Community Program Specialist Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

Series established July 11, 1968

Definition of Series

Community Program Specialists work in the Department of Developmental Services and the Area Boards on Developmental Disabilities. In the Department of Developmental Services, incumbents in this series work with regional center contracting agencies, community service providers, and departmental and developmental center staff and are responsible for: providing leadership and technical assistance in developing new programs serving developmentally disabled clients residing in developmental centers and publicly or privately owned facilities in the community; reviewing, monitoring and evaluating regional center and service provider operations; conducting planning efforts for community service delivery systems, evaluating the quality of care provided; providing technical assistance and training to regional center, developmental center and service provider staff, parents, and consumers; performing program policy analysis and development, designing and conducting assessment inventories; compiling and analyzing data pertaining to the assessment and placement planning process; working with regional centers to prevent admissions of individuals into developmental centers and to increase the number of appropriate placements in the community; assessing current and future resource needs of the program; conferring with departmental, regional center, and developmental center staff, parent groups, community service providers, local, State and Federal officials and legislative staff concerning California's community service programs and the transitioning of persons with special developmental needs into the community.

Within the Area Developmental Disabilities Boards, incumbents work to protect and advocate the rights of person with special developmental needs.

Factors Affecting Position Allocation

Level, variety, and complexity of work; independence of action and responsibility for decisions; area of geographic concern; supervision received and exercised; mature level of contacts; size of staff; the intensity and significance of special interest group pressure; program and policy formulation and implementation responsibilities serve as differentiating factors between individual classes.

Definition of Levels

Community Program Specialist I

This is the first working level in this series. In departmental headquarters and State developmental centers, under supervision, incumbents may be assigned the responsibility for a specific phase of the Department's programs. Incumbents perform duties of an average degree of difficulty such as: a phase of the review of grant applications, or proposed budgets for expenditures of funds; assist in the processing of regional center budgets; research and draft responses to special requests for information related to community service programs; assist in providing staff work in developing and implementing program policies; and assisting in the preparation of regional center contracts; and assist with a variety of activities pertaining to the Community Living Option initiative, i.e., data collection, assessment information, prevention of admissions, transitioning clients to the community and training.

More difficult duties are performed with guidance and instruction, as needed. Assignments may be rotated so that incumbents gain experience in all phases of the program. Incumbents may serve as support staff in planning, monitoring, and evaluation areas.

In the Area Developmental Disabilities Boards, incumbents assist in protecting and advocating the rights of persons with special developmental needs; conducting information programs to increase awareness and eliminate barriers to integration; monitoring the practices of publicly funded agencies to assure compliance with the law; and planning and coordinating activities to develop needed services.

Community Program Specialist II

This is the fully qualified journey level in the series. In departmental headquarters and State developmental centers, incumbents at this level, in various positions, may act as a leadperson over a small group of lower level positions, under direction as an independent journeyperson, or assist a Community Program Specialist�III/IV in an assigned program. A Community Program Specialist�II may be�responsible for: (1) serving as the primary liaison between the Department and regional centers on all program and fiscal matters, including providing the staff work for all administrative appeals of denial of�expenditures; interpreting laws and Department policy and regulations; assisting in problem solving and program implementation; reviewing and determining appropriateness of requests for leases, equipment and administrative assistance; and assisting in the coordination of emergency placement in the community and developmental center system; (2)�conducting the monitoring and evaluating of community programs and regional center operations, which includes: using evaluation instruments approved by the Department; reviewing community program and regional center case files, organizational structure for�service delivery, and operational and administrative procedures of the regional centers; assessing the program operations of the community programs; assisting in determining the appropriateness of program rate exceptions; and reviewing program proposals for specialized services; (3)�providing technical assistance, advice, and consultation to appropriate departmental staff, regional center and/or project staff, and other public and private agency staff toward the development and maintenance of comprehensive community living arrangement programs (e.g., project start-up, models development, and systems shaping and maintenance). This also may include: providing technical assistance to applicant agencies and individuals in acquiring funding from alternative funding programs such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Small Business Administration, California Housing Finance Agency, PDF, Federal and State grants; providing technical assistance in the premonitoring development of ICF/DD programs by assisting in the start-up of facilities and expanding and maintaining larger facilities through consulting on facility licensing, funding, and treatment programs; providing technical assistance and�consultation to community placement facilities and support program services in solving crisis problems, licensing-zoning disputes, and in rectifying deficiencies identified by either a facility audit or monitoring; (4) performing the more complex functions of rights assurance for persons with special developmental needs; and (5) collecting, compiling and analyzing data pertaining to the Community Living Option initiative, i.e., assessment information, placement planning and deflection activities, training and technical assistance, and related activities; working with regional centers to prevent admissions into State developmental centers, and to increase client movement to appropriate living arrangements in the community; assessing needed services and/or supports to maintain individuals in the community; preparing and�delivering training and technical assistance to community care providers, regional center staff, developmental center staff, parents, and consumers on a�variety of topics related to the individual needs of persons with developmental disabilities and necessary community services and supports; coordinating activities with regional center and developmental center staff and other outside entities in regard to transitioning clients into the community and other specific activities and assignments.

Community Program Specialist III

This is the working supervisory level in the series. Incumbents are typically working supervisors over a small group of Specialists I/II, and are responsible for a major element of the work. They (1)�develop policy and procedures for resolving program and administrative problems; (2) develop and implement procedures for data gathering and interpretation; (3)�monitor and evaluate administrative and program activities and liaison with all regional centers and service providers within an assigned geographical area; (4) consult with service providers and community groups regarding program development issues; and (5) facilitate movement of persons from the State developmental centers to the community.

Incumbents may personally perform the most complex and difficult duties within the program.

Community Program Specialist IV

This is the full supervisory level and serves as a section chief responsible for (1) developing and implementing policies and procedures having a statewide impact on program development efforts; (2) managing a major administrative function within the Division, such as budget and contract development and negotiation; (3)�formulating and implementing policies and procedures affecting the 21 regional centers; and (4) making recommendations on highly sensitive issues impacting future program structure and funding.

Incumbents may personally direct a limited number of projects of the most complex and difficult nature, supervising a small staff of professionals at a headquarters' or developmental center setting.

In rare instances, this level may function as a nonsupervisory expert. Such nonsupervisory assignments are typified by responsibility for developmentally disabled programs or policy development with major regional impact and a large degree of independent interface with high level administrators in other State agencies, the Federal Government, other public agencies, DD boards, or DD voluntary agencies.

Minimum Qualifications

All Levels:

The following education requirement applies only to the non-California state service experience patterns of all four levels.

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college. (Supervisory or administrative experience in the field of developmental disabilities may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)

Community Program Specialist I

Either I

One year of experience in the California state service, performing duties comparable to those of a Staff Services Analyst, Range�B.

Or II

One year of experience performing analytical staff work in the field of developmental/mental disabilities including such areas as direct client care programming, program planning, and implementation of services and�supports, budget analysis, personnel management, or administrative analysis. All of this experience must have included responsibility for defining problems, analyzing facts, and preparing recommendations for action with supporting material.

Community Program Specialist II

Either I

One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of the class of Community Program Specialist I.

Or II

One year of experience in the California state service performing budget, personnel, or administrative analysis duties in a class with a level of responsibility equivalent to that of Staff Services Analyst, Range C.

Or III

Two years of experience performing analytical staff work in the field of developmental/mental disabilities including such areas as direct client care programming, program planning, and implementation of services and�supports, budget analysis, personnel management, or administrative analysis. All of this experience must have included responsibility for defining problems, analyzing facts, and preparing recommendations for action with supporting material.

(Possession of a Master's Degree in Public Administration, or a closely related field, may be substituted for one year of the required experience under Pattern

Iii. )

Community Program Specialist III

Either I

One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of the class of Community Program Specialist II.

Or II

Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of the class of Community Program Specialist I.

Or III

One year of experience in the California state service performing budget, personnel, or administrative analysis duties in a class with a level of responsibility equivalent to that of Associate Budget Analyst.

Or IV

Three years of experience performing analytical staff work in the field of developmental/mental disabilities including such areas as direct client care programming, program planning, budget analysis, personnel management, or administrative analysis. All of this experience must have included responsibility for defining problems, analyzing facts, and preparing recommendations for action with supporting material.

(Possession of a Master's Degree in Public Administration, or a closely related field, may be substituted for one year of the required experience under Pattern

Iv. )

Community Program Specialist IV

Either I

One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of the class of Community Program Specialist III.

Or II

Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of the class of Community Program Specialist II.

Or III

One year of experience in the California state service performing budget, personnel, or administrative analysis duties in a class with a level of responsibility equivalent to that of Staff Services Manager I.

Or IV

Four years of experience performing analytical staff work in the field of developmental/mental disabilities including such areas as direct client care programming, program planning, budget analysis, personnel management, or administrative analysis, at least one year of which must have been in a supervisory capacity. All of this experience must have included responsibility for defining problems, analyzing facts, and preparing recommendations for action with supporting material. (Experience in the California state service applied toward this pattern must include one year performing the duties of a class with a level of responsibility not less than that of Community Program Specialist�III.)

(Possession of a Master's Degree in Public Administration, or a closely related field, may be substituted for one year of the required experience under Pattern

Iv. )

Knowledge and Abilities

Community Program Specialist I

Community Program Specialist II

Knowledge of: The principles and practices of public administration, budgetary preparation and control; processes of community and group interaction in developmental disabilities planning procedures; current trends in developmental disabilities, public health, and public welfare; governmental accounting procedures.

Ability to: Develop cooperative and harmonious relationships with departmental, regional center, and developmental center administrators and others; analyze, review, and provide consultation on budgets; work with professional personnel in the field relating to developmental disabilities professions in coordinating and developing services for persons with special developmental needs; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; communicate effectively.

Community Program Specialist III

Community Program Specialist IV

Knowledge of: All of the above, and techniques, trends, and problems in the operation of public and private agencies providing services for the developmentally disabled; programs and trends in service delivery for persons with special developmental needs in California; laws and regulations governing developmental disabilities programs partially or totally funded by the State or Federal Government; laws and regulations relating to the Medi-Cal and Medicare Programs and developmental center treatment program organization; principles of public personnel administration and supervision, departmental and State affirmative action and upward mobility goals and policies; Department's Affirmative Action Program objectives; a manager's role in the Affirmative Action Program and the processes available to meet affirmative action objectives.

Ability to: Supervise and train subordinate staff; effectively contribute to the Department's affirmative action objectives.

Class History