HEALTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST I

State of California; California (MO); On-site; USD 74,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

Health Program Specialist I – Valley State Prison (VSP) in Chowchilla, CA, is a full-time, 12 Month Limited-Term position with California Correctional Health Care Services. The role provides expertise in policy development, MHSDS data applications, and performance improvement activities to ensure compliance with laws and court orders.

New-to-State hires start at the minimum salary; PLP 2025 leaves credits apply monthly through 2027.

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications: Health Program Specialist I.
• Must meet MQ verification prior to interview/appointment.
• Foreign education credential evaluation if education completed outside the US.

Responsibilities

• Lead policy development and MHSDS-related data applications.
• Oversee performance improvement activities and ensure compliance with laws and court orders.
• Provide leadership in establishing a health care performance management system within the institution.

Job description

Health Program Specialist I - Valley State Prison (VSP) in Chowchilla

California Correctional Health Care Services

JC-533952 - Health Program Specialist I - Valley State Prison (VSP) in Chowchilla

HEALTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST I

$6,623.00 - $8,290.00 per Month

New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 10/14/2026

Job Description and Duties

Effective July 1, 2025, in accordance with the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) was implemented in response to the status of the State budget. PLP 2025 requires each full-time employee in Bargaining Unit 1, and related Excluded, Exempt and Statutory Exempt employees, will have their base salary reduced by 3 percent and will receive 5 PLP 2025 leave credits monthly through June 2027. Salaries do not reflect the recent changes. Part-time employees are subject to the same conditions as full-time employees, on a prorated basis equivalent to their time-base. Permanent intermittent employees are subject to the same condition as full-time employees, based on the number of hours worked in the pay period.

Under the direction of the Health Program Manager III, the HPS I acts as a highly skilled technical and subject matter expert in discrete areas of the Mental Health Services Delivery System (MHSDS), such as policy and procedure development, MHSDS-related data applications, performance trends, and local activities to ensure departmental compliance with all court orders, laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures governing the Mental Health Program. In addition, the HPS I serves a leadership role within a unit of staff tasked with establishment of a well-functioning health care performance management system at an institution, including a network of quality improvement committees that oversee improvement activities, a performance measurement and evaluation system, an annual improvement plan that incorporates the highest-priority improvement initiatives, and application of quality improvement tools and techniques to achieve performance objectives.

Please note: Individuals who are eligible for a Training and Development assignment may also be considered for this position(s).

Limited Term 12 months; may be extended up to 24 months or become permanent.

Minimum Requirements

• HEALTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST I

Health Program Specialist I - Valley State Prison (VSP) in Chowchilla

Classification:

HEALTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST I $6,623.00 - $8,290.00 New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

# of Positions:

1

Work Location:

In Office

Job Type:

12 Month Limited Term - Full Time

Facility:

Valley State Prison

Department Information

Vision

We enhance public safety and promote successful community reintegration through education, treatment and active participation in rehabilitative and restorative justice programs.

Mission

To facilitate the successful reintegration of the individuals in our care back to their communities equipped with the tools to be drug-free, healthy, and employable members of society by providing education, treatment, rehabilitative, and restorative justice programs, all in a safe and humane environment.

CDCR and CCHCS are committed to transforming the correctional landscape to create safer, more professional, and more fulfilling environments for our employees, the incarcerated population, and those supervised in our communities. Through systemwide improvements grounded in proven and emerging practices, we aim to strengthen rehabilitation, enhance workplace satisfaction, and support successful reentry into the community through our institutions, parole, and community partnerships. Our shared mission is to promote safety, wellness, and human dignity while fostering positive change for all those who live and work within our institutions and communities

CDCR and CCHCS are committed to building an inclusive respectful workplace. We are determined to attract and hire candidates from all communities and empower employees from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and personal experiences. We are proud to foster inclusion and drive collaborative efforts at all levels of the Department.

Across our organization, our programs work cooperatively to provide the highest level of health care possible to a diverse correctional population. We encourage creativity and ingenuity while treating others fairly, honestly, and with respect, all of which are critical to the success of the CDCR and CCHCS mission.

This advertisement is for a Health Program Specialist I position located at Valley State Prison (VSP) in Chowchilla, CA , located in Madera County. Please indicatethe position number on your application: 919-220-8338-004.

Note:

Main communication for this position will be through email. Please ensure to have a valid email address on your application.

Please do not include any confidential information on any documents you submit for a job vacancy, such as your State application, resume, or educational transcripts. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your Social Security Number (SSN), birthdate, student identification number, driver’s license number (unless required), basis of eligibility, examination results, LEAP status, marital status, and age. Confidential information on the first page of applications submitted electronically online, such as Easy ID number, SSN, examination related information, and driver’s license number will automatically be redacted upon submission.

Possession of Minimum Qualifications (MQ) will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment. If you are meeting MQ’s with education, you must include your unofficial transcripts/diploma for verification. Official transcripts may be required upon appointment. If it is determined an applicant does not meet the MQ’s, the candidate will be withheld from the eligibility list, rendering them inactive and ineligible to be hired for the position. Candidates who have been withheld may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board.

Applicants who completed their education outside of the US (with foreign degrees/transcripts) must obtain and submit verification of U.S. course/degree equivalency. Foreign education credential evaluation services can be found at NACES | National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

Candidates new to CCHCS are required to submit to a background investigation process utilizing Live Scan Fingerprinting, and Tuberculosis (TB) testing prior to appointment followed by department annual TB testing/evaluation thereafter.

When submitting supporting documents, PDF file format is preferred.

CCHCS utilizes E-Verify to confirm candidate’s identity and employment authorization. For more information about E-Verify, you may go to www.e-verify.gov.

This advertisement may be used for other vacancies that occur during the life of this recruitment.

Employment History on the STD 678 must be complete and include dates, accurate hours per week, total time worked, duties and responsibilities, and contact names and phone numbers of supervisors. To prepare for the State Application process, please visit Work4CA: State Application Checklist

Contact Information

Department Website: https://cchcs.ca.gov/careers

Human Resources Contact:
Dana Foster
[phone]
[e-mail]

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s)to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
CCHCS EEO Office
(000)
[e-mail]

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Examination Info

To obtain list eligibility for the HEALTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST I classification, before applying for the position(s), you should first take and pass the examination here CalCareers.

Additional Info

PRIORITY CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO RE-EMPLOYMENT, DEPARTMENTAL RESTRICTION OF APPOINTMENT, STATE RESTRICTION OF APPOINTMENT, AND SURPLUS CANDIDATES.

All methods of appointment may be considered.

CCHCS accepts electronic applications. If interested, please submit an electronic application (STD 678) through your CalCareer account at www.calcareers.ca.gov/ . Your application must be submitted on or before the above Final Filing Date.

Paper App (If unable to submit an electronic application): To apply for this position, you may submit a Standard State Application (STD 678) along with copies of your most recent performance report, college transcripts/college diploma (if applicable) and license/certification (if applicable) to the contact person listed above.

Resumes will be accepted in addition to the required STD. 678.

This advertisement may be used for other vacancies that occur during the life of this recruitment.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-freework place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.