Drug User Health Coordinator (HP III) - STI/HIV/VH

ABOUT CDPHE:

At the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, we are charged with protecting Colorado’s health and environment – a responsibility that affects every person and every community in the state. CDPHE is distinctive because we bring public health and environmental protection together under one agency, recognizing that healthy people depend on healthy places. Our teams prevent diseases and injury, respond to emergencies ranging from E.coli outbreaks to global pandemics, reduce air pollution, protect water quality, regulate health facilities, manage environmental hazards, perform advanced laboratory testing, provide birth and death records, and implement health promoting programs. We turn science and data into action, set statewide standards, and work alongside local public health agencies and community partners to meet Colorado’s most pressing health and environmental challenges. Working at CDPHE means applying your expertise to complex, consequential work that can improve lives across the state. 

Our mission captures this broad portfolio of work: to advance Colorado’s health and protect the places we live, learn, work, and play. Our vision is a healthy and sustainable Colorado where current and future generations can thrive. Achieving the mission and vision takes bold action, talented people, broad partnerships, and a commitment to serving every Coloradan.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• Hybrid work options may be available at the supervisor’s discretion and based on business needs. The position will be based at 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South Denver, CO 80246. 

CDPHE Offers: 

CDPHE offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to build a meaningful career in public service. Benefits include:

• Medical and dental plans.

• Colorado PERA retirement options, including defined benefit plan or defined contribution plan. 

• Optional 401(K) and 457 retirement plans. 

• Employer-paid life insurance.

• Short- and long-term disability coverage.

• Potential flexible working arrangements

• 11 paid holidays per year and generous paid time off.

• Free parking and access to RTD bus lines.

• Tuition assistance. 

• Employee wellness programs.

• Professional development opportunities.

• Career opportunities throughout Colorado state government. 

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. 

The Work Unit: 

The Office of STI/HIV/Viral Hepatitis (VH) is committed to high-quality services, innovative public health practice and community partnerships. We work to ensure quality and medically accurate STI/HIV/VH-related prevention, care, and treatment services for all people in Colorado. Functions include public health surveillance of STI/HIV/VH; follow-up of people newly diagnosed with an STI/HIV/VH to ensure adequate treatment and referrals to care; access to care, partners’ services, and treatment as appropriate; developing comprehensive prevention programs; and conducting program evaluation to enhance the use of STI/HIV/VH data to direct prevention and care activities.

The Syndemic Program recognizes HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, and substance use affect similar populations and each of these health concerns directly affects the others. This program aims to implement a coordinated, comprehensive response to the intersecting issues of HIV, STI, viral hepatitis, and substance use whenever possible. This includes supporting proven public health interventions, maximizing available state and federal funding, and promoting best practices to ensure access to prevention, testing, linkage to care, and treatment activities. Staffing consists of Viral Hepatitis, Drug User Health, and Biomedical Prevention staff who promote STI/HIV/VH prevention and care in related systems, and serve as a bridge to liaise, connect, and integrate existing programs within the Office of STI/HIV/VH and Department, as well as identify “outside-the-box” opportunities for collaboration and integration to enhance disease response and programmatic planning activities. This team works closely with other units in the division to provide technical assistance and support related to the surveillance and prevention of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and hepatitis D; referrals to STI/HIV pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis; syringe service programs; and community-based infectious disease prevention services. The team frequently interacts with various external providers, community-based organizations, and other service agencies that assist in the clinical care or other direct service provision of those living with and vulnerable to the acquisition of STI/HIV/VH.

The Office of STI/HIV/VH is committed to disrupting inequities and operates on the belief that all people across the state should have equitable opportunities to live healthy lives.

What You Will Do: 

This position’s responsibilities include providing direct technical assistance, identifying current and emerging resources and support needs, and monitoring activities related to reducing the negative consequences associated with drug use and addressing the intersecting HIV, hepatitis, and substance use epidemics. These activities include promoting evidence-based and promising public health interventions and policies that support drug user health, especially access to infectious disease prevention, testing, and treatment services.

This position assists and equips frontline staff and providers with resources to improve health outcomes for people who use drugs and prevent the transmission of hepatitis and HIV. Additionally, this position serves as a central liaison for community partners delivering syringe access, community-based infectious disease prevention services, and other funded partners serving people who use drugs. This position serves as the subject matter expert across the Office in programming and activities related to improving the health of people who use drugs and delivering syringe access and community-based infectious disease prevention services. This position plays an essential role in supporting the Office’s coordinated response to achieve maximum public health impact and promote the health of people who use drugs, including access to prevention, testing, care, and treatment services for HIV, viral hepatitis, and other infectious diseases.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensures related programs and activities are consistent and align with federal guidelines, state and local regulations, evidence-based research, and best practices.

• Participates in strategic discussions and provides programmatic recommendations to address the HIV, hepatitis, and substance use epidemics among people who use drugs.

• Works across all programs in the Office to identify meaningful ways to incorporate drug user health issues into current deliverables and scopes of services.

• Provides program and contract management support for the Office’s CDPHE-funded agencies providing syringe access, community-based infectious disease prevention, and other services focused on improving the health of people who use drugs.

• Provides support to the no-cost product distribution program.

• Monitors program outcomes and adjusts program direction and performance standards to maximize public health impact as it relates to the Office and contractor activities.

• Provides tailored technical assistance and capacity building training to Office staff and other stakeholders, such as local health departments, community-based organizations, and harm reduction agencies, to strengthen drug user health programming, including but not limited to syringe access and community-based infectious disease prevention services.

• Works closely with all programs in the Office to ensure client-facing staff and contractors are equipped to work with people who use drugs as it relates to improving the health of people who use drugs, especially as it relates to infectious disease prevention.

• Conducts outreach and education to stakeholders, assesses the capacity of community providers to deliver syringe access and community-based infectious disease prevention services to PWUD, and develops capacity building/technical assistance plans in coordination with community providers, harm reduction agencies, syringe service programs, and disease intervention specialist (DIS) teams.

• Attends meetings, serves on task forces or teams, completes projects, fulfills data requests, participates in team activities, and performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Residency Requirement:

Class Code & Classification Description:
C7C3XX Health Professional III

Minimum Qualifications:

Six (6) years of relevant experience in providing harm reduction, drug user health, public health, behavioral health services, and/or closely related experience. 

OR

A combination of related education in Public Health, Health Education, Epidemiology, Sociology, Social Work, Human Services, or closely related and/or relevant experience in providing harm reduction, drug user health, public health, and/or behavioral health services, or closely related experience equal to six (6) years. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to the minimum requirements, the successful candidate in this position will have the following highly desirable experience and competencies:  

• Experience working with cross-functional teams.

• Familiarity with harm reduction framework, drug user health, and/or behavioral health.

• Experience working in HIV and/or hepatitis and/or drug user health is preferred.

• Experience working in a governmental public health department.

• Knowledge of and relationships with harm reduction agencies and syringe access programs on a local and/or state level. 

• Ability to collaborate and communicate with a diverse group of stakeholders. 

• Strong attention to detail. 

• Experience providing training and technical assistance.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Residency Requirement:

  • This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

• A pre-employment background check will be conducted as part of the selection process.

• Critical Status: Must be available in the event of an emergency, (e.g., bio-terrorist attack, chemical attack, disease outbreak or all hazards) and be required to report to work immediately at the regular or alternate location. During this time, travel restrictions may be in place.

• Critical Status: Must be available in the event of the activation of the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and be required to report to work immediately at the regular or alternate location. During this time, travel restrictions may be in place.

• TRAVEL: 

  • Occasional travel with local, state, and national stakeholders. 

Appeal Rights:

As an applicant who has been removed from consideration during the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board and/or request a review by the State Personnel Director. A standard appeal form is available on the State Personnel Board website, https://spb.colorado.gov/forms-and-filing. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within ten (10) days of your receipt of this notice: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: 303-866-5038. Phone: 303-866-3300. Email address: [email protected]. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at spb.colorado.gov.

A complete application packet must include:

• Completed State of Colorado application.

• If using education to qualify for this position a copy of your transcripts (unofficial acceptable) or diploma must be provided with application. Transcripts must be attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application.

• If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214 must be attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application.

The Selection Process:

• All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.

• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.

• A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.

CDPHE does not provide visa sponsorship at this time. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

E-Verify: 

CDPHE uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

ADAAA Accommodations:

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator at [email protected] or call 303-692-2060, option 5.