Public Health Follow-Up Lead

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS•Austin, TX

16d•Onsite

About The Position

DSHS is committed to hiring skilled and dedicated individuals who share a passion for public health to pursue our vision of A Healthy Texas. If you are looking to make an impact and tackle new challenges, we encourage you to consider a career with us. Performs highly advanced (senior-level) administrative, consultative services, planning, development, and implementation of statewide partner services standards, and technical assistance work in the HIV/STD Prevention Unit. Work involves planning, developing, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating public health follow-up procedures and goals for local and regional health departments through consultative and technical services to agency program staff, other governmental agencies, community-based organizations (CBO), and the public. Develops, evaluates, and establishes program goals and objectives while identifying program efficiencies to be implemented in the field. Provides consultative and technical assistance for public health follow-up consultants at the Department of State Health Services Central Office. Collaborates with other departments, local and regional health departments, and federal partners. Oversees the training of central office public health follow-up staff and others within the HIV/STD Section at Central Office, as well as in the local and regional health departments. Evaluates staff development needs. Work is performed under minimal supervision of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Prevention Manager with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment

Requirements

Knowledge of: Local, state, and federal laws related to the program area
Knowledge of: Public health administration and management techniques
Knowledge of: Analysis and program evaluation
Knowledge of: Interviewing, training and statistical analysis processes
Knowledge of: Program planning, implementation and evaluation
Knowledge of: Natural history, epidemiology, and management of STDs and HIV
Knowledge of: DSHS Program Operating Procedures and Standards
Knowledge of: Research techniques
Knowledge of: Disease intervention strategies
Knowledge of: Current disease trends and populations experiencing health disparities
Knowledge of: Social determinants of health
Knowledge of: Public health follow-up procedures and practices
Knowledge of: Various data collection systems
Knowledge of: Special projects impacting or involving enhanced disease intervention activities
Skills in: Using computer to prepare documents and comprehensive reports, and presentations
Skills in: Problem solving
Skills in: Developing clear and effective oral and written communication with culturally and professionally diverse audiences.
Skills in: Organizing and writing reports using business English grammar and a professional/business writing style.
Skills in: Conducting program oversight and evaluation.
Skills in: Using internet, MS Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and other computer applications.
Skills in: Developing and maintaining effective working relationships across organizational lines.
Skills in: Identifying measures and indicators of public health follow-up program and staff performance
Skills in: Data management system used for STD reporting and documentation
Skills in: In navigating challenging situations
Skills in: Providing constructive feedback to program staff and contractors
Skills in: Leading and facilitating workgroups
Ability to: Function without direct supervision
Ability to: Communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
Ability to: Gather, assemble, and analyze data related to STD surveillance and public health follow-up activities
Ability to: Establish goals and program objectives to ensure program is meeting federal and state standards
Ability to: Evaluate opportunities and new techniques for improving public health follow-up program disease intervention efficiencies
Ability to: Develop policies and procedures for public health follow-up
Ability to: Communicate effectively, tactfully, and professionally in written and spoken formats across DSHS section areas, DSHS divisions, local and regional health departments, and other collaborative partners
Ability to: Train new program staff on current processes and procedures
Ability to: Participate in diverse workgroups; to analyze and evaluate public health needs and barriers to care or intervention
Ability to: Establish program priorities, solve problems and meet deadlines
Ability to: Establish and monitor progress towards program goals and objectives
Ability to: Direct program activities by planning and organizing work in a logical and efficient manner
Ability to: Independently solve problems and adapt to changing program needs
Ability to: Productively work and interact with people with diverse backgrounds, education levels, and cultures
Ability to: Maintain information security and confidentiality
Four-year college degree with at least five (5) years of experience with public health follow-up and STD surveillance activities.
Trained in Disease Intervention strategies and supervision.

Nice To Haves

Trained in current data collection systems (preferred).

Responsibilities

Monitors and evaluates the work of public health follow-up consultants and provides training and technical assistance.
Develops and plans training of new staff to improve staff performance.
Monitors staff documentation of site reviews, technical assistance reports, and corrective action plans.
Develops action plans to improve the performance of local and regional health department public health follow-up programs.
Performs staff recruitment and interviews for consultant vacancies.
Oversees and provides guidance to consultants while investigating allegations for high level complaints and grievances and responding to public inquiries or concerns.
Models best practices during site reviews and other programmatic communications.
Trains new staff on central office role with data systems.
Develops and implements public health follow-up program guidelines, priorities, procedures, and policies and monitors compliance with set policies and procedures.
Oversees program adherence to established program standards.
Monitors and evaluates or coordinates evaluation of current program standards.
Develops strategies to identify, analyze and address problems impacting public health follow-up activities.
Identifies areas in need of change and makes recommendations to improve operations.
Plans, implements, coordinates, monitors and evaluates local health and regional health departments’ performance, as well as the performance of the state of Texas overall regarding public health follow-up activities and other funding objectives.
Coordinates program evaluation activities and site reviews.
Provides written and verbal feedback, including recommendations to local and state officials to improve program outcomes.
Monitors program disease trends in coordination with other program staff.
Oversees and participates in special investigations, program analyses, and research studies to include the evaluation of program efficiencies, procedures, and overall program goals and objectives.
Presents findings of the evaluation to local, state, and federal partners.
Performs related duties as assigned by supervisor (marginal functions).
Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency's obligations to state and federal partners; represents the agency at meetings, conferences, seminars, panels, and committees; works with and speaks to community partners to coordinate, improve, and stimulate interest in the public health follow-up program; and serves as a liaison with local, state, and national partners.
Serves as a surrogate for the program manager when needed.
Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.
Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Benefits

DSHS offers insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS).

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