Chapter 1 – General Administration

The Director of the Division of Health Care Services (DHCSDivision of Health Care Services (Formerly Division of Correctional Health Care Services, DCHCS)) reports to the Undersecretary of Administration and Offender Services. The DHCSDivision of Health Care Services (Formerly Division of Correctional Health Care Services, DCHCS) is responsible for consistently providing quality health care to the inmate population within the custodial environment. Quality of care is defined as timely, appropriate, effective, and efficient health care provided within an accepted scope of services and consistent with community standards of care. The Director, DHCSDivision of Health Care Services (Formerly Division of Correctional Health Care Services, DCHCS), provides overall administrative direction for the program.

Primary functions include:

• Planning and developing statewide clinical policies and programs.

• Assisting with implementation of policies and programs in the field.

• Administering the programs in the field based on policies and performance data.

• Evaluating the performance of programs and professional practices.

Based on these four functions, this branch is organized into two major Sections: Clinical Policy and Programs, and Field Management.

This Section consists of staff members who primarily work within one of three units in headquarters. The units include Clinical Standards and Services, Public Health and Prevention, and Clinical Programs Support.

Clinical Standards and Services Unit

• Primary functions include:

  • Planning and develops standards and structures for clinical operations, professional practice, and management of clinical quality and utilization including use of licensed beds, contract specialty services, and pharmaceutical drugs.

  • Planning and developing the orientation, training and development program.

  • Providing clinical services and consultations. Clinical operations include programs that span disciplines of public health, medicine, surgery, nursing, dentistry, mental health, and pharmacy.

Public Health and Prevention Unit

• The primary function is to collaborate and coordinate with the Clinical Standards and Services and Clinical Programs Support units, and the Field Management Section to plan, develop, and evaluate key public health and prevention programs that focus on Hepatitis C, and inmate-patient education and prevention services. In addition, this program will assist the Office of Risk Management (ORM), and the Academy, in projects and training activities that focus on reducing the risks of communicable diseases and occupational injuries.

Clinical Programs Support Unit

• Primary functions include:

  • Developing and maintaining clinical information systems that monitor and analyze data collected from several priority areas to ensure compliance with standards of care, program policies, and court mandates.

  • Generating routine and ad hoc reports that assist in management decisions.

This Section consists of staff members who primarily work within one of two units at regional and institutional sites. The units include the Quality Management Assistance Program and Regional Administration.

• Quality Management Assistance Program Unit

• Using two types of teams, the Quality Management Assistance Teams and the Utilization Management Assessment Teams, primary functions include:

  • Facilitating implementation of statewide policies and programs.

  • Providing appropriate orientation and training.

  • Monitoring and improving system and staff performance.

• The Utilization Management Assessment Teams consist of registered nurses who work in the institutions. The primary duties of the nurses include:

  • Ensuring compliance with the Utilization and Pharmacy Management policies, procedures, and criteria.

  • Identifying opportunities to improve quality and reduce waste.

• Current priorities focus on the use of registries, licensed correctional beds, costly medications, and community contract services, including emergency services, hospital beds, and requests for referrals for transplant evaluations.

Regional Administration Unit

• The primary function of this unit is to administer and manage health care programs in the field based on statewide priorities, policies, and performance requirements. The Regional Administration Unit consists of three regions:

  • Northern Region:

    • California Correctional Center (CCCCalifornia Correctional Center).

    • California Medical Facility (CMFCalifornia Medical Facility).

    • California State Prison, Sacramento (SACCalifornia State Prison, Sacramento).

    • California State Prison, San Quentin (SQCalifornia State Prison, San Quentin).

    • California State Prison, Solano (SOLCalifornia State Prison, Solano or Statute of Limitations ).

    • Deuel Vocational Institution (DVIDeuel Vocational Institution).

    • Folsom State Prison (FOL).

    • High Desert State Prison (HDSPHigh Desert State Prison).

    • Mule Creek State Prison (MCSPMule Creek State Prison).

    • Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSPPelican Bay State Prison).

    • Sierra Conservation Center (SCCSierra Conservation Center).

  • Central Region:

    • Avenal State Prison (ASPAvenal State Prison).

    • Central California Women’s Facility (CCWFCentral California Women's Facility).

    • California Men’s Colony (CMCCalifornia Men's Colony).

    • California State Prison, Corcoran (CORCalifornia State Prison, Corcoran).

    • California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison at Corcoran (SATFCalifornia Substance Abuse Yreatment Facility & State Prison, Corcoran).

    • Correctional Training Facility (CTFCorrectional Training Facility).

    • North Kern State Prison (NKSPNorth Kern State Prison).

    • Kern Valley State Prison (KVSPKern Valley State Prison)

    • Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSPPleasant Valley State Prison).

    • Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSPSalinas Valley State Prison).

    • Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW).

    • Wasco State Prison-Reception Center (WSPWasco State Prison).

  • Southern Region:

    • California Correctional Institution (CCICalifornia Correctional Institution).

    • California Institution for Men (CIMCalifornia Institution for Men).

    • California Institution for Women (CIWCalifornia Institution for Women).

    • California Rehabilitation Center (CRCCalifornia Rehabilitation Center).

    • Calipatria State Prison (CALCalipatria State Prison).

    • California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LACCalifornia State Prison, Los Angeles County).

    • Centinela State Prison (CENCentinela State Prison).

    • Chuckawalla Valley State Prison (CVSPChuckawalla Valley State Prison).

    • Ironwood State Prison (ISPIronwood State Prison).

    • Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility at Rock Mountain (RJDRichard J. Donovan Correctional Facility at Rock Mountain).

The primary functions include:

• Developing administrative processes and procedures to support clinical policies and programs at division headquarters and in the field.

• Developing and maintaining appropriate resource development and management procedures.

• Developing, coordinating, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating health care fiscal, quantitative, and programmatic data collection systems and processes to assist in program analysis and planning efforts.

Based on the functions listed above, this branch is organized into three major sections: the Fiscal and Business Management Section, the Licensing and Information Systems Section, and the Program and Policy Coordination Section.

This Section consists of administrative and analytical staff that primarily work in the DHCSDivision of Health Care Services (Formerly Division of Correctional Health Care Services, DCHCS) headquarters which includes four units: Contracts, Health Care Cost Utilization Program (HCCUP), Fiscal Management, and Capital Outlay.

Contracts Unit

• The primary functions include:

  • Developing and negotiating Master Health Care Contracts.

  • Developing and implementing statewide contract policies and strategies.

  • Evaluating and piloting managed care alternatives.

  • Monitoring statewide contracts.

HCCUP Unit

• The primary functions include:

  • Developing, implementing, and maintaining automated statewide systems for health care cost accounting and reporting; census and discharge data collection and reporting; and reporting standardized information on statewide health care cost utilization that supports planning, budgeting, and management needs of DHCSDivision of Health Care Services (Formerly Division of Correctional Health Care Services, DCHCS).

  • Developing patient profiles to assist the DHCSDivision of Health Care Services (Formerly Division of Correctional Health Care Services, DCHCS) management in anticipating trends for the purpose of developing future programs and resources requests.

Fiscal Management Unit

• The primary functions include:

  • Developing, implementing, and maintaining.

  • Consulting with Health Care Managers (HCMs) and participating in the training for HCMs and other health care staff on the systems processes, and reporting responsibilities inherent in budget management.

  • Developing and preparing budget concept statements and budget change proposals, including statewide budget change proposals.

  • Providing direction and support to field managers on trends that could affect their ability to maintain costs within allocated levels, and works closely with managers within the division and other divisions within the Department to develop staffing formulas and ratios.

  • Establishing and maintaining reporting and monitoring systems and annual allocations.

Capital Outlay Unit

• The primary functions of this unit are directing and coordinating the division’s capital outlay and materials management processes.

This Section consists of administrative and analytical staff that work in the DHCSDivision of Health Care Services (Formerly Division of Correctional Health Care Services, DCHCS) headquarters and include three units: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Compliance, Information Systems, and Licensing.

HIPAA Unit

• The primary functions include:

  • Researching, developing, and implementing standardized policies and procedures for the Department’s HIPAA program areas.

  • Identifying and assisting in the implementation of improvements in information processing to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the Department’s health care services.

  • Coordinating the assessment and improvement of statewide systems.

Information Systems Unit

• The primary functions include:

  • Supporting computer and computer related equipment and printers used by DHCSDivision of Health Care Services (Formerly Division of Correctional Health Care Services, DCHCS) staff.

  • Coordinating with the EISEnterprise Information Services (formerly Information Services Division), DAIDivision of Adult Institutions (formerly Institutions Division), and other programs and agencies regarding health care information system activities and processes.

  • Developing, implementing, and coordinating health care data collection and information processing procedures.

Licensing Unit

• The primary functions include:

  • Preparing new health care facilities for initial licensure.

  • Assisting existing licensed health care facilities to maintain licensure.

  • Assisting clinical staff to develop and implement policies and procedures, including new statutory and regulatory requirements.

This Section consists of administrative and analytical staff that work in DHCSDivision of Health Care Services (Formerly Division of Correctional Health Care Services, DCHCS) headquarters and include three units: Education, Training and Telemedicine, and Policy and Planning Coordination.

Education Unit

• The primary function of this unit includes the coordination, planning, and provision of the educational programs of the Division, including the Inmate Peer Education Program and the Continuing Medical Education program.

Training and Telemedicine Unit

• The primary functions include:

  • Planning, organizing, developing, conducting, and evaluating health care training programs.

  • Planning, development, and management of the telemedicine services program, including the development of service sites, development of policies and procedures to coordinate clinical services, selection and installation of appropriate telemedicine equipment, data collection, service monitoring, and evaluation.

Policy and Planning Coordination Unit

• The primary functions include:

  • Developing programs and administrative functions relating to the design and implementation of health care planning efforts.

  • Coordinating the planning and policy research, analysis, and development between the units of the division.

  • Analyzing health care statutory and regulatory changes and proposals.

This Section consists of administrative and analytical staff whose primary functions include the development and maintenance of an effective division personnel program and the oversight and processing of personnel transactions and procedures.

The Director, Division of Health Care Services or designee is responsible for ensuring that the content of this Article are kept current and accurate.

CCRCalifornia Code of Regulations 15 (3).