The County of Santa Clara is seeking a visionary Director of Custody Health Services (CHS) to lead a division providing health services to incarcerated youth and adults. CHS provides comprehensive ambulatory medical, mental health, and specialty services including substance abuse treatment to adult detainees of the Main Jail, and the Elmwood men’s and women’s facilities (learn more here). This visionary leader will lead a multidisciplinary team of professionals in providing compassionate, dignified, and appropriate care to incarcerated people.The ideal candidate is an experienced administrator of a large custodial health or healthcare system, with knowledge of behavioral health and acute psychiatric care.They will have exceptional communication skills, political acumen, and a commitment to leading with empathy. They will work to enhance staff engagement, inspire a supportive and collaborative culture, and drive systemic improvements in care delivery. For FY 24/25, the CHS Division budget is $131 million, and it includes 424 employees.
About Santa Clara Valley Healthcare:
Custody Health is a division ofSanta Clara Valley Healthcare, which ranks as the second largest public healthcare system in California. It operates three hospitals including Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVH-Valley Medical Center), O’Connor Hospital (SCVH-O’Connor), and Saint Louise Regional Hospital (SCVH-St. Louise), as well as a large network of specialty and primary care clinics.
THE JOB This position is an exciting opportunity to foster collaboration and alignment between all divisions in the health system, allowing for a more holistic approach to patient care. The Director of Custody Health Services will lead an exceptional team of executive leaders and over 424 employees in meeting the needs of up to 3,000 patients a day. They will unify multidisciplinary teams to meet patient needs in a holistic and comprehensive manner. They will work in partnership with the sheriff’s custody bureau to solve operational challenges that impede high-quality, timely care. They will also drive operational excellence and develop and maintain a culture of empathy, professionalism, and learning. This leader will ensure fiscal responsibility and proactive allocation of resources to meet the healthcare needs of vulnerable patients.
THEIDEAL CANDIDATE The ideal candidate is an experienced administrator of a large health system (custody health system ideal), with knowledge of behavioral health and acute psychiatric care. The next Director will have a hands-on, problem-solving approach, with a focus on both strategic vision and operational efficiency. They will be dedicated to making Santa Clara Valley Healthcare a great place to work, while emphasizing a patient-first approach to care. They will demonstrate empathy, positivity, and influence, remaining available and responsive. This candidate is an effective communicator and presenter, who will capably manage complex operational challenges, build relationships across departments, and provide a positive experience for health system clients, administrators, and staff.
Considerable and progressive education, training, and experience which would demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks and the possession of the following knowledge and abilities. The required knowledge and abilities would typically be acquired through:
Education: Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Nursing, Healthcare or Hospital Administration, Behavioral Health Sciences, Social Services, Public or Business Administration, or a related field.
Experience: A minimum of ten (10) years recent progressive management experience in a large custodial system and/or a division in a public health and/or health system, providing medical, mental health, alcohol, drug, and/or behavioral health services.
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County has a rich history that spans from its agricultural roots to its current position as a global hub of innovation and technology. With a multitude of natural amenities, 300 days of sunshine a year, strong economic vitality, and one of the highest standards of living in the country, the region attracts people from all over the world and has long been considered one of the best places to live and work in the United States. Santa Clara County’s population of over 1.9 million is the largest in Northern California, one of the largest in the nation, and is among California’s most heterogeneous communities, rich in ethnic and cultural diversity. Today, Santa Clara County is a major employment powerhouse for the region, providing more than a quarter of all jobs in the Bay Area. Santa Clara County is home to numerous high-tech companies like Google, Apple, Adobe, Zoom, Cisco Systems, Nvidia, and Intel.
The County provides a wide range of government and safety net services, including operating Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, California’s second-largest county-operated, award-winning health system with three hospitals and a network o...f primary and specialty care clinics. Other major services provided include law enforcement, corrections, social services, and general government programs such as tax collection and vital records. The County also operates 28 parks covering more than 50,000 acres, 62 miles of expressways, which average 1.5 million vehicle trips per day, two general aviation airports, branch libraries in eight cities, three fire districts, and a state-of-the art animal services center.
