Introduction

YOU MUST BE AN ALAMEDA COUNTY EMPLOYEE TO APPLY

THIS IS A NEW PROMOTIONAL ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended.

Qualified applicants must be current county employees and have completed the equivalent of six months of continuous service following a regular appointment in the Alameda County classified service (non-classified includes the District Attorney's Office, the Medical Center, and the Superior Court) by the last day for filing. A regular appointment does not include provisional, TAP (Temporary Assignment Pool), or STEP-UP appointments.

Applications will only be accepted online.

DESCRIPTION

THE POSITION

Under administrative direction, plans, organizes, oversees and manages crisis mental health services across systems of care in Alameda County Behavioral Health; coordinates and evaluates crisis mental health service systems to ensure compliance with legislative mandates and minimum standards, as well as State and Federal rules and regulations regarding clients experiencing a mental health and or substance-related crisis; serves as the department leader for crisis behavioral health services; and performs other related duties as required.

This single position classification is located in the Alameda County Behavioral Health (ACBH) division of the Health Care Services Agency and reports to the Medical Director, Behavioral Health. The employee will be responsible for managing a division through subordinate staff that will focus on overseeing services related to crisis, post-crisis, and acute mental health systems within Alameda County. Services can include, but are not limited to, mobile crisis response, crisis stabilization, crisis residential treatment, evaluation, and other behavioral health support in designated emergency departments.

This classification is distinguished from the next lower classification of Assistant Director, Crisis Services System of Care by having overall responsibilities for organizational, policy development, and administrative responsibilities for all crisis, post-crisis, and acute services across the department. This classification is further distinguished from the next higher classification of Medical Director, Behavioral Health, in that the latter classification administratively directs a range of County-operated and community-based organization services across the entire department.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to the minimum qualifications and knowledge and skills listed below, ideal candidates for this position will:

• Have strong knowledge of behavioral health regulations, crisis response laws, budgeting, contracting, program evaluation, and integrated care models.
• Have experience in operating crisis programs, mobile crisis services, emergency service response, and interagency crisis intervention/ critical incident response.
• Be skilled in analyzing data, solving complex administrative and financial issues, and making sound, informed decisions.
• Be an effective communicator and leader with the ability to manage multifaceted service systems, diverse teams, and multiple priorities.
• Interpret and apply federal, state, and local regulations; develop and monitor budgets; and oversee program performance.
• Be culturally responsive, collaborative, and capable of building partnerships across departments, agencies, and community organizations.
• Be proficient with electronic health records, data systems, and standard office technologies.
• Demonstrate flexibility, interpersonal sensitivity, and a strong commitment to wellness and recovery principles.

For more detailed information about the job classification, please visit: Crisis Services System of Care Director (#5073).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The minimum professional requirements for admission to the competitive assessment process include:

Education:

Possession of a master's degree in Public Health, Public Policy, Public Administration, Social Work, Nursing, Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, or a closely related field.

AND

Experience:

The equivalent of seven (7) years of full-time, post-graduate professional management and supervisory experience in directing a large public or private healthcare program or organization, which must have included progressive responsibility in planning, organizing, and providing leadership in the areas of program operations, management, and evaluation. At least two (2) years of this experience must be in a crisis services setting serving in a clinical role.

License:

Possession of a current, valid clinical license from the applicable licensing authority in the State of California.

Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's license.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the "Example of Duties" section of this specification.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Administrative principles, practices and techniques of county, state and federal behavioral health regulations.
• Welfare and Institutions Code 5150 et.al.
• Principles and practices of governmental budgeting, funding, and grant/contract management.
• Demographic and client service and utilization data for decision-making, program design, and the development and evaluation of program and system metrics.
• Community needs, resources, and organizations related to crisis behavioral health care.
• Behavioral health and integrated health care services, including delivery models between behavioral health and primary care.
• Methods of effective community organization and its role in behavioral health treatment and prevention programs.
• Program evaluation methodologies and management and data analysis.
• Organizational dynamics and development.
• Clinical standards of practice and licensure requirements in Mental Health Rehab Centers and Psychiatric Health Facilities.
• Management principles and practices, including strategic work planning, employee supervision, and resource allocation.
• Computer applications related to the work, including electronic health record systems.
• Office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard office equipment.
• Cultural values and practices of the diverse communities served by the department.

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Effectively analyze and evaluate complex financial, budgeting, contracting and administrative problems and implement effective solutions.
• Demonstrate quality leadership and sound decision making.
• Plan, prioritize and organize.
• Manage a complex service system with multiple programs, providers, and partners.
• Provide effective leadership in a variety of settings with diverse parties.
• Develop, analyze, and monitor budget.
• Interpret and apply provisions of Federal, State and local legislation, rules and regulations pertinent to the administration of forensic services.
• Analyze and interpret data and utilize data in decision-making.
• Analytically problem-solve.
• Demonstrate interpersonal sensitivity.
• Demonstrate the principles of wellness and recovery and cultural responsiveness.
• Demonstrate flexibility.
• Manage multiple and changing priorities.
• Establish and maintain cooperative work and contractual relationships with county departments, and other agencies, community-based organizations, private providers and organizations, and the community.
• Work independently, collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, community resources, and organizations.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

The examination will consist of the following steps:

1) A review of candidates' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the classification will move on to the next step in the examination process.

2) An oral interview examination which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview examination may contain situational exercises.

CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION.

We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the "What You Need to Know" section of our website, hrs.alamedacountyca.gov.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT PLAN:

Deadline For Filing:

5:00:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Review of Minimum Qualifications

August 31, 2026

Virtual Pre-recorded Civil Service Oral Examination:

Virtual Oral Examination Ratings:

Results Notification:

Promulgation of Eligible List:

September 21-30, 2026

October 5-9, 2026

Week of October 12, 2026

October 28, 2026

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN:

Departmental Hiring Interviews:

TBD

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN