Nutritional Consultant for the Center for Health Care Quality

The California Department of Public Health is currently hiring for Nutritional Consultant for the Center for Health Care Quality.

About the Center for Health Care Quality:

Health care facilities in California are licensed, regulated, inspected, and/or certified by a number of public and private agencies at the state and federal levels, including the CDPH Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CHCQ is responsible for ensuring health care facilities comply with state laws and regulations. In addition, CHCQ cooperates with CMS to ensure that facilities accepting Medicare and Medi-Cal (in California, Medicaid is referred to as Medi-Cal) payments meet federal requirements. CHCQ also oversees the certification of nurse assistants, home health aides, hemodialysis technicians, and the licensing of nursing home administrators.

About the Role:

Interested candidates must be registered as a Registered Dietician/Nutritionist with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

This position supports the California Department of Public Health's (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by assuming primary responsibility in their area of expertise by providing support to the Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ) surveyors through statewide consultation and training.

Participates in complex surveys as specialty surveyors, consults with dietetic professionals in the provider sector and academia. Participates in statewide continuous quality improvement projects; interprets policies and guidelines, participates in special projects, and assists CHCQ in taking legal sanctions against non-compliant health facilities. Travel throughout assigned territory, when necessary, statewide, up to 35%.

The incumbent works under the general direction of the Health Program Manager II.

Responsibilities:

• Provide guidance, expertise and technical assistance statewide to surveyors determining whether survey findings for dietary and nutrition care will initiate a call of an "immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety" in certification surveys of long-term health care facilities. Provide consultation to surveyors statewide for complex health care situations and technical food service practice observations.

• Act as a topic expert on a statewide basis for; specialized, unique and specific concerns in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), infection control, food service, specialized enteral and parenteral nutrition. Participate in surveys as a specialist for facilities with a history of problems around patient nutrition care and/or dietary services. Participate on the team for large facilities with multiple care levels for licensing and certification surveys that require use of several regulations.

• Interpret and clarify laws and regulations as appropriate for the CHCQ staff and health facilities providers and consultants. Evaluate and recommend approval, denial or conditions of approval for program requests from providers from all facility types in patient nutrition care and dietary services. Consider whether the practice is an alternative for meeting the existing licensing regulations while maintaining the health, safety and welfare of the patient.

• Identify statewide training needs for surveyor staff. Develop, provide, and evaluate training tools, newsletters, and aids to surveyors in consultant's area of expertise. Participate in joint training programs, education conferences, professional practice meetings, and workshops with regional offices, provider and professional organizations.

• Conduct special projects with statewide implementation. Prepare complex reports for internal and external use; develop broad criteria and review plans for community college Dietary Service Supervisor Programs. Clarify practice and educational requirements of paraprofessionals in relation to regulations and professional practice laws to providers, provider organizations and surveyors/regional offices. Clarify scope of practice of dietetic profession; evaluate health facility emergency plan for dietetic services; and ensure statewide program consistency.

• Conduct onsite reviews at regional offices. Collect, analyze, summarize and share findings with program staff for quality improvement and program consistency. Assist the CHCQ Program in taking legal sanctions against non-compliant health facilities. Provide written opinions to support civil monetary fines issued by the Department for the violations of Federal and State regulations. Serve as expert witness for arbitration hearings, administrative law judge hearings and appear in municipal, superior and federal courts on behalf of the Department. Other job-related duties as assigned.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience providing guidance, expertise, and technical assistance in survey development and analysis.

• Experience in handling complex health care situations and technical food service practice observations.

• Knowledgeable in food service, infection control, specialized enteral and parenteral nutrition.

• Experience working with Long-term care facilities.

• Ability to interpret and clarify dietary laws and regulations for healthcare staff.

• Ability to train healthcare staff on dietary laws and regulation.

• Project management experience.

• Attention to detail.

• Advanced communication skills.

• Program planning experience.

The deadline to apply is May 27th, 2025 .

Links to Apply:

New to the State application process? To be considered for this role, you must follow the directions below. We do not accept applications from external platforms.

1. Create a CalCareer account by going to CalCareers.ca.gov.

2. Confirm that you meet the minimum qualifications for the position you are wanting to apply for. A link to view minimum qualifications is listed on each job posting.

3. After confirming that you meet the minimum qualifications, take, and pass the corresponding examination. Most exams are available online and can be found on CalCareers under the exam/assessment search tab.

4. Apply. Follow all directions and be sure to submit all requested documentation.

Please reach out to with any questions.

At CDPH equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the core of our mission to advance the health and well-being of California's diverse people and communities. We are genuinely and strongly committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness where we can grow and learn together with a diverse team of employees. In recruiting for team members, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring to us and the work we do.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $6,725.00 - $9,184.00 per month

Benefits:
Dental insurance
Health insurance
Paid time off
Vision insurance
Schedule:
Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chico, CA 95926