This position supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by promoting health equity and supporting the development and implementation of the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Division’s Children and Maternal and Infant Health programs and initiatives.

The incumbent works under the general direction of the Health Program Manager II of the Perinatal Programs and Local LHJ Support Section, Maternal and Infant Health Branch within the Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Division. The Health Program Specialist (HPS) II provides leadership for the development of the Division’s nutrition and infant and young child feeding, including in-hospital breastfeeding efforts. The HPS II provides highly skilled technical consultation and assistance to the State’s Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health programs; provides nutrition expertise and assist with nutrition related efforts affecting maternal and infant health such as development of written resources, guidance, or provide input on surveillance reports and program evaluation within the Division. These include collaboration with the Child and Adolescent Health Branch, Outreach and Communication Unit, Epidemiology, Surveillance and Federal Reporting Section, and Program Evaluation and Data Systems Branch. The HPS II represents the Division, with a focus in maternal and infant health by coordinating nutrition, and infant and young child feeding projects with academic institutions and professional organizations; acts as the primary liaison to county health jurisdictions nutrition consultants, and supports collaboration with other professionals within and outside the Department, aimed at enhancing maternal and infant health supportive services and reducing disparities for all reproductive age, pregnant individuals, infants, children and their families. The HPS II must exhibit both public health programmatic expertise and strong leadership skills, as well as the capacity to function on interdisciplinary teams to collaborate, and coordinate activities, and review nutrition, policies and guidelines addressing the maternal, infant, children, and adolescent populations.

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