Health Program Specialist I
$5,656-7,080

1 Position Available – Permanent/Full Time
Final Filing Date: May 11, 2020

“Candidates interested in this position are encouraged to take the CDPH’S HPS I Exam”
If you have not taken the Department of Public Health’s Health Program Specialist I exam, please follow
the link: https://jobs.ca.gov/JOBSGEN/8H1CK.PDF

The Office of AIDS, AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Branch helps ensure that people living with
HIV/AIDS who are uninsured and under-insured have access to medication on ADAP’s formulary.
Insurance premium payment programs within the ADAP Branch provide assistance designed to ensure
access to medical care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS.

This position supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic
plan by serving as a highly skilled professional with independent responsibility for carrying out a
variety of high-level assignments in a fast-paced, politically sensitive program.
The incumbent works under the direction of the Staff Services Manager III, ADAP Branch Chief. The
Health Program Specialist (HPS) I serves as a statewide policy and program expert in high-profile

areas such as the ADAP drug formulary and the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Assistant Program (PrEP-
AP) formulary. The HPS I is knowledgeable on all national and statewide policy and legislation that

may impact the provision of HIV-related drugs. The HPS I works closely with ADAP’s contracted
Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) and has a particular emphasis and focus on providing direction
and management of the ADAP Medical Advisory Committee (MAC). The HPS I coordinate’s and
facilitates all MAC meetings in conformance with the requirements of the Bagley Keene Open
Meetings Act (Bagley Keene Act)

Essential Functions:

25% Functions as the specialist that works with the MAC, regulated under the Bagley-Keene Act.
Ensures that all meetings, meeting minutes, location, and/or call information are posted on the
California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) website within the timelines required by the
Bagley-Keene Act. Works with the Office of AIDS (OA) Medical Officer on developing the MAC
agenda and coordinating guest speakers. Works to develop the meeting minutes from the
recordings and timely disseminates the meeting minutes to the members and posts them on
CDPH’s website. Coordinates, reviews, and processes all MAC member applications.
Manages the MAC members to ensure all members have signed the appropriate paperwork,
are kept abreast of upcoming meetings, and are informed of all MAC-related business.
Facilitates public facing MAC meetings to ensure meetings stay on topic and within scheduled
time constraints.

25% Keeps current with federal HIV/AIDS Treatment Guidelines and monitors development of new
drugs used to treat HIV and related opportunistic infections. In coordination with the OA
Medical Officer and ADAP Branch Chief, routinely monitors the ADAP and PrEP drug
formularies to reflect updates in current treatment guidelines. Maintains up-to-date tracking
sheets related to the ADAP and PrEP-AP formulary additions, and medications in phase III
drug trials in the development pipeline. Upon approval by the Federal Food and Drug
Administration, proactively works with the ADAP Branch Chief and OA Medical Officer to add
medications to the ADAP and PrEP-AP drug formularies in conformance with federal and state
legislative requirements. Works closely with the ADAP and Care Evaluation and Informatics
Branch to determine fiscal impact of medication formulary additions and routes fiscal analyses
to management for final approval. Develops, routes for review, and disseminates Management
Memos, Program Administrative Letters, and Director’s Action Requests for drugs being added
or removed from the ADAP and PrEP-AP formularies.

25% Works closely with OA’s Medical Officer, ADAP management, and the PBM contractor
regarding all issues related to formulary management and drug delivery to ADAP and PrEP-AP
clients through the statewide ADAP pharmacy network, including the development and
enforcement of prior authorizations. The HPS I works with the PBM on all formulary and
medication-related items, including treatment exceptions and the resolution of PBM-related
claim issues. Conducts quarterly reviews of the High Expense Claim Report, identifies outliers
and works with the PBM to identify the root cause. Responsible for reviewing the PBM’s
quarterly quality reports and monitoring the reported medications to ensure there are no
outliers. Based on analysis and findings, communicates and makes recommendations to the
Section Chief and Branch Chief on possible solutions. Serves on the PBM clinical review
workgroup, along with OA’s Medical Officer. The HPS I is responsible for completing and
submitting all National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors and Health Resources
and Services Administration reports related to the formulary.

10% Researches and develops responses and analyses to programmatic policy requests and
legislative bills including but not limited to questions around the MAC and formulary
medications. Independently perform high-level analyses, makes corresponding
recommendations, and collaborate to develop responses and analyses for OA’s Policy Lead.
10% Works with the ADAP Estimate lead to ensure all new drugs in phase III clinical trials that could
impact ADAP, are included in ADAP’s Estimate. Works with various workgroups throughout
OA as needed.

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