HEALTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST I

State of California; California; Hybrid; USD 74,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

California Correctional Health Care Services in Elk Grove, California, seeks a Health Program Specialist I to serve in the Risk Management Branch. The role performs as a technical consultant on correctional health care and mental health programs, including planning, data collection, and evaluation in support of the Receivership Transition Plan.

The position requires occasional statewide travel, hybrid work, and residence in California upon appointment. Final Filing Date: 11/10/2026.

Qualifications

• Experience in policy analysis and program evaluation.
• Ability to conduct research and analysis using available resources.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical program consultancy on correctional health care and mental health programs and projects.
• Coordinate pre- and post-delegation activities in accordance with the Receivership Transition Plan.
• Support court monitoring activities and respond to Public Records Act requests as needed.
• Liaise with institutional staff and litigation coordinators to ensure compliance and effective information gathering.

Skills

Communication skills

Analytical ability

Organizational skills

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Visio

Job description

California Correctional Health Care Services

JC-536034 - 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: 11/10/2026

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 R01 and related excluded, exempt and statutory exempt employees to have their base salary reduced by three percent and to receive five PLP 2025 leave credits monthly through June 2027. Salaries do not reflect the recent changes. Under the general direction of the Supervisor I, Health Care Compliance Support Section/Mental Health Compliance Support Section, Risk Management Branch (RMB), Policy and Risk Management Services, the Health Program Specialist I performs as a highly skilled, technical program consultant in a variety of tasks relating to plaintiff counsel and prison oversight agency monitoring and evaluation of correctional health care and mental health programs and projects, as well as pre- and post-delegation activities in accordance with the Receivership Transition Plan. Position may require limited statewide travel to headquarters offices, regional offices, and 31 institutions.

This position is located in the Risk Management Branch, Policy and Risk Management Services. The Risk Management Branch oversees the development of health care policies and regulations, assists with court monitoring activities related to the Plata class action lawsuit, acts as a liaison for institutional court-related tours and inspections, and coordinates data collection and responses to Public Records Act requests. This vital team also provides health care-related litigation support and coordination for the CCHCS Office of Legal Affairs and each institutional Litigation Coordinator.

This advertisement is for a Health Program Specialist I position(s) located at Headquarters in Elk Grove, Sacramento County. Please indicate the position number on your application: 042-006-8338-938.

Please ensure you have a valid email address on your application.

Working Conditions

About the location – Headquarters, Elk Grove. Located less than 30 minutes from Sacramento and Lodi, the progressive city of Elk Grove offers a great mix of newly developed housing, business projects, and recreational opportunities. You will enjoy working at our campus-style office complex with free parking, and perhaps even call Elk Grove home.

The position(s) is eligible for hybrid telework, in accordance with the Statewide Telework Policy and will be required to report to the office as needed/required. The successful candidate must reside in California upon appointment.

Minimum Requirements

HEALTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST I

# of Positions: 1

Work Location: Headquarters in Elk Grove, Sacramento County

Telework: Hybrid

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time

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.

Special Requirements

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 that 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.

Candidates new to CCHCS are required to submit to a background investigation process utilizing Live Scan Fingerprinting.

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.

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 11/10/2026

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Knowledge of: Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook and Visio.
• Demonstrated ability to: Act independently, with open-mindedness, flexibility, and tact; multi-task and meet multiple deadlines in a timely manner; conduct research and analysis using available resources; work with staff at all levels in the organization; and organize and prioritize workload to meet demands.
• Interpersonal Characteristics: Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills; strong analytical, decision-making, and customer service skills; energetic, creative, positive, self-motivated, conscientious, dependable, and reliable.

This webpage is intended to provide general information. Benefit eligibility may be based on job classification, bargaining unit, time base and length of appointment.

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the application process. The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position.

Human Resources Contact: When sending an email, include: job control JC-536034 and position 042-006-8338-938. (000) - [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.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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.

Examination Information

To obtain list eligibility for the Health Program Specialist I before applying for the position(s), you must first take and pass the Health Program Specialist I examination.

State Application Checklist

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED WITHOUT A STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS (SOQ) WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. NOTE: To be considered, applications must include an appropriate SOQ following the instructions below. Resumes, cover letters, and other materials will not be accepted in place of the required SOQ.

• Applicant must answer the questions listed below in numerical order.
• SOQ shall not exceed two (2) pages in length, single-spaced, 11-point Arial font, and be in justified paragraph format.
• The document shall be titled "Statement of Qualifications- (Your Full Name)."
• When completing the SOQ, please include all relevant experience, education, and training for the statement below.

In narrative format; answer the following three questions:

1. Describe a time when you were given an assignment or encountered a problem where the process, expectations, or path forward were not clearly defined. How did you determine what needed to be done, what resources or information did you use, and what was the outcome?

2. Describe a time when you identified that an existing process was inefficient, unclear, or no longer meeting the needs of the program. How did you evaluate the problem, develop or recommend an improved approach, and implement or communicate the change? What was the result?

3. Describe a complex assignment in which you had to gather information from multiple sources or stakeholders, evaluate information that may have been incomplete or conflicting, and determine an appropriate course of action or recommendation. How did you decide what information was relevant, resolve unanswered questions, and communicate your conclusion?

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-free workplace. 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.