To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Establish the classification of Mental Health Clinical Specialist - Per Diem (VQSK) in the Health Services Department
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT Position Adjustment Resolution No. 26299 to establish the classification of Mental Health Clinical Specialist-Per Diem (VQSK) (represented) at salary plan and grade level TC5 1002 ($10,793.76) in the Health Services Department.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The compensation rate for the Mental Health Clinical Specialist Per-Diem has been set to align with comparable external agency per diem rates for this classification. Costs will be covered through various health funding sources.
BACKGROUND:
We are requesting to add a new classification of Mental Health Clinical Specialist Per-Diem as a solution for various interviewing and selecting challenges across multiple divisions within the Health System.
The Mental Health Clinical Specialist classification was established in 1991 after collapsing a previous Mental Health Treatment Specialist deep class to provide more focused and specific mental health care to patients within Contra Costa County. As a result, several divisions within Contra Costa Health have expanded and currently utilize the Mental Health Clinical Specialist (MHCS) classification including Behavioral Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs (AODs), Detention Health, CCRMC Psychiatric Services, etc.
Currently, there are 86 vacancies across these various divisions and the current eligible list of qualified clinicians is not substantial enough to efficiently fill these vacancies. We currently have MHCS on a continuous recruitment and on average over the past year have received ~17 candidates per month. Given our current candidate pool and eligible list, hiring managers are not able to fill critical vacancies within their programs which puts the Health System at risk of being out of compliance and unable to fulfill local and state program requirements. These programs vary in schedules and work environments, some of which involve 24-hour care such as detention and psychiatry, which poses scheduling challenges in addition to leading to an increase in overtime pay.
By establishing the Per-Diem classification, Contra Costa Health will be able to effectively recruit and hire fully licensed clinicians on a flexible basis to fill service gaps as well as eliminate the need for excessive overtime pay. In addition, establishing a Per-Diem classification will allow us to tap into a licensed candidate pool who is eager to find a flexible position and supplemental income.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If not approved, there will continue to be staffing shortages in critical Contra Costa Health programs resulting in the increased risk of non-compliance of program requirements.