Community Health Program Specialist

Santa Rosa, CA, United States

Position Information

Join the Department of Health Services (DHS) in developing effective oral health programs to improve overall well-being and avoid dental problems. Be an advocate for positive change in oral health, apply today!

Starting salary up to $48.15/hour ($100,494/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

About the Position

Community Health Program Specialists are responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing health programs that improve community health. They are responsible for conducting needs analyses, creating interventions, liaising with community stakeholders, and assessing the success of programs. They strive to improve community health, address public health issues, and advance health education. They are essential to building a resilient and healthy community.

In this role, you will collaborate closely with schools, clinics, and families to promote dental health education and preventive care practices in the community by implementing grant activities aimed at increasing awareness and use of the Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment, as well as supporting local programs that provide services to help low-income Medi-Cal clients to improve their oral health and engage in prevention.

This position collaborates closely with the Oral Health team and supervisor to confirm the direction of new initiatives and make important choices on program implementation, data gathering and analysis, and creating public-facing outreach and education materials. This position will occasionally require evening and weekend work.

The ideal candidate will possess:

Experience promoting oral health initiatives

Understanding of socioeconomic determinants of health and equity principles

Excellent organizational abilities and the capacity to document work in a comprehensive and efficient manner

Knowledge of local educational systems and how health-related referrals are made to safety net healthcare providers

Proven ability to gather and analyze data, create reports, and deliver information to various audiences

Demonstrated ability to effectively represent the County, build trust, and deliver excellent customer service

The Department of Health Services (DHS)

DHS is one of the County's largest and most complex departments. DHS consists of the Administration, Behavioral Health, Public Health, and Homelessness Services Divisions and is driven by its mission to promote, protect, and ensure access to services that support the health, recovery, and well-being of all in Sonoma County. These ideas are the basis for how DHS operates and delivers services:

Excellence - Strive to create a culture of learning, innovation, and data-driven practices to guide internal operations, improve performance, and build staff expertise

Collaboration - Engage and work collaboratively with partners, communities, and staff to maximize its impact across the County

Equity - Work to reduce disparities and ensure fairness, compassion, and social justice

For more information regarding the department, its programs, services, and partnerships, visit the DHS website.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment

Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range

Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year

County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options

Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $850 and ongoing education/training opportunities

Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits

Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security

Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment

Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Engineers and Scientists of California (ESC MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Community Health Program Specialist position in the Department of Health Services. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service Title for this position is Health Information Specialist II.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Any combination of experience that would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, two years of experience equivalent to the level of Health Information Specialist I with Sonoma County would fulfill this requirement.

Or

Two years of on-the-job work experience in prevention, health promotion and/or health education. Work experience in a public health education environment involving training and instructing various age groups and special target populations is highly desirable.

Education: Possession of a Bachelor's degree with major coursework in health education, community health, social services or closely related field. On-the-job experience in prevention, health promotion and/or health education experience, especially dealing with diverse populations, together with academic coursework in health education, community health, social services or a closely related field may be substituted for a Bachelor's degree on a year-for-year basis. Graduate level coursework is desirable in health education, community health, social services or a closely related field. Possession of a Master's degree is desirable.

Special Qualifications: Some positions may require the ability to fluently speak and write a language other than English.

Working Conditions: Duties may require exposure to hostile, emotionally disturbed or mentally ill persons and/or confrontational interpersonal situations; exposure to communicable diseases; stand for long periods of time; stoop, lift articles in accordance with accepted safety standards; perform physical tasks as required; may work in high risk areas of the community; may be required to work a flexible schedule.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: health education principles, practices and methods including those dealing with substance abuse, health promotion, health maintenance and disease prevention; principles, methods and techniques of community organization, group work, program planning; techniques for outreach to and collaboration with diverse groups and communities; public, non-profit, and private community resources and service agencies; State laws and regulations appropriate to a specialized area; methods, principles and techniques of instruction, training and teaching in structured and unstructured situations; research, survey, data compilation and evaluation methods and procedures; techniques in preparing written materials and other education aids; and facilitation and presentation skills.

Knowledge of: principles, methods and techniques of community organization, group work, program planning, program evaluation, grant writing, budget preparation and contract management; health education resources and materials; automated systems and programs utilized in the development and dissemination of documents and graphic materials; and State laws and regulations appropriate to a specialized area.

Ability to: Plan and implement health information and health promotion programs and services; apply statistical and survey methods to identify future program and community needs and evaluate programs and services; write and speak effectively and prepare and maintain clear and concise records and program reports; prepare public information materials and reports; make presentations to community and professional groups; exercise independent judgment, analyze and evaluate situations independently and take appropriate actions; plan, organize, conduct and oversee a variety of instruction and training activities; build coalitions of diverse organizations and individuals to facilitate the delivery of health education services; develop and maintain effective relations with clients, staff, community groups and organizations; work effectively with diverse groups; conduct research to identify sources of grant and other funds and assist in the preparation of proposals necessary for their acquisition; utilize mass media communication resources such as newspapers, radio, television and graphic arts; and utilize a variety of automated systems and programs to develop documents and graphic materials for use in program activities.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.

You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.

You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.

Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: BH

HR Technician: RR

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