Behavioral Health Emergency Planning Specialist*

The Job

Be an agent of change and make a difference in delivering health and wellness to millions of residents.

Join a team that is passionate about the services they provide and is committed to making a difference throughout San Bernardino County.

The San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health invites qualified professionals to apply for the position of Behavioral Health Emergency Planning Specialist* who functions as a community planning/liaison specialist. Incumbents develop and maintain emergency response plans for the provision of emergency behavioral health care services; prepares public and private partners for pandemic events, bio-terrorism attacks, hazardous materials or other natural disasters such as earthquake, wildfire, flood, landslides, and severe weather; and develop and ensure compliance with state and federal guidelines.

Key responsibilities may include:

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

*Official Title: Medical Emergency Planning Specialist

For additional details, please refer to the Medical Emergency Planning Specialist job description.

The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) is responsible for providing mental health and substance use disorder services to county residents who are experiencing major mental illness or substance abuse related issues. DBH provides mental health and substance use disorder prevention and treatment services to all age groups, with a primary emphasis on treating children/youth who may be seriously emotionally disturbed, adults who are experiencing a serious and persistent mental illness, and individuals who are experiencing substance use disorders. DBH also provides an array of outreach/engagement, prevention, and early intervention services. DBH's core values are service, integrity, accountability, and trust.

DBH is a unique County Department comprised of eight (8) direct service areas: Community Outpatient and Transitional Age Youth Services; Youth Collaborative and Justice Involved Services; Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services; 24 Hour and Specialty Services; Adult Justice Involved and Diversion Services; Medical Services; Community Engagement and Equity Services; Office of Patients' Rights and five (5) indirect service areas: Administrative and Fiscal Services; Public Relations and Outreach Services; Program Support Services; Disaster and Safety Unit; and the Office of Compliance. The Department currently has a workforce in excess of 1500 positions and an approximate $800 million-dollar annual budget.

Follow this link to learn more about the Department of Behavioral Health

Follow this link to learn more about San Bernardino County

The list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future vacancies as they occur throughout the Department.

EXCELLENT BENEFITS!
To review job-specific benefits, please refer to:
Summary of Benefits
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Emergency Activations: Due to the nature of emergency management operations, these positions may be required to work extended hours including nights, weekends, holidays and may work substantial overtime as needed during emergency activations. In addition to administrative/annual leave, this assignment is eligible for compensating time off for approved overtime hours worked.

Travel: The incumbent will be required to use their personal vehicle to travel to various office locations as needed (mileage reimbursement is available at current IRS rates) . A valid California Class C Driver's License is required to carry out the essential job-related functions of this position . Proof of automobile liability insurance must be maintained.

Pre-Employment Process: Applicants selected for these positions must pass a background investigation which may include verification of education and employment history. Applicants are also required to pass a work related physical exam and drug screening.

Sponsorship: Please note San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future.

Minimum Requirements

Applicants must meet BOTH the education and experience requirements in ONE of the following options:


OPTION 1:

EDUCATION: A completed Bachelor’s degree obtained 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.

Note: Qualifying degree or coursework must have been completed at a college or university accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education. Degrees or coursework completed outside the U.S. must be accompanied by an evaluation report from a reputable credential evaluation service showing equivalency to degrees or coursework completed at a college or university accredited by any accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education.

-- AND--

EXPERIENCE: One (1) year of full-time equivalent experience in a health care, public health, health education, or emergency services program. Qualifying experience must include program planning, development, implementation, and/or evaluation.

Note: Experience gained as a disaster worker or reassigned worker during an emergency response such as the COVID-19 pandemic may be considered qualifying and should be clearly listed on the work experience section of the application to be considered.

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OPTION 2:

EDUCATION: 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.

(A list of completed college coursework must be submitted with the application if the candidate does not possess a Bachelor's degree or higher in one (1) of the fields of study listed above. Unofficial transcripts are accepted.)

Note: Qualifying degree or coursework must have been completed at a college or university accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education. Degrees or coursework completed outside the U.S. must be accompanied by an evaluation report from a reputable credential evaluation service showing equivalency to degrees or coursework completed at a college or university accredited by any accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education.

-- AND--

EXPERIENCE: Three (3) years of full-time equivalent experience in a health care, public health, health education, or emergency services program. Qualifying experience must include program planning, development, implementation, and/or evaluation.

Note: Experience gained as a disaster worker or reassigned worker during an emergency response such as the COVID-19 pandemic may be considered qualifying and should be clearly listed on the work experience section of the application to be considered.

Desired Qualifications

The ideal applicant will possess a Master's degree in one of the qualifying fields, multiple years of experience in a behavioral health setting, emergency management, or Incident Command System (ICS) training. The ideal applicant will also possess experience in conducting presentations (for large and small audiences), emergency preparedness exercises, and trainings.

Experience with co-management of the Department Operations Center (DOC) during emergency activations, and maintaining the adequate communication with Department and Countywide partners with respect to emergencies/disasters is highly desirable.

Applicants fluent in American Sign Language, Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, and/or Vietnamese are strongly encouraged to apply. Additional compensation is associated with positions requiring the use of bilingual skills. Testing of bilingual skills may be required to receive additional compensation.

Selection Process

Application Procedure : There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on the information provided in the Application and the Supplemental Questionnaire. You are encouraged to include detailed descriptions of your qualifying experience , as only the most highly qualified applicants will be referred to the Department. Please ensure all relevant experience is indicated in the Application and responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire, as resumes and other attachments will not be reviewed for the competitive evaluation.

Completing your application with statements such as "see/refer to resume" or "see attached" rather than completing your work history may affect your eligibility or competitive evaluation score. Be sure to clearly describe your experience in meeting the minimum requirements.

To ensure timely and successful submission of your online application, please allow ample time to complete and submit your application before the posted filing deadline. Applicants will be automatically logged-out if they have not submitted the application and all required materials prior to the posted deadline. Once your application has been successfully submitted you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records. Please note, if you do NOT receive an onscreen confirmation and an email acknowledging our receipt of your application, we have not received your application.

Technical Assistance: If you require technical assistance, follow this link to review the Government Jobs online application guide or contact their Toll-Free Applicant Support line at (855) 524-5627. Please note that Human Resources is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by your internet connection, computer, or browser when submitting an application.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) / Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): San Bernardino County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Americans with DisabilitiesAct (ADA) compliant employer, dedicated to ensuring equal employment opportunities for allemployees and applicants.

ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and need accommodations during the testing process, please submit the Special Testing Accommodations Request Form within one week of the recruitmentfiling deadline.

Veterans’ Preference: Eligible veterans and their spouses or widows/widowers who are not current County employees may receive additional Veterans' Preference points. For details and instructions on how to request these points, please refer to the Veterans' Preference Policy .

For more important details, review the Applicant Information and County Employment Process .

Administrative Services Unit

San Bernardino County offers a range of benefit programs for employees and their eligible dependents. These include health, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as a variety of other voluntary benefits. Programs and benefit amounts vary and are based on bargaining unit, family size, hire date, plan selection, and number of hours worked.

Please review the appropriate Summary of Benefits * for more information

Refer to the appropriate MOU, contact the County’s Employee Benefits and Services Division at (909) 387-5787 or visit the Employee Benefits website for more detailed information.

*Retirement benefits subject to change.

Closing Date/Time: 6/12/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

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• San Bernardino County

• 9093878304

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