Pursuant to Shasta County Code section 2.28.020, the HHSA Director occupies the following statutory County Offices: (1) Public Guardian, (2) Director of Social Services, and (3) Director of Mental Health Services.
Any person the Board wishes to appoint to the position of HHSA Director must satisfy certain statutory requirements in order to serve as the Director of Mental Health Services. Pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 9, section 620, a Director of Mental Health Services must be one of the following:
a. A physician and surgeon licensed in the State of California showing evidence of having completed the required course of graduate psychiatric education as defined in Section 623 to be supplemented by an additional period of two years of training or practice limited to the field of psychiatry, one year of which shall have been administrative experience.
b. A psychologist who shall be licensed in the State of California and shall possess a doctorate degree in psychology from an institution of higher education. In addition, the psychologist shall have had at least three years of acceptable clinical psychology experience, two years of which shall be administrative experience.
c. A clinical social worker who shall possess a master’s degree in social work or higher and shall be a licensed clinical social worker under provisions of the California Business and Professions Code and shall have had at least five years mental health experience, two years of which shall have been administrative experience.
d. A marriage, family, and child counselor who shall have a master’s degree in an approved behavioral science course of study, and who shall be a licensed marriage, family, and child counselor and have received specific instruction, or its equivalent, as required for licensure on January 1, 1981. In addition, the marriage, family, and child counselor shall have had at least five years of mental health experience, two years of which shall have been administrative experience. The term, specific instruction, contained in Sections 5751 and 5751.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, shall not be limited to school, college, or university classroom instruction, but may include equivalent demonstrated experience in assessment, diagnosis, prognosis, and counseling, and psychotherapeutic treatment of premarital, marriage, family, and child relationship dysfunctions.
e. A nurse who shall possess a master’s degree in psychiatric or public health nursing and shall be licensed as a registered nurse by the Board of Registered Nursing in the State of California and shall have had at least five years mental health experience, two of which shall have been administrative experience. Additional post-baccalaureate experience in a mental health setting may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the educational requirements.
f. An administrator who shall have a master’s degree in hospital administration, public health administration, or public administration from an accredited college or university, and who shall have at least three years of experience in hospital or health care administration, two of which shall have been in the mental health field. Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis with the approval of the Department.
California Code of Regulations, title 9, section 620.1 includes provisions which allow a county to select an Acting Director of Local Mental Health Services when a county is unable to secure the services of a person who meets the standards set forth in Section 620. However, such an appointment is for a limited 12-month duration.
Staff recommends the Board amend Chapter 2.28 of the Shasta County Code to allow for Board appointment of a separate Director of Mental Health Services when the Health & Human Services Agency Director does not meet state law standards for a Director of Mental Health Services, and make additional conforming amendments.
The formal adoption of these amendments would occur at the September 27, 2022 Board of Supervisors meeting, to be effective 30 days from that date.
This change would grant the Board of Supervisors flexibility when recruiting for the position of HHSA Director. Qualified applicants who do not meet the stringent requirements to serve as the Director of Mental Health Services could be considered while still ensuring the duties of the Director of Mental Health Services are met.