Health Officer

Overview

THE OPPORTUNITY Sonoma County is seeking a physician who is passionate about community health improvement to serve as Health Officer. The Health Officer provides medical leadership to support the county’s vision to be the healthiest county in California and works to bring that vision to reality.

THE OPPORTUNITY Sonoma County seeks a skilled physician for the Health Officer role. The position involves leadership in protecting and promoting community health and ensuring compliance with public health regulations.

The Sonoma County Department Of Health Services is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the community’s health and well-being. With over 700 staff and numerous partners, the department offers a broad range of programs and services. The department is supported by a budget of approximately $501.6 million for FY 2024-25. Mission: to promote, protect, and ensure access to health, recovery, and well-being for all residents, guided by equity, collaboration, and excellence.

The department is composed of four divisions:

• Executive Management & Administration: provides leadership and administrative support, including compliance, finance, health policy planning and equity, legislative policy, health data and epidemiology, human resources, IT, privacy and security.
• Behavioral Health: offers mental health and substance use disorder services for all ages, including those with Medi-Cal and the uninsured, directly and through community partnerships.
• Homelessness Services: provides policy and funding guidance, staff support to the Homeless Coalition (Continuum of Care) Board, and care and outreach services to sheltered and unsheltered individuals.
• Public Health: protects and promotes health through direct services and policy changes. Programs include Environmental Health and Safety, Family Health, WIC, Disease Control and Surveillance, Healthy Communities, Public Health Preparedness, Animal Services, the Regional Public Health Laboratory, and the Coastal Valleys Emergency Medical Services Agency.

The Health Officer is a key leader within Sonoma County’s Department of Health Services. Appointed by the Board of Supervisors and reporting to the Director of Health Services, the Health Officer provides medical oversight for public health programs and ensures compliance with public health regulations. The Health Officer develops medical policies and protocols in partnership with the Director of Health Services and serves as a trusted advisor to elected officials, healthcare professionals, and the public.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and assess community health using epidemiological data to inform policies and design health interventions.
• Enforce public health regulations and ensure compliance with local, state, and federal requirements.
• Represent and collaborate with professional, medical, community, and government organizations at local, state, and national levels; build partnerships to advance public health goals.
• Engage with the public and media; serve as a trusted source of information on public health issues.
• Lead emergency preparedness in collaboration with the department’s Emergency Medical Services Program Administrator.
• Oversee vital records and manage the registration of births and deaths in Sonoma County, including oversight of the disposition of human remains.

The ideal candidate is passionate about serving the public and finding collaborative solutions to health challenges. They should be trustworthy, approachable, flexible, and decisive, with strong leadership and a forward-thinking mindset. The candidate will:

• Think Strategically: develop and implement innovative strategies to advance community health goals and opportunities for engagement.
• Lead with Expertise: provide leadership in community health, preventive medicine, environmental health, emergency medical services, and integrated behavioral health.
• Be Results-Oriented: drive actions that improve social determinants of health and achieve measurable results.
• Innovate and Initiate: identify opportunities to combine resources and partnerships to advance health policies and initiatives.
• Build…