Behavioral Wellness Quality Assurance Coordinator

Full Job Description

SALARY:

$51.21- $61.72 hourly

$106,510.56 – 128,369.28 annually

**COUNTYWIDE PROMOTIONAL: This position is limited to the regular employees of the County of Santa Barbara. **

The County of Santa Barbara Behavioral Wellness Department is accepting applications to fill one (1) full-time Quality Care Management (QCM) Coordinator vacancy.

The selected candidate may need to travel between different operational sites within Santa Barbara County that includes Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Lompoc.

Quality Care Management (QCM) Coordinator is the working title for this position and encompasses the concept that the incumbent will work performing the duties of a Quality Assurance Coordinator.

The County job classification associated with this title is Quality Assurance Coordinator.

We are also establishing one employment list to fill future full-time, part-time, and extra-help (temporary) and *1414 vacancies.

*1414 vacancies may occur as a result of a leave of absence (Civil Service Rule 1414) and the duration of the appointment shall be subject to the return of the individual who is on leave.

A person who is appointed to a position under Civil Service Rule 1414 may be able to transition into a regular position in the classification without re-application or re-testing, depending on the performance of the appointee and the needs of the department.

THE POSITION:

This position works within the Quality Care Management division of the Behavioral Wellness Department. The Quality Care Management Coordinator reports to the Quality Care Management Program Manager.

Under general direction, the selected incumbent will conduct and coordinate quality improvement and utilization review activities of mental health and alcohol and other drug services for the Department of Behavioral Wellness and for contracted providers; and perform related duties as required.

Incumbents in this class work in a system of interdisciplinary departmental teams and/or contract service agencies providing assessment, prevention, intervention, treatment, and related ancillary support services via an integrated service delivery system to people with alcohol and other drug related problems, mental illness, and/or co-occurring conditions.

The work schedule for this position will depend upon the needs of the Department.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:

The County of Santa Barbara's Department of Behavioral Wellness is responsible for ensuring the provision of mental health services mandated by the State of California for children with serious emotional disturbance, adults with serious mental illness, and all Medi-Cal beneficiaries with specialty mental health needs.

Behavioral Wellness also provides substance use disorder treatment services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

Our Mission is to promote the prevention of and recovery from addiction and mental illness among individuals; families and communities by providing effective leadership and delivering state-of-the-art, culturally competent services that are guided by measurable client-specific outcomes.

Behavioral Wellness annually provides treatment, rehabilitation and support services to approximately 9,800 clients (3,000 children/adolescents and 6,900 adults) with mental illness and 4,500 clients with substance use disorders.

For more information, please visit: www.countyofsb.org/behavioral-wellness

The Ideal Candidate will have:

Requirements

1. Develops and implements policies and procedures for the utilization review function to assure the effective utilization of medical or psychiatric services, and appropriate service reimbursement; reviews requests for authorization of services to determine whether the diagnosis and proposed treatment fall within the criteria for service reimbursement and authorizes treatment or refers the request to a higher medical authority; and authorizes reimbursement of contracted inpatient and outpatient services.
2. Collects and reviews statistics of services provided using automated systems to determine effectiveness and quality of care provided and to assess whether changes in the program are necessary to provide optimum health or psychiatric care in the most cost-effective manner; and generates reports from automated system.
3. Works with beneficiaries, providers, co-workers, and other public agencies to discuss or explain services provided or denied, give direction or authorization for specialized treatments, and establish eligibility of beneficiaries for services.
4. Collaborates with fiscal intermediaries, medical staff or mental health professionals, and others to review and interpret patient records and documentation when requests/claims for reimbursements are denied; writes narrative and statistical reports on utilization reviews; and prepares correspondence using word processing software.
5. Reviews state regulations; reviews policies and procedures and makes recommendations to management on methods to conform to regulations; educates staff on regulation changes; meets regularly with care providers to identify and address utilization review issues; and conducts training sessions for clinical and support staff on utilization review and documentation.
6. Assigns, reviews, and evaluates the work of professional, technical, and clerical staff.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the employment standards (minimum qualifications) list below to be considered for this position. Detailed information should be included in the application.

Professional Licensure: Where licensure is required, applicants must possess licensure in their profession at the time of application.

Initial appointment may be based upon comparable licensure in any state; however, California licensure is required within two years of appointment as a condition of continued employment.

Additional Requirements: This position requires travel within the County on a weekly basis. A valid California Class C Driver’s License may be required at the time of appointment.

Knowledge of: State regulations applicable to treatment and reimbursement under Medi-Cal and other third party payers; basic utilization review procedures and techniques; medical and surgical, mental health, or alcohol and drug diagnoses, procedures, and types of treatment; basic principles and practices of supervision; and English grammar and usage.

Ability to: Prepare and maintain accurate records; interpret rules and regulations; read and understand patient records; work tactfully and effectively with staff, patients, families, fiscal intermediaries, and providers; prepare clear and concise reports using correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling; maintain objectivity and confidentiality; gather and analyze data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations; communicate effectively, both one on one and in groups; and use word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications on personal computer.

Additional Information

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:

1. Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards.

Applicants must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the supplemental questionnaire to be placed on an employment list.

An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI.

Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months.

At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive written notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.

CONDITIONAL JOB OFFER:

Recruiters will communicate with applicant by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process.

Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.

The County of Santa Barbara will not release any applicant's email address to a third party.

REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants.

Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting.

We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Governmental code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service.

Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance.

The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates.

The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their

APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: Friday March 13th, 2026at 4:59 PM PST. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

Gabriela Huerta, Employment Analyst – ghuerta@sbcbwell.org contributions to our organization.