State Suicide Prevention Epidemiologist

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS•Austin, TX

15d•$5,798 - $9,508•Hybrid

About The Position

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and be part of a team committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of fellow Texans. At HHSC, your contributions matter, and we support you at each stage of your life and work journey. Our comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, numerous opportunities for career advancement and more. Explore more details on the Benefits of Working at HHS webpage. The Program Specialist VII, functionally known as the State Suicide Prevention Epidemiologist, reports directly to the Associate Director of Suicide Prevention Policy and Services as part of the Prevention and Behavioral Health Promotion (PBHP) unit in Substance Use Programs (SUP). The Program Specialist VII performs advanced (senior-level) consultative services and technical assistance work related to suicide prevention and in particular, suicide-related data, research and policy. This position supports PBHP priorities and activities through leadership in suicide prevention epidemiology, surveillance, research, program planning, data analysis, training, and technical assistance. The State Suicide Prevention Epidemiologist serves as a key analytical resource for the Suicide Prevention Program and Behavioral Health Services (BHS) by providing data interpretation and analysis, strategic planning, training skills, and continuous quality improvement. The State Suicide Prevention Epidemiologist conducts analyses across PBHP and SUP, initiatives, contracts and data sources to identify trends, assess outcomes, inform decision-making, support integrated behavioral health prevention efforts, and strengthen statewide prevention strategies. This person will review proposed federal and state statutes and regulations that impact suicide prevention and provide consultation and guidance to ensure compliance. The State Suicide Prevention Epidemiologist will develop dashboards, legislative reports, briefing documents, issue papers, maps, tables, presentations, correspondence, and memorandums that translate complex information into actionable recommendations for leadership and stakeholders. The State Suicide Prevention Epidemiologist will serve as the lead writer for the House Bill 3980 suicide legislative report. In collaboration with the Director of Suicide Prevention Policy and Services, this position will represent PBHP on external councils, committees, or workgroups as needed, and will work on cross-agency initiatives and projects to enhance or fill gaps of suicide-related needs and will work with partners to coordinate and develop suicide prevention white papers and policies that can be adopted at both the state and local levels. This position provides training and technical assistance at the state and local levels to support data-informed suicide prevention planning, and implementation. The ideal candidate will thrive in an environment that emphasizes innovation, team building, recognizes individual differences as a source of strength, leads by example, and engages in continuous process improvement. Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy. This position may be eligible for telework. Please note, all HHS positions are subject to state and agency telework policies in addition to the discretion of the direct supervisor and business need.

Requirements

Applicant has a master’s degree with a focus in epidemiology, biostatistics, or a related field and at least two years of work experience in epidemiology or data analysis; or an undergraduate degree in public health, biostatistics, biological sciences, or a related field with five or more years of epidemiology or data analysis work experience is required.
Minimum three years using SAS or SPSS software related to database management and statistical and epidemiological analyses is required.
Knowledge of data collection, data analysis, database management, evaluation methods, data governance, confidentiality, and reporting standards for suicide prevention.
Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws applicable to the program.
Knowledge of strategic planning and program management.
Knowledge of principles related to epidemiology and public health.
Knowledge and experience of the legislative process.
Knowledge of best practices and application of suicide prevention, intervention and postvention.
Knowledge of linguistic and cultural competency for mental health and suicide related populations.
Skill in performing research, needs assessments, data analysis, program planning and program evaluation.
Proficient skill in the use of software relevant to database management and statistical and epidemiological analyses (SAS, SQL, Tableau, GIS, R, and/or SPSS).
Skill in working with statewide organizations, interagency councils, and community-based organizations.
Skills in applying behavioral health and suicide prevention strategies into policy, procedures and strategic planning.
Skill in analyzing and evaluating complex program and budget issues.
Skill in developing and implementing communications strategies.
Skill in developing creative and workable solutions to complex problems.
Skill in leadership, communication, training and public speaking.
Skill in the use of computer software products-Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point, Teams, and Sharepoint).
Skill in developing, writing, and editing legislative reports, executive documents and briefings.
Skill in collection and handling of protected health data and other confidential records.
Ability to synthesize, analyze, and translate highly complex and technical information and data sets into easily understandable and concise documents and oral presentations for agency leadership, stakeholders, and the public.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Ability to gather, assemble, correlate and analyze data, program outcomes and evaluate program improvement strategies for constant quality management.
Ability to perform effectively and produce results in a fast-paced work environment with multiple deadlines and priorities and manage workload effectively.
Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with external and internal partners and work cooperatively in a team environment, work under tight constraints, resolve conflicts.
Ability to navigate matters of high sensitivity, such as behavioral health crises, suicide, and life-threatening situations of stakeholder groups in an effective, ethical, and professional manner.
Ability to exercise independent judgment and show initiative.
Ability to complete tasks without close supervision and use considerable discretion and mature judgment in interactions with public and interpretation of data.

Nice To Haves

Minimum three years using SQL, Tableau, GIS or R software relevant to database management and statistical and epidemiological analyses is preferred.
Prior work experience at a public health agency is preferred.
Prior work at a government agency (local, state, federal, university, etc.) is preferred.
Previous work experience in suicide prevention, intervention, postvention or substance use prevention, intervention, and treatment programming, highly preferred.
Skill in the use of Adobe Creative Cloud computer software (InDesign, Illustrator) a plus

Responsibilities

Conducts advanced epidemiological surveillance, analysis and applied research on suicide, suicide attempts, self-harm, suicide-related risk and protective factors, and substance use and behavioral health indicators to support the Suicide Prevention Policy and Services team and the Prevention and Behavioral Health Promotion (PBHP) unit.
Collects, analyzes, interprets, and summarizes data from state and national sources, including mortality, hospitalization, emergency department, crisis, behavioral risk, youth risk, program, contract, and survey data.
Reviews relevant research, public health guidance, executive orders, and emerging evidence to identify trends, geographic patterns, emerging needs, and populations that may benefit from targeted prevention, intervention, postvention, substance use prevention, or behavioral health promotion strategies.
Interfaces as primary point of contact or “Principal Investigator” for any data requests or projects that require approval from Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Institutional Review Board.
Coordinates with director, setting goals/objectives and coordinating with state suicide prevention projects to ensure high quality, consistent suicide-related data collection and analysis.
Works with program staff, contractors, local mental health authorities, local behavioral health authorities, academic partners, and other stakeholders to collect and interpret program data, identify implementation barriers, and recommend strategies for continuous quality improvement.
Conducts cross-program analyses across PBHP and SUP programs, contracts, initiatives, and data systems when needed to support shared planning and decision-making.
Translates complex data, research findings, and program information into clear, accessible, and actionable products for agency leadership, program staff, partners, stakeholders, and the public.
Develops data summaries, dashboards, tables, maps, reports, data briefs, and presentations to inform program planning, funding recommendations, policy development, legislative responses, grant reporting, and strategic decision-making.
Uses data products to support program planning (such as Zero Suicide, suicide prevention training, postvention support, and community-based prevention strategies), policy development, funding recommendations, grant reporting, legislative responses, training priorities, technical assistance, and strategic decision-making.
Works with Director and program staff across BHS to develop logic models, evaluation plans, performance measures, data collection tools, and reporting processes to assess program reach, fidelity, quality, outcomes, and impact.
Ensures data products are accurate, timely, accessible, and aligned with HHSC, BHS, SUP, PBHP, and suicide prevention priorities.
Provides epidemiological consultation, technical assistance, and subject matter expertise to the Suicide Prevention team, PBHP leadership, BHS programs, contractors, advisory groups, and external partners to strengthen data-informed suicide prevention planning and implementation.
Supports the development of statewide and regional strategies by applying public health frameworks, prevention science, behavioral health promotion principles, and knowledge of suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention best practices and substance use/misuse prevention.
Participates in internal and external work groups, committees, and meetings to provide data interpretation, identify information gaps, and support coordinated approaches across systems serving Texans at risk for suicide.
Serves on the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council.
Assists with statewide training and technical support efforts; works with and presents to state and local community and professional groups to coordinate, improve and secure dissemination of suicide related data, outcomes and accurate information for suicide prevention related programs.
Consults with public and private agencies to communicate suicide-related data points and outcomes, identify training needs and discuss prevention program effectiveness.
Provides training and technical assistance and guidance to staff (internal and other HHS agencies) regarding best practices in mental illness prevention, suicide prevention, and postvention, and substance use prevention.
Plans, develops, coordinates, implements, evaluation and performance measurement activities for suicide prevention programs, policies, trainings, contracted services, and the State Suicide Prevention Plan.
Collects, manages, analyses, and interprets data to assess program effectiveness, monitor outcomes, identify trends, and support continuous quality improvement efforts, collaborating with leadership and other BHS departments and staff.
Tracks and analyzes data to develop quality improvement measures for maximum program and policy implementation success.
Establishes and facilitates interagency workgroups and committees related to program evaluation and data to advance and coordinate comprehensive suicide prevention efforts.
Provides programmatic support to the suicide prevention team including but not limited to providing technical assistance and suicide prevention specific training, as applicable.
Supports grant applications, federal and state reporting, legislative reports, and other required deliverables by ensuring evaluation findings are clear, accurate, and actionable.
Supports the preparation of briefing documents, issue papers, legislative items (bill analyses, exceptional items, and reports), responses to internal and external inquiries, grant applications, reports, and other written materials requiring accurate interpretation of suicide-related and behavioral health promotion data.
Maintains awareness of data governance, confidentiality, accessibility, and plain language standards when preparing materials for agency leadership, partners, and the public.
Collaborates with PBHP, SUP, and BHS staff to identify data needs, assess the potential impact of proposed policy and funding strategies, and develop recommendations that align with HHSC priorities, statutory requirements, and the behavioral health prevention continuum.
Performs other duties as assigned to support the Suicide Prevention team, PBHP, SUP, BHS, and HHSC operations. Other duties may include special projects, public health initiatives, continuity of operations activities, internal process improvement efforts, presentations, meetings, and workgroups to address business needs.