Behavioral Health Emergency Planning Specialist

San Bernardino County•San Bernardino, CA

18h•Hybrid

About The Position

The San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health is seeking qualified professionals for the position of Behavioral Health Emergency Planning Specialist. This role functions as a community planning/liaison specialist responsible for developing and maintaining emergency response plans for emergency behavioral health care services. The specialist will prepare partners for various emergencies including pandemic events, bio-terrorism attacks, hazardous materials incidents, and natural disasters. Key responsibilities include organizing and delivering training, developing and coordinating emergency response plans, assessing resource needs, collaborating with various agencies, organizing and participating in drills, preparing reports, and serving as a Department Operations Center (DOC) Coordinator during emergency activations. The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) provides mental health and substance use disorder services to county residents of all age groups, with a focus on children/youth, adults with serious mental illness, and individuals with substance use disorders. DBH values service, integrity, accountability, and trust. The department has a workforce of over 1500 positions and an annual budget of approximately $800 million.

Requirements

OPTION 1: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Health Science, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Behavioral Health, Psychology, Occupational Health and Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Emergency Management, Epidemiology, Public Administration, Healthcare Administration, Sociology, Business Administration, Communications, or closely related field of study.
OPTION 1: One (1) year of full-time equivalent experience in a health care, public health, health education, or emergency services program, including program planning, development, implementation, and/or evaluation.
OPTION 2: Thirty (30) semester (45 quarter) units of completed college coursework in Health Science, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Behavioral Health, Psychology, Occupational Health and Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Emergency Management, Epidemiology, Public Administration, Healthcare Administration, Sociology, Business Administration, Communications, or closely related field of study.
OPTION 2: Three (3) years of full-time equivalent experience in a health care, public health, health education, or emergency services program, including program planning, development, implementation, and/or evaluation.
A valid California Class C Driver's License is required.
Proof of automobile liability insurance must be maintained.
Must pass a background investigation.
Must pass a work-related physical exam and drug screening.
San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in one of the qualifying fields.
Multiple years of experience in a behavioral health setting.
Multiple years of experience in emergency management.
Incident Command System (ICS) training.
Experience in conducting presentations (for large and small audiences).
Experience in emergency preparedness exercises and trainings.
Experience with co-management of the Department Operations Center (DOC) during emergency activations.
Experience maintaining adequate communication with Department and Countywide partners with respect to emergencies/disasters.
Applicants fluent in American Sign Language, Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, and/or Vietnamese.

Responsibilities

Organizing and delivering training and educational programs to enhance preparedness and response capabilities during health emergencies including CPR/BLS.
Developing and coordinating comprehensive emergency response plans that outline the procedures and protocols.
Assessing resource needs and allocation strategies.
Working with a wide variety of staff, Behavioral Health programs, and outside agencies to meet shared goals.
Organizing and participating in regular exercises and drills to test the effectiveness of emergency response plans and identify areas for improvement.
Preparing and submitting required reports to leadership, agencies, programs, and/or other departments.
Serving as a key team member for the Department of Behavioral Health and acting as a Department Operations Center (DOC) Coordinator during emergency activations.