WHAT WE OFFER 
The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package. In addition to the salary of approximately $100,736 to $147,969 annually an employee within this position will also be eligible for the following: 

• General Salary Increase - 3.5% increase effective December 22, 2024.
• New Hire Incentive - New hires may be eligible for a one-time New Hire Incentive up to 10% of the current annual base wage. (Subject to the Management Resolution, Secs. 625).
• Educational Incentive - An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate's degree, 3.5% for completion of a bachelor's degree, OR 5% for completion of a graduate's degree.
• Bilingual Incentive - Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational needs and certification skills.
• Annual Leave - 208 hours per year, increasing to 288 hours after 5 years of service.
• Annual Leave Redemption - The ability to "cash in" or redeem up to 100 hours of Annual Leave per year after using 80 hours in the preceding twelve months.
• Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions. Following five (5) years of continuous County service, an additional 2% non-elective contribution will be made to the 401(k) plan. 
• Health Plans - Full time employees are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans: Tier one for employee only is $502 per biweekly pay period, tier two for employee plus one is $730 per biweekly pay period and tier three for employee plus family is $905 per biweekly pay period.
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Choice of participation in the Flexible Spending Accounts which increase spending power through reimbursement of pre-tax dollars for IRS approved dependent care and health care expenses.
• Pension Plan - Both the County and employees contribute to the County's Retirement Plan and to Social Security. If eligible, reciprocity may be established with other public retirement systems, such as PERS.
• Holidays - 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.

VENTURA COUNTY
Ventura County is located on California’s “Gold Coast,” approximately 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 20 miles southeast of Santa Barbara. Residents enjoy rolling hills and sweeping ocean views in a nearly perfect Mediterranean climate. The beauty and weather combined with a wonderful quality of life are among the many reasons our residents choose to call Ventura County “home.
 
Ventura County is a “general law” county, governed by a five-member, elected-by-district Board of Supervisors. The Supervisors appoint a County Executive Officer (CEO) to oversee the County budget, day-to-day operations, and to advise, assist, and act as an agent for the Board of Supervisors in all matters under the Board’s jurisdiction. It focuses on providing excellent services to its residents by promoting engagement, strategy, execution and accountability to include diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to ensure that all employees are treated with respect and without discrimination, and to improve culturally appropriate outcomes for community members.
 
THE AGENCY
The Health Care Agency oversees a wide variety of divisions, doing extraordinary things, and where employees continually strive for excellence and innovation.
 
Ultimately the agency's goal is to be the health system of choice for the community and physicians in Ventura County. Commitment to valuing the diversity of all persons and to being respectful and inclusive of everyone is facilitated by engaging and educating the community, to improve the overall health of everyone in our county.
 
THE DEPARTMENT
The Ventura County Behavioral Health Department (VCBH) provides mental health and substance use treatment services. VCBH plays an important role as an integrated component of the Ventura County Health Care Agency available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week providing support for individuals and families who are in crisis; people considering suicide; or those struggling with mental illness, substance use, or both.
 
THE POSITION
Under general direction of the Senior Manager of Quality, the Behavioral Health Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for operations of various areas of focus to ensure the efficacy of the overall program services, attaining the utmost standards in customer satisfaction, and maintaining all State required quality and legal mandates. 
 
The Quality Assurance (QA) unit ensures accurate and appropriate clinical documentation, implements regulatory changes from both the state and federal governing entities, and resolves, tracks, and monitors grievances, appeals and Notices of Actions. This position continually collaborates with Utilization Review staff regarding chart/documentation reviews and to support providers with clinical best practices.
 
This individual will assist with all QA activities including audits, implementation of ongoing Federal and State laws and regulations, peer reviews, process improvement projects, and documentation training. Additionally, this position will participate in site certification and provider credentialing.

APPROXIMATE SALARIES ANNUAL SALARIES
Behavioral Health Manager I: $100,736.96 to $141,031.76
Behavioral Health Manager II: $105,682.23 to $147,969.63
 
NOTE: If appointed at the lower level, incumbent may be promoted to the higher level without further examination upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with the business needs of the department.
 
Behavioral Health Manager I/II are management classifications and are not eligible for overtime compensation.
 
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
OPENING DATE: April 29, 2024
CLOSING DATE: Continuous
First review of applicants anticipated to begin on May 7, 2024Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Assists in the development of new client care projects and/or programs to implement process improvements and update clinical processes regarding changes in state and federal regulations with a target audience of providers;
• Directs operations of various areas of focus to ensure the efficacy of overall program services attaining the highest standards in customer satisfaction;
• Collaborates with Utilization Review (UR) staff to project trends, identify common mistakes, and re-enforce training needs to maintain all state and federal required quality and legal mandates;
• Initiates, negotiates, and implements interagency agreements;
• Selects, trains, supervises and conducts performance management for quality assurance and utilization review staff;
• Supervises collection and input of all client and cost data necessary to evaluate client outcomes and cost benefits;
• Ensures accurate and appropriate clinical documentation in ongoing collaboration with UR staff on chart/documentation reviews and to support providers with clinical best practices;
• Monitors all Quality Assurance policies and procedures; creates best practices in compliance with state and federal regulations;
• Prepares written monthly management information report reflecting team’s performance on client outcome goals, productivity, expenditures, and revenues;
• Resolves, tracks, and monitors grievances, appeals and Notices of Actions;
• Participates in site certification and provider credentialing ensuring compliance;
• Performs other related duties as required.

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
 
EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE
Some (I) to considerable (II) supervision, program operation or management experience, or technical related experience which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. 
 
The required knowledge, skills, and abilities may also be obtained by:
Any combination of education, training, and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in mental health, public administration, business administration, or related field; 
AND two (2) years at the I level to four (4) years at the II level of supervision or management experience in a behavioral health care environment or department.
 
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Must possess and maintain a valid California driver license
Intermediate skill with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Outlook
Beginning skill with Adobe Acrobat for form development
Experience with

• Grievances, appeals, and Notices of Actions
• Behavioral health clinical policies and procedures
• Utilization review practices and regulations
• Staff supervision and personnel practices including performance management

 
NOTE: The ability to communicate effectively in writing must be demonstrated in the completion of the employment application and supplemental questionnaire.
 
DESIRED
Any of the following:

• Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC)
• Licensed Marriage Family Therapist (LMFT)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
• Psychologist, Registered with the Board of Behavioral Science/Board of Psychology.

 
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Thorough knowledge of: mental health and substance abuse assessment, treatment, and case management practices; grievances, appeals and notices of actions; behavioral health clinical policies and procedures; utilization review practices and regulations; administrative, management support functions such as contracts, budgeting, cost control, and revenue generation practices; staff supervision and personnel practices including performance management; evidence-based models of treatment utilized to enhance outcomes for the mentally ill; initiating, negotiating, and implementing interagency agreements; legal and financial issues related to the mentally ill and drug and alcohol addicted clients; project management related to process improvement, updating clinical processes and implementing new regulations; requirements for site certification and provider credentialing.
 
Ability to: utilize personal computing hardware and software; gather data and prepare reports; maintain medical record standards; provide active and positive leadership; develop clinical training programs; work within budget constraints; respond effectively to crises; effectively handle persons who are angry, demanding, emotionally upset and/or resistant to treatment; evaluate safety and risk factors for staff and clients; maintain collaborative working relationships with staff, community members, and other governmental agencies; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.FINAL FILING DATE
This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.
 
To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

Note to Applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.
 
NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here for additional information.
 
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE – qualifying
All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this exam at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the exam process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.
 
APPLICATION EVALUATION – qualifying
All applications will be reviewed to determine whether the stated requirements are met. Applicants meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the recruitment process.
 
TRAINING and EXPERIENCE EVALUATION
The Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.
 
NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence.

ORAL EXAMINATION - 100% 
A job-related oral examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating examinees' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Examinees must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.
 
NOTE: If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an examination may not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.
 
ELIGIBLE LIST
Applicants successfully completing the exam process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of six (6) months.
 
The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill present and future Regular (Temporary or Fixed-term), Intermittent, or Extra Help vacancies for this position only. There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy within the Health Care Agency Behavioral Health Department.
 
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION
The selected candidate may be subjected to a thorough post-offer, pre-employment background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record.
 
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura 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. 
 
For further information about this recruitment, please contact Katie Reynolds by e-mail at katie.reynolds@ventura.org or by telephone at (805) 654-2629.