Disease Research and Intervention Specialist - Hepatitis C Program
- Summary
Public Health- Seattle & King County values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans.
As the only county in the United States named after Martin Luther King Jr, one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nations' history, King County is a vibrant community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. Together, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence.
We continue to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of equity and social justice, employee engagement, innovative thinking and continuous improvement. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda aimed at advancing regional change and is developing the systems and standards necessary to achieve better outcomes for all of our residents, regardless of their race or income. All of these qualities make this King County one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.
The Public Health – Seattle & King County Communicable Disease and Immunization (CD-Imms) Section's mission is to promote and protect the health of the public through prevention and control of communicable diseases, including partnering with healthcare providers and others to prevent hepatitis C transmission and connect people living with hepatitis C to medical care.
This full-time Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position works directly with the Hepatitis C Program team including the Viral Hepatitis Program Lead, epidemiologists, Public Health Nurse (PHN), and program managers across the Prevention division. Major areas of responsibility for this position include: tracking and monitoring hepatitis C cases from the Harborview Medical Center Emergency Department, providing test results and counseling for patients diagnosed with hepatitis C infection, and care coordination to ensure patients receive timely referrals to hepatitis C care, harm reduction services, and other support services as needed. Duties are primarily conducted in an office setting, with most casework done by telephone. This position reports to the Viral Hepatitis Program Lead in the Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunization (CD/IMMS) section of the Prevention Division. This position is expected to last two years.
*The Disease Research and Intervention Specialist should be committed to working with diverse populations throughout King County to provide excellent service to people from a broad range of cultures, in accordance with the King County Equity and Social Justice Ordinance and the King County Strategic Plan. The position supports and advances Public Health values for fair and culturally competent service delivery, innovative, effective and efficient application of resources, building a culture of performance and expanding opportunities to seek input, listen and respond to community members.
WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to the general public and all Career Service, Career Service Exempt and other regular (non-temporary) employees in King County who have completed their initial County probation. You must have supervisor approval prior to taking a Special Duty Assignment. This position is expected to last two years.
WORK SCHEDULE: This position has a regular schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and may be required to work outside of these hours.
WORK LOCATION: This position will primarily work at the Chinook Building in Seattle, WA. As needed, the position may be deployed to other Public Health Centers and sites throughout King County.
APPLICATION PROCESS: The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:- NEOGOV/Government Jobs on-line or paper application
- Supplemental Questions with complete, thorough answers.
You may attach multiple documents if you wish:- Copy and paste one or more documents into the text resume section of the application.
- Attach multiple documents/files in the resume/attachment section.
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you if you do not include the standard information in the application. Include relevant information only on the resume or cover letter. If you reference "see resume" on your application it will be considered incomplete. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
CONTACT: For questions about this recruitment, please email Angela Brown, Human Resource Analyst at abrown@kingcounty.gov.- Job Duties
- Duties are primarily conducted in an office setting, with most casework done via telephone.
- Review laboratory and electronic health record (EHR) reports to identify patients who tested positive for Hepatitis C while seeking care in the Harborview Emergency Department and collect relevant information on past testing and risk factors.
- Communicate with medical providers, nurses and social workers to provide test result notification, disease and harm reduction counseling, and referrals to medical care and support services.
- Conduct patient needs assessments to determine barriers to accessing care and facilitate referrals for additional support services.
- Coordinate with healthcare clinics and providers to schedule medical appointments, fax laboratory results and clinical notes, and verify appointment attendance.
- Collaborate with Public Health-Seattle & King County (PHSKC) programs serving similar patient populations (i.e., Healthcare for the Homeless, HIV/STD Clinic, and Downtown Needle Exchange) to coordinate care of mutual patients and facilitate referrals to community-based services.
- Conduct interviews and investigations that build rapport through: equitable respect, open-mindedness, and compassion to all racial, gender, and class lines.
- Communicate with: diverse cultures, people that are drug impaired, people with mental health issues, in a way that adheres to King County values.
- Seek out interpreter services and collaborate with community partners as needed.
- Enter Hepatitis C screening and linkage to care data into multiple databases.
- Under the supervision of the Viral Hepatitis Program Lead, provide consultation, outreach, education, training and public messaging about Hepatitis C to health care professionals and community partners.
- Assist with monitoring the quality of the Hepatitis C screening and linkage to care data and ensuring completeness and quality of data.
- Attend weekly case supervision meetings with Viral Hepatitis Program Lead to discuss screening trends, patient care plans, and strategies for overcoming barriers to care.
- Respond to phone and email inquiries from the public and medical providers.
- Support Section's response during outbreaks and emergencies; assist with after-hours disease investigation and response activities as assigned and approved by the supervisor.
- Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
- Demonstrated knowledge of disease surveillance and investigation methods; infectious disease management and control; health care systems structure and function; communication strategies; and adult learning and health care education.
- Demonstrated excellent communication skills that are: culturally appropriate, respectful, and non-judgmental
- Demonstrate knowledge in recognizing racial oppression, intergenerational, direct, and indirect traumas.
- Strong time management skills: ability to effectively manage high-volume patient caseload and meet short and long term deadlines.
- Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality of protected health information at all times.
- Demonstrated ability to establish trust and rapport with people of varying racial/ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and life experiences
- Demonstrated proficiency in data entry and data management, and ability to pivot between multiple databases.
- Demonstrated ability to clearly and effectively communicate orally and in writing with supervisor, co-workers, health care providers, and the general public – including individuals of different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Demonstrated ability to carry out assignments and responsibilities reliably in a thorough, accurate, and timely manner.
- Understanding of database charting with Microsoft Office software
- Documentation of current BLS CPR certification with AED training required at time of hire. CPR/AED Heartsaver courses do not meet this requirement.
The most competitive candidate will have:- Direct and recent 2 years' experience with interviewing that included building rapport quickly with respect, compassion and an open mind.
- Knowledge and experience in viral hepatitis and other communicable diseases prevalent among people who inject drugs (PWID)
- Experience with communicable disease case investigation and high volume/high needs case management.
- Experience with database charting
- Familiarity with electronic health record systems
- Supplemental Information
- Staff may be required to play an active role in the event of a public health emergency, which may include changes in responsibilities and working hours.
- Applicants should be committed to working with diverse populations throughout King County to provide excellent customer service to a broad range of cultures, in accordance with the King County Equity and Social Justice Ordinance and the King County Strategic Plan.
- This position supports and advances King County's values for fair and culturally competent service delivery, innovative, effective and efficient application of resources, building a culture of performance, and expanding opportunities to seek input, listen and respond to industry and residents.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Applications will be screened to determine whether candidates meet minimum qualifications. Candidates presenting evidence that they meet or exceed the qualifications noted above may be invited to participate in a test, hands-on exercise and/or panel interview process. Employment offers will be finalized after candidates have successfully completed background checks and reference checks. For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:- The selected candidate will be required to pass a background check.
- Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
- Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time.
- Documentation of current BLS CPR certification with AED training required at time of hire. CPR/AED Heartsaver courses do not meet this requirement.
UNION AFFILIATION:
This position is represented by WCCCE L21HD-DPH
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
- Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
- Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
- Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
- 10 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
- Generous vacation and paid sick leave
- Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
- Flexible Spending Account
- Wellness programs
- Onsite gyms and activity centers
- Employee giving program
- Employee assistance programs
- Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
- Training and career development programs
This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.
NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.
-
01Do you have knowledge of hepatitis C and other communicable diseases prevalent among People Who Inject Drugs (PWID)?
- Yes
- No
02If you answered "yes" to the previous question, please describe your knowledge of hepatitis C and other communicable disease prevalent among people who inject drugs (PWID). If you answered no, put N/A.03Do you have experience interacting with a high volume of clientele or performing high volume case management, working with clients who have high needs, or coordinating care and appointments with healthcare clinics?- Yes
- No
04If you answered "yes" to the previous question, briefly describe your case management experience. If you answered no, please describe how you would manage the scenario described above.05Do you have experience interviewing and eliciting sensitive health information which may include personal behaviors and disease diagnoses?- Yes
- No
06If you answered "yes", describe your experience interviewing and eliciting information. Include the employer or organization, the position(s) you held, and the length of time you worked or volunteered. Be specific. If you answered no, please describe how you would manage interviewing and eliciting information.07Do you have experience providing harm reduction counseling, including safer injection practices and overdose prevention?- Yes
- No
08If you answered "yes" to the previous question, briefly describe your experience including the setting, audience, the extent of the outreach, and if this was paid or volunteer work. If you answered no, put N/A.Required Question