Community Health Consultant

State of Iowa•Des Moines - 50319 - Polk County, IA

8h•Remote

About The Position

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of Behavioral Health, is seeking a motivated, collaborative professional to serve as a Project Coordinator supporting key statewide behavioral health initiatives. This is an opportunity to contribute to work that strengthens prevention, treatment, and recovery services and improves outcomes for individuals, families, and communities across Iowa. Our Mission To strengthen Iowa’s behavioral health system by supporting coordinated, high-quality services that promote well-being, resilience, and recovery. Our Vision A responsive, data-informed behavioral health system where Iowans have access to comprehensive, evidence-based care across the full continuum of services. About the Role The Project Coordinator plays a central role in supporting the implementation, monitoring, and coordination of behavioral health projects, with a primary focus on the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant. This position works closely with internal program teams, community partners, treatment providers, and leadership to ensure consistent, effective service delivery statewide.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited college or university with major coursework in nursing, a human services or health-oriented field, or education, or nutrition and three years of professional experience in these areas; OR Master's degree in nursing, public health or science, a human services or health-oriented field, or education, may be substituted for one year of the required experience; OR certification as a paramedic and the equivalent of three years of full-time experience as a paramedic; OR an equivalent or combination of the required education and experience, totaling seven years, will be qualifying.
Experience in behavioral health, public health, social services, or related fields
Strong project coordination or project management experience
Understanding of behavioral health prevention, treatment, and recovery systems
Experience working with federally funded or discretionary grants
Skilled in data collection, accurate review, analysis, and reporting
Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse partners and stakeholders
Strong communication, organization, and multitasking skills
Experience supporting program monitoring, evaluation, or site visits
Familiarity with fiscal processes including expenditure review or budget tracking
Commitment to supporting Iowans through effective, data-informed behavioral health services
535 Public Health 6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both related to improving, maintaining, and protecting the general condition of health within society, either on a personal, institutional, organizational, or community basis. Experience may be gained from direct provision of health care or from other ancillary programs and support mechanisms such as government public health departments. OR 663 Substance Abuse Programs 6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in prevention programs, clinical substance abuse, or preventative abuse (counselors, treatment workers) that includes: Applicants who develop and/or present programs designed to inform a population on the use, abuse, and dependency of alcohol or other drugs. Initiation, design and/or review of education curriculums, which include alcohol/drug, related information (pharmacology, reasons for use, chemical dependency, etc.). Presentations to professionals, community organizations, youth in school, on chemical dependency. Preparation of media campaigns, including newspaper articles and public service announcements on prevention of substance abuse. Training of youth, parents, and professionals in assertiveness training (“saying no” strategies), communication skills, assertive discipline, decision-making, peer helping, employee assistance programming, and/or student assistance programming. Consultation with community organizations or other human service providers to develop prevention programming. Provide OWI classes to first-time offenders. Inform the public of the effects of chemical dependency on families.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with Project Directors and Coordinators to manage and support behavioral health projects, with emphasis on SOR-funded prevention, treatment, and recovery services.
Coordinate with programs across the Behavioral Health Division and statewide partners to promote consistent, connected services across the behavioral health continuum.
Participate in implementing the Behavioral Health Service System state plan, with primary focus on treatment and recovery strategies.
Organize and support training, technical assistance, and information sharing efforts related to grant activities.
Lead coordination of annual and follow up site visits for SOR and other discretionary grants.
Assist in developing performance standards for contracted agencies; support ongoing agency monitoring and evaluation.
Support program data processes including collection, accuracy review, analysis, and fiscal tracking.
Work with leadership and evaluators to implement systems for data collection and results dissemination.
Prepare required reports for federal partners, departmental leadership, and project stakeholders.