California Mental Health Equity Project Director

Overview

This position is remote, but candidates located in California or with extensive experience working within California are strongly encouraged to apply. 

General Description: The Project Director position will oversee the California Mental Health Equity Project
(CMHEP) TA Center. The goal of the CMHEP TA Center is to reduce health disparities and expand Californians’
access to culturally and linguistically responsive behavioral health services. The initiative focuses on
developing policies, practices, and guidance to counties and communities in developing, implementing, and
evaluating Cultural Competence Plans. More broadly the initiative provides training and technical assistance
to county behavioral health departments to increase their expertise in cultural humility, health equity,
stakeholder engagement, language access, and trauma-informed care and to assist them in the development
of population-specific and community-driven approaches to reducing disparities. Priority activities include a
community-driven process to identify recommended revisions to county cultural competence plan guidelines
in alignment with national CLAS standards and the development and roll-out of a corresponding performance
evaluation framework. This position will direct research and policy activities, as well as provide consultation
and trainings support to county and community-based organizations. This individual will serve as direct point
of contact with the funder and work in collaboration with an internal staffing team, research partners,
stakeholders, and the field
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
 Provide guidance and direction to project priorities, including emergent needs
 Ensure contract deliverables and scope of work are achieved within schedule and resources
 Serve as point of contact with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)
 Provide leadership and supervision to internal team members and partner agencies
 Present and represent project in various meetings
 Recruit and engage a variety of subject matter experts to inform and conduct project activities
 Establish and maintain trusting and responsive relationships with DHCS California Department of Public Health-Office of Health Equity, County Behavioral Health Department Ethnic Services Managers, community-based organizations, and CMHEP Steering Committee Members.
 Lead development and roll-out of statewide Cultural Competence Plan Guidance and corresponding Performance Evaluation Framework.
 Lead development of an array of technical assistance and training services to support Ethnic Services Managers, county behavioral health providers, and community-based organizations in developing, implementing, and evaluating their CCP efforts and more broadly build capacity related to behavioral health disparities and health equity work.
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities)
 Deep knowledge of California behavioral health landscape
 Knowledge of County Cultural Competence Plans and roles and responsibilities of County Behavioral Health Department Ethnic Services Managers.
 Subject Matter Expertise with National CLAS Standards as well as key concepts of cultural humility, anti-racism, trauma-informed care, intersectionality, health equity
 Familiarity with state contracting process and procedure, including oversight of deliverable submission and monitoring progress toward completion of contract tasks and activities
 Experience with behavioral health policy development and performance measurement
 Experience designing, facilitating, and evaluating training and consultation services
 Working with and leading diverse teams of behavioral health providers, researchers, and community members
 Familiarity with the California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP), California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), California Behavioral Health Directors Association (CBHDA), and the California Pan Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN).
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
 Relevant advanced degree or postgraduate training or equivalent experience required.
 Minimum 7 years’ experience in the behavioral health field with a focus on culturally responsive, trauma-informed behavioral health services.
 Ability to conduct future travel to deliver TTA services as appropriate within pandemic context.

Salary Range: $135,000 – $160,000 annually