stability. Two physician openings are now live on the LADHS Physician Jobs board, a Psychiatrist – CHS role and a Primary Care Physician (FM/IM) – CHS role, both classified as Physician Specialist, Non-Megaflex.
What Correctional Health Services Does
CHS operates as a division of the LA County Department of Health Services and works with the Sheriff’s Department to deliver coordinated medical, behavioral health, and substance use care across the county jail system. Care is provided at facilities including Twin Towers Correctional Facility at 450 Bauchet Street in downtown Los Angeles, with multidisciplinary teams of physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatric technicians serving patients side by side. The patient population includes many individuals who have faced barriers to medical and mental health care, which makes CHS a meaningful point of intervention and continuity.
Psychiatrist – CHS (Physician Specialist, Non-Megaflex)
The CHS Psychiatrist role places you at the center of one of the country’s most concentrated populations of patients living with serious mental illness, working in a team based setting alongside primary care, custody partners, and community programs. Day to day work includes intake evaluations, treatment planning, medication management, and triage across CHS facilities, with strong administrative time built into the schedule. View the full posting and apply on the Psychiatrist – CHS job page.
Primary Care Physician (FM/IM) – CHS (Physician Specialist, Non-Megaflex)
The CHS Primary Care Physician role gives FM and IM physicians full scope clinical practice without the overhead of private practice or insurance billing. You will manage chronic conditions like diabetes and heart failure, treat communicable diseases, support patients with substance use disorders, and provide urgent care across jail facilities, often serving patients who have not seen a doctor in years. View the full posting and apply on the Primary Care Physician (FM/IM) – CHS job page.
What the Work Looks Like Day to Day
CHS physicians describe the work as challenging and deeply rewarding, with patients who are often very expressive of their gratitude and a team culture grounded in mission driven practice. You will spend your time on direct patient care, charting during work hours, teaching medical students and residents from rotating programs, and contributing to quality and population health initiatives across the system. The setting allows you to focus on care rather than productivity targets, and the continuity you provide helps reduce emergency department visits after patients are released into the community.
Compensation, Bonuses, and Benefits
CHS physician roles come with a competitive Physician Specialist base salary plus bonuses that can stack based on specialty and assignment. Highlights include:
- 5.5 percent monthly bonus for board certification in the assigned specialty
- 5.5 percent monthly bonus for Family Medicine or Internal Medicine General/Endocrinology continuously assigned to a County jail health facility
- 4 percent monthly bonus for Psychiatry assigned to Item #5476
- $100 per month bilingual bonus after passing the DHS bilingual exam
- 20 percent Recruitment and Retention Bonus offered for full time CHS Physician Specialist roles
- Medical and dental coverage, LA County retirement plan, vacation and holiday pay, flexible spending accounts, employer paid malpractice insurance, and substantial CME time
For the full structure, see the LADHS Pay and Bonus Incentives Plan.
Who Thrives in Correctional Medicine
Physicians who do their best work at CHS share a few traits in common. They are drawn to mission driven, whole person care for patients who have historically been underserved by the medical system. They communicate clearly across clinical and custody partners, value team based practice, and bring interest in addiction medicine, infectious disease, chronic disease management, trauma informed care, or serious mental illness. Many CHS physicians come from family medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, and psychiatry backgrounds, and many cite work life balance and county stability as reasons they stay long term.
Requirements at a Glance
CHS physician roles require completion of a residency approved by an American Specialty Board in the relevant specialty, along with a current and unrestricted California State Physician and Surgeon’s Certificate. Conditional, provisional, probationary, or restricted licenses are not accepted, so applicants should confirm their licensure status before applying. Senior level positions may also require a valid California Class C Driver License or an alternative transportation method to carry out essential job functions.
How to Apply
If you want a physician career grounded in purpose, county backed benefits, and team based practice, CHS is ready to meet you.
- Apply for the Psychiatrist – CHS role
- Apply for the Primary Care Physician (FM/IM) – CHS role
- Browse every open physician opportunity at LADHS
Your next chapter in social justice medicine starts at LA County Correctional Health Services.