Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Program Specialist (Adult Clinical Specialty)

Recruitment #15-0305-01

Introduction

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION.  The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Supplemental Questionnaire:  A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application.  Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Applications will only be accepted on-line. Postmarks are not accepted.  Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

DESCRIPTION

HEALTH CARE SERVICES AGENCY

 

Alameda County's Health Services Program is administered by the Health Care Services Agency and includes the following program areas: Behavioral Health Care, Public Health, Environmental Health, and Agency Administration/Indigent Health. The ultimate mission of the Health Care Services Agency is to provide fully integrated health care services through a comprehensive network of public and private partnerships that ensure optimal health and well-being and respect the diversity of all residents. Health Care Services Agency currently has multiple career opportunities for experienced licensed professionals to become part of a service delivery team dedicated to the optimal health and wellbeing of Alameda County residents.

 

 

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES

 

It is the mission of Behavioral Health Care Services to maximize the recovery, resilience and wellness of all eligible Alameda County residents who are developing or experiencing serious mental health, alcohol, or drug concerns. We envision communities where people realize their potential, and where stigma and discrimination against those with mental health, alcohol and/or drug issues are a thing of the past.

 

 

Only through exemplifying the following Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services values will we be successful:

ACBHCS

 

Access - where every door is the right door for welcoming people with complex needs;

Consumer and Family Empowerment - through shared decisionmaking best practices, that clinically produce effective outcomes;

Best Practices - business excellence that uses public resources costeffectively;

Health and Wellness - by integrating emotional, spiritual and physical health care;

Culturally Responsive - appropriate services built on the strengths and life experiences of culturally diverse consumers and their families;

Social Inclusion - utilizing advocacy and education to eliminate stigma, discrimination, isolation, and misunderstanding of persons with mental illness and substance abuse.

 

THE POSITION

Under direction, to provide program planning, technical assistance, review and evaluation functions to direct client service delivery programs where such services are provided by community-based organizations (CBO's), contract service providers and/or County staff in a wide variety of service areas; to act as County liaison with service providers and funding sources and ensure that program regulations and procedures are followed; and to do related work as required.


DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

This professional-level class provides technical programmatic services in a wide variety of client service areas; however, all positions are typically characterized by the following elements:

· The need for technical knowledge in the service delivery area to which assigned;
· The fact that client services are provided by CBO's, other contract providers and/or County staff; and
· The focus of responsibilities being related to program development and implementation, rather than to the provision of administrative or support to County departments.

This class is distinguished from Senior Program Specialist, which provides work direction or supervision to a support staff in addition to providing direct program review and evaluation. It is further distinguished from Program/Financial Specialist in that the latter has financial service responsibilities in addition to technical program responsibilities.

IDEAL CANDIDATE
In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated a track record of success in the following areas:  

  • Experience building partnerships and developing positive, collaborative rapport with various community-based organizations, contract service providers, county staff, clients and their families.
  • A superior command of both written and oral communication with a strong talent for report writing, as well as clear and effective presentations.
  • A competency for researching and gathering data from various stakeholders, using pertinent experience to analyze the data thereby formulating clear decision criteria that can be used to initiate action in regard to the level of care and services provided.
  • A proven track record of program administration and analysis, which will have included experience in contracts and grant management.
  • An acute understanding of technical knowledge relating to clinical issues, services and delivery.
  • A history identifying issues relating to resource allocation and clinical care, and using logic, judgment and data to evaluate alternatives, problem solve and achieve desired outcomes. 
  •  A background in planning and organizing high-level meetings with various participants and resources to discuss care plans for/with clients and their families.
  • A strategic approach to maintaining a follow-up process on assigned projects and tasks, as well as, with internal/external customers on services provided.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

The equivalent to graduation from an accredited four year college or university (180 quarter units or 120 semester units) with major coursework in business or public administration, a social science or a field related to the program area to which assigned.

(Additional experience as outlined below may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.)

AND

Experience:

The equivalent to three years of full-time professional-level or supervisory work in the direct delivery of services to clients or the oversight of such services in the program area to which assigned, one year of which must have included program planning and evaluation, or in program administration, contract negotiations, grants management and similar financial services.

Substitution:

(Possession of a Master’s degree in business, public administration, social science or a related field to the program area to which assigned from an accredited college or university, may be substituted for two years of the required experience.)

Licenses:

Specified positions may require possession of a valid California driver's license. Specified positions may also require licensure or certification in the programmatic area to which assigned.

Special Requirements:

Adult Clinical Specialty: Requires possession of a Master's degree in social, behavioral, or health sciences AND three years experience providing mental health and/or school and other drug services to adults in clinical setting.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the "Examples of Duties" section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

  • Principles, practices, funding sources and administrative requirements in the program area to which assigned. 
  • Principles and practices of program planning and evaluation.
  • Principles and practices of direct client service delivery.
  •  Practices and techniques of programmatic analysis and report preparation.
  • Applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.
  • Computer applications related to the work.
  • Office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard  office equipment.
  • Basic budgetary and financial record-keeping techniques.

Ability to:

  • Plan, monitor and evaluate program and service delivery effectiveness in the programmatic area to which assigned.
  • Identify programmatic and operational problems, investigate and evaluate alternatives and implement effective solutions.
  • Interpret, explain and apply complex regulations, policies and procedures.
  • Prepare clear, accurate and effective reports, correspondence, policies, informational brochures and other written materials.
  • Represent the department and the County in meetings with others and make effective presentations to diverse groups.
  • Organize and prioritize work and meet critical deadlines.
  • Maintain accurate records and files.
  • Exercise sound independent judgment within established policies and guidelines.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF the following steps:

1) A review of candidates' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.

2) A review of candidates’ Supplemental Questionnaires to select the best qualified applicants to continue in the process.

3) An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises. 

 CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION. 

We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Selection Plan

Applicants will be informed via e-mail with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

 

 

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN:

Deadline for Filing:

Review of Minimum Qualifications:

Review for Best Qualified:

Oral Exam:

Departmental Interview:

 

 

 

5:00 pm, Monday, March 30, 2015

Monday, April 6, 2015

    Monday, April 13, 2015

To be determined

To be determined

*WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN*

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes.  To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing.   Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

 

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

 

BENEFITS

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

  • Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
  • Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
  • Vision
  • Basic Life Insurance 
  • Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
  • County Allowance (Employer Credit)
  • Health Flexible Spending Account
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
  • Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
  • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

  • Short-term Disability Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance
  • Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
  • Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

  • 11 paid holidays
  • Vacation and sick leave accrual
  • Vacation purchase program
  • Management Paid Leave**
  • Group Auto/Home Insurance
  • Commuter Benefits Program
  • Group Legal
  • Guaranteed Ride Home
  • Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
  • Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
  • Child Care Resources
  • 1st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

 

Sylvia Perez,  Human Resources Analyst

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda

510-208-9593

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer