We seek a post-doctoral scholar to join our contract with the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (“Commission”) Partnering to Build Success in Mental Health Research and Policy. This position includes mental health policy analysis, program coordination, and career and scholarly development.
The incumbent’s principal duties will be part of a team of program analysts and statisticians that is co-located with the Commission in Sacramento. The project aims to increase the Commission’s capacity to drive transformational change in California’s community mental health system by evaluating the impact of the MHSA, using evaluation results to support quality improvement, and ensuring the collection, tracking, and analysis of mental health data and information. Among others, this is achieved through data linkages of the Mental Health Client Service database with state databases such as CDPH Vital Records, State of California Department of Justice (DOJ), Employment Development Department (EDD), California Department of Education (CDE), California Department of Healthcare Access and information (HCAI), and the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
Specifically, the incumbent will support the mental health policy work of the chief of the MHSOAC’s Research and Evaluation Division in utilizing the Commission statistical analysis of the Commission database and database linkages for ad-hoc reports; support the Commission assessment, evaluation, reporting, and dissemination activities, and develop indicators for mental health monitoring and evaluation, as directed by the Commission.
Site: Sacramento / Hybrid
Affiliation: Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies - University of California- San Francisco (UCSF).
Duration: Two years, with the potential for extension
Effort: 100%; Full-time
Start date: September 1, 2024. The position will stay open until filled.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of California San Francisco is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
Under the direction of the Chief of the Research and Evaluation Division will engage in the following activities:
Mental health assessment:
- Track and monitor variations in program indicators and implementation of county mental health services and interventions to inform continued monitoring and statewide mental health program evaluation efforts.
- Maintain an electronic library, including index of ad hoc requests for retrieval of previously produced data and documents.
Translational writing of policy work:
- Summarize dashboard findings and translate research for policy-makers and lay audiences to the dashboard.
- Support the Commission in the behavioral index development. Provide products that assess the impact of mental health programs on key indicators.
Development of evaluation indicators:
- Provide recommendations for the refinement and development of program indicators that measure program success. Key indicators include but are not limited to: (a) criminal justice involvement, (b) unemployment, and (c) school failure.
Career and scholarly development:
The incumbent will have opportunities to share findings and network with colleagues at the Institute and prepare publications and reports within the guidelines of the Commission.
Applicants must have experience with qualitative analysis methods. Applicants with a PhD in any field that involves mental health policy research (psychology, political science, sociology; public health, public policy, social welfare) are encouraged to apply. PhD must be conferred by the date of hire
Interested applicants can send a Cover Letter and CV/Resume to Megumi Okumura, MD [email protected].
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Deadline: Applications will be reviewed until May 31, 2025