Title
Human Resources Department recommending the Board approve the following:
1) Revised department-specific class specification for the Health and Human Services Agency: Director of Behavioral Health (Title change from: Director of Mental Health); and
2) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 122-2020 to approve the abovementioned title change:
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Human Resources Department, with concurrence from the Health and Human Services Agency, is recommending that the Board approve the revised department-specific class specification for Director of Behavioral Health (Title change from: Director of Mental Health).
With regard to the proposed title change - in California, two Medicaid Waivers allow for Specialty Mental Health Services (Section 1915(b) Waiver) and Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery (Section 1115 Waiver) to be carved out to counties. While counties have been under contract with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to provide the Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) for decades, DHCS offered counties the opportunity to provide substance use treatment services as a Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery (DMC ODS) county beginning in 2015. The Section 1115 Waiver is a pilot project that allows broader access to and additional types of treatment services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries presenting with a substance use disorder. This expansion of services also aligns substance use treatment closer with the services that are available to a Medi-Cal beneficiaries under SMHS.
In recent years, the healthcare industry has recognized that physical health care, mental health care, and substance use treatment serve individuals that receive care in two, if not all three, sectors at the same time. All three sectors have recognized the need to collaborate with each other and to coordinate care in order to increase improved outcomes. This is certainly true for county mental health and substance use treatment. The County of El Dorado (County) has organized the Health and Human Services Agency structure in such a way that both the SMHS and substance use treatment services are under the direction of a Director of Mental Health. In addition, the County entered into a contract with DHCS to provide DMC ODS in June 2019.
Almost all counties in California now have a Behavioral Health Department or Division that includes SMHS and substance use treatment services (not all counties provide the specialized DMC ODS).
Therefore, the title “Director of Behavioral Health” fully reflects the programs that this position oversees and the importance of the close collaboration among provided services.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to adopt the revised class specification and the respective title change and direct Human Resources to make revisions.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Health and Human Services Agency
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The approval and adoption of the revised class specification and title change will not result in any financial impact, as there are no corresponding changes to the compensation structure.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Upon Board adoption and approval, please provide the fully executed Resolution to Katie Lee in Human Resources.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Tameka Usher, Director of Human Resources