Physician duties · PMHNP · California
Signing for a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in California: what the physician takes on
The agreement is mandatory for the clinician, which makes its duties mandatory for you. California does not name a specific instrument.
PMHNP is simply the psychiatric-mental-health population focus of the general NP credential — no separate statute or Board rule carves it out. Mirrors `np` exactly (same tiers/thresholds). County-level standardized-procedure documents (e.g., LA County DMH, SF DPH) exist but are LOCAL protocols, not statewide law — don't cite them as statutory authority.
Independent practice requires: Identical to `np` — PMHNP is not a distinct CA licensing category, just a national certification (e.g. ANCC PMHNP-BC) qualifying a nurse for NP licensure under the same §2836.1/§2837.103/§2837.104 framework.
What you take on as the physician
The rules the physician relationship has to follow. Each fact comes from the statute or board rule listed under sources.
Proximity
Tier 0 — standardized-procedures PMHNP: Available remotely (no on-site requirement)
Same as `np` — telephonic availability at time of exam, no distance standard.
103/104 PMHNP: No proximity requirement
Same as `np`.
Supervision ratio
Tier 0 — standardized-procedures PMHNP: Up to 4 at a time
Same 4-NP cap as `np` (§2836.1) — no PMHNP-specific ratio exists.
Chart review
Not codified — left to the agreement
Meeting cadence
Not codified — left to the agreement
Prescriptive authority
Covered by the practice agreement · controlled substances permitted
Whether California's LPS Act (Welf. & Inst. Code §5000 et seq.) grants or restricts PMHNP-specific authority over psychiatric holds/involuntary treatment was not researched — flagged as a likely gap if finer detail is ever needed.
Written agreement
Required
Identical branching to `np` — same three tiers, same thresholds.
Practice ownership (corporate practice of medicine)
Licensee-only ownership required — Same framework as `np` — no PMHNP-specific ownership rule found.
Legal sources for these rules (2)
- Same BPC §§2836.1, 2837.103, 2837.104 as general NP — no PMHNP-specific statute exists
- rn.ca.gov — BRN certification-review documentation referencing ANCC PMHNP-BC as one of several population-focus certifications evaluated for NP licensure
What physicians charge for this role
Typical monthly compensation in California
$500 – $600
Estimate for one Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Standard-tier state.
About California's rules
California's NPs reach genuine full independence (AB 890/SB 1451, ~6 years total) and CNMs need zero physician involvement for definitionally 'low-risk' pregnancy care — no hours threshold. NPs/PAs may also majority-own their own practice corporations (Corp. Code §13401.5), cutting against the assumption that CA's strict, actively-enforced CPOM regime (2026 AG settlements against Carbon Health, Aspen Dental) blocks all non-physician ownership. CRNA is order-based, not supervision-based. Esthetician laser use is a flat criminal misdemeanor — no delegation pathway exists.
Other clinicians in California: see the state overview.