Medi-Cal group sets salary, wrestles over duties, for diversity czar

Nov. 17--VENTURA, Calif. -- The Gold Coast Health Plan will pay a chief diversity officer with the authority to dismiss employees over harassment, discrimination and retaliation issues between $147,000 and $196,720, a governing commission decided Monday.

The Ventura County Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission approved a salary range and wrestled over a job description in regards to its plans to hire a chief diversity officer as directed by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

The county edict came in the wake of concern over posters found in the plan's Camarillo office that observers called racially insensitive. Gold Coast is the publicly funded plan that administers Medi-Cal health insurance to nearly 200,000 Ventura County residents.

A commission committee proposed the diversity officer be given sole responsibility for all diversity, discrimination and harassment investigations.

The new hire, as proposed, would implement a diversity training program, evaluate allegations and would work to limit Gold Coast's legal exposure in diversity issues.

The officer would answer directly to the commission. According to an ordinance passed by the Board of Supervisors, the new hire would have the authority to independently take action against any employee except the plan's CEO, Dale Villani, for failure to comply with the plan's cultural diversity program.

Commissioner Darren Lee said he was worried the job was being structured in a way that would push Gold Coast's human resources department out of any diversity discussions. He pushed for more collaboration.

"I'm very concerned about building silos," he said.

New commissioner Shawn Atin, a member of the diversity committee, said independence on some issues is necessary to protect confidentiality and eliminate any perception that employees who make complaints could face retaliation.

"Some investigations are going to be very sensitive," said Atin, human resources director for Ventura County.

Villani expressed concern about language in the job description that was too broad and may create questions about exactly what employment issues fall under the diversity officer's purview. He said discussions about the new position's role and possible power is triggering anxiety among some Gold Coast employees.

Commissioner Barry Fisher proposed the job description include examples of the issues and investigations that would be handled solely by the chief diversity officer.

Commissioners didn't vote on a job description. They directed the three-person diversity committee to meet with Lee and work toward a final job description.

The salary range set by the commission matches the range for Gold Coast's human resources director.

Commissioners also set parameters for a five-person committee that will winnow chief diversity officer candidates before they're interviewed by the entire commission. The committee will include three commissioners, a diversity expert and a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens, an advocacy group that publicly complained about the posters and Gold Coast's work environment.

Commissioners debated over including LULAC. The group has made many previous allegations against Gold Coast and, according to the plan's lawyer Scott Campbell, is involved with a California Attorney General's Office investigation of Gold Coast.

The Star reported last year the Attorney General was investigating aspects of Gold Coast's financial relationship with an arm of Xerox that processes claims and provides other services for the Medi-Cal plan.

Atin noted the advocacy group represents a Latino population that comprises a huge part of Gold Coast's members.

"I think it's better to hear from your biggest critics and get buy-in," he said.

Commissioners approved the winnowing committee's makeup, including a LULAC representative, in a 7-2 vote.

Lee and Dr. Lanyard Dial voted no. Commissioner Peter Foy, a county supervisor, was absent.

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