North Region Disease Intervention Specialist

State of Indiana•Fort Wayne, IN

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Indiana Department of Health’s mission is to promote, protect, and improve the health and safety of all Hoosiers so that they can reach their optimal health regardless of where they live, learn, work, or play. The Regional Disease Intervention Specialist holds dual responsibilities as a regional point of contact for all assigned local health departments (LHDs) and as a disease intervention specialist for the IDOH HIV, STI, and Viral Hepatitis division. As a regional point of contact for LHDs, the disease intervention specialist provides customer service and technical support to LHDs in the areas of STI, HIV, and harm reduction through connecting LHDs to IDOH subject matter experts, IDOH resources, other LHDs, and regional resources. This position also provides direct support to LHDs as they onboard new staff or initiate testing and treatment services. The Regional Disease Intervention Specialist investigates Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, and HIV diagnoses utilizing best practices including interviews with people with STI diagnoses, analyzing case and disease information, providing testing services, and interacting with health care providers and other medical staff who support STI or HIV care. The role ensures clients receive appropriate treatment, partner services, risk reduction education, referrals, and co-infection testing in accordance with the IDOH STI Division.

Requirements

Extensive knowledge of and ability to interpret federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and policies pertaining to research.
Broad knowledge of the operation of health care provider agencies including hospitals, clinics, health departments, and state and county facilities such as prisons/jails.
Extensive knowledge of record keeping, problem identification/solving and consultation methods.
Broad knowledge of Universal Precautions, CDC policies and procedures and Indiana laws pertaining to collection of bodily fluids.
Ability to work with and maintain confidentiality and security of data.
Be willing to travel with reasonable accommodation.
Ability to conduct and complete confidential client centered interviews.
Ability to prepare, conduct, and evaluate trainings for health care providers and community organizations and work with them to accomplish the program goals.
Ability to communicate effectively.
Ability to utilize Microsoft Office Suite.
Ability to elicit sensitive information in a non-judgmental manner.
At least 6 years of public health related experience applying the outlined knowledge, skills, and abilities in a similar role may be considered.
Individuals should have the ability to perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

A degree is not required.

Responsibilities

Investigate complaints and prepares reports documenting findings.
Interview individuals to determine facts as they pertain to communicable disease control efforts.
Locate and interview individuals who are non-compliant regarding the control of their communicable disease.
Locate and interview individuals who have not received care for their communicable disease.
Counsel individuals on the status of their communicable disease.
Attempt to obtain an individual’s voluntary compliance with risk reduction behaviors.
May perform finger sticks to determine status of communicable disease and send specimens to a CDC designated laboratory within 48 hours of the blood draw.
Maintain electronic case files.
Provide testing and counseling information to local health departments, medical providers, and care coordinators.
Provide service and follow-up on state and/or federal health directives.
Maintain utmost standards of confidentiality in relation to all investigations/interviews.
Facilitate and assist in the referral of clients to services.
Essential functions of this position require travel on most workdays to inspect, audit, examine, survey, or investigate clients, customers, or other regulated entities and write reports at those sites or employee’s home.
Employee reports to the agency’s office for occasional meetings or events.
Number and timing of work hours may vary daily or weekly to accommodate operational needs and staffing concerns at the client’s or customer’s worksite, minimize expenditures for repeated visits to complete the work, and allocate resources to complete assigned work effectively.
This position is exempt from overtime compensation for additional work hours which may be required to complete essential functions or other assigned work.
Exempt employees may work more than 75 hours in a pay period without additional compensation and must report a minimum of 75 hours per pay period of work hours and/or paid leave taken to receive their base biweekly salary.

Benefits

Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans
Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards
Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution
Deferred compensation 457(b) account (similar to 401(k) plan) with employer match
Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options
150 hours of paid New Parent Leave and up to eight weeks of paid Childbirth Recovery Leave for eligible mothers
Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave
Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off
12 paid holidays, 14 on election years
Education Reimbursement Program
Group life insurance
Referral Bonus program
Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits
Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Free Parking for most positions
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