Disease Intervention Specialist

ONLY PERMANENT EMPLOYEES IN THE TITLE AND THOSE THAT ARE REACHABLE ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISER CIVIL SERVICE LIST ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.

Division/Program Summary:

The NYC Health Departments Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (BHHS) falls within the Division of Disease Control and oversees the Citys response to viral hepatitis, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Its mission is to improve the lives of New Yorkers by ending transmission, illness, stigma, and inequities related to viral hepatitis, HIV, and STIs. BHHS does this through testing initiatives; prevention, care, and treatment programming; epidemiology and surveillance; training and technical assistance; community engagement; social marketing; policy advocacy; and racial equity and social justice initiatives. BHHSs over 500 staff members work across eight programs: Administration, HIV Care and Treatment, HIV Epidemiology, HIV Prevention, Policy and External Affairs, Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiatives, STI, and Viral Hepatitis. BHHS works to end viral hepatitis, HIV, and STIs in New York City using an approach that is strengths-based, community-driven, and intersectional, accounting for how factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, sex, and socioeconomic status, among others, come together to impact public health.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Congenital Infections Coordinator, you will be conducting confidential disease investigation activities in the Congenital Syphilis Prevention Unit, for persons diagnosed with, exposed to, or at risk of acquiring certain sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct field investigations and gather relevant medical (symptoms, treatment, etc.), demographic, and behavioral information from: diagnosing provider, historical health department records, Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIO) and other relevant information sources via phone and electronic systems.
• Ensure key variables (e.g., pregnancy status) is known and documented for relevant syphilis investigations.
• Contact providers to ensure adequate treatment of patients.
• Ensure pregnant persons are tested for syphilis in their third trimester of pregnancy.
• Determine case status based on national case definitions established by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE).
• Collaborate with staff from the STI Case Investigation and Partner Services (CIPS) Unit to obtain complete and high-quality surveillance data to facilitate case investigations.
• Document all activities in the surveillance and case management system (Maven).
• Educate providers about reporting requirements, up-to-date treatment, and screening recommendations.
• Perform core surveillance duties including: Process records from electronic workflows in Maven on a daily basis and assign to other staff as required.
• Enter provider and laboratory report forms into related databases.
• Perform syphilis registry checks for providers.
• Answer the surveillance unit phone, monitor the surveillance unit voicemail box, respond to messages, sort and distribute mail.
• Participate in the Incident Command System to support emergency response needs as requested; attend all emergency response and ICS training.

Why you should work for us:

• Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:

o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.

o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position's associated union/benefit fund.

o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.

o a tax-deferred savings program and

o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.

• Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
• Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

Commitment to Equity:

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individuals sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

The NYC Health Department is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation to all individuals. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Sye-Eun Ahn, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, at sahn1@health.nyc.gov or 347-396-6549.

PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISER - 51191

Minimum Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, including or supplemented by twelve semester credits in health education, or in health, social or biological sciences; or

Note:

1. For certain assignments, satisfactory completion of training in phlebotomy or other necessary procedures is required. Certification in HIV counseling may be required for certain other assignments.

2. Public Health Advisers are required to have an annual health assessment.

3. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, and six months of full-time satisfactory experience in a health promotion or disease intervention/prevention program, performing one or more of the following: interviewing, conducting community investigations, assessing health risks, making referrals, or collecting and analyzing epidemiological data; or

Note:

1. For certain assignments, satisfactory completion of training in phlebotomy or other necessary procedures is required. Certification in HIV counseling may be required for certain other assignments.

2. Public Health Advisers are required to have an annual health assessment.

3. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and four years of full-time satisfactory experience as described in "2" above; or

Note:

1. For certain assignments, satisfactory completion of training in phlebotomy or other necessary procedures is required. Certification in HIV counseling may be required for certain other assignments.

2. Public Health Advisers are required to have an annual health assessment.

3. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", "2" or "3" above. Undergraduate college credit can be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 semester credits from an accredited college for one year of full-time experience. However, all candidates must have a four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and either twelve semester credits as described in "1" above or six months of experience as described in "2" above.

Note:

1. For certain assignments, satisfactory completion of training in phlebotomy or other necessary procedures is required. Certification in HIV counseling may be required for certain other assignments.

2. Public Health Advisers are required to have an annual health assessment.

3. To be assigned to Assignment Level II, candidates must have, in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements listed above, at least one year of experience as a Public Health Adviser, Assignment Level I, or at least one additional year of experience as described in Qualification Requirement "2" above.

Note:

1. For certain assignments, satisfactory completion of training in phlebotomy or other necessary procedures is required. Certification in HIV counseling may be required for certain other assignments.

2. Public Health Advisers are required to have an annual health assessment.

Preferred Skills

Bilingual: English/Spanish or other languages, preferred, but not required. Experience conducting surveillance case investigations in public health practice. Experience with review of medical chart data. Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated detail-oriented organizational skills. Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment. Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse set of staff, such as public health investigators, epidemiologists, analysts, and medical providers. Willingness to learn new computer programs as necessary. Possession of a NYS Driver License.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individuals sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.