Title: Disease Intervention Specialist (Human Services Program Specialist)
State Role Title: Prog Admin Specialist I
Hiring Range: $52,500 - $57,500
Pay Band: 4
Agency: Virginia Department of Health
Location: Dept of Health
Agency Website: www.vdh.virginia.gov
Recruitment Type: General Public - G
Job Duties
The Disease Intervention Specialist is responsible for independently identifying and contacting persons known or suspected of transmitting or being exposed to communicable diseases such as syphilis, HIV, gonorrhea, viral hepatitis (VH) and other conditions in a culturally sensitive manner.
Duties include:
1) Confidentially locating and notifying persons of their positive test results, exposure and health risks
2) Providing client-centered counseling and education
3) Referring at risk persons for testing, clinical evaluation, treatment and other services available both on-site and in the
community
4) Collaborating with physicians and health care providers to refer and/or obtain information about patients
5) Interviewing infected and non-infected patients to identify partners and others (e.g., social contacts) who may be associated with the infection to prevent further transmission and adverse health outcomes.
The Disease Intervention Specialist manages STD/HIV/VH cases to ensure that all partners and social contacts, exposed or at risk, receive adequate clinical management (testing, evaluation, and treatment), counseling and education on strategies for behavior modification to reduce health risks, and facilitate access to other needed services. Provides technical assistance to local health department personnel and health care providers on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) STD Treatment Guidelines, disease surveillance, and epidemiological methods. As a subject matter expert, provides training and technical assistance to internal and external public health and community health partners. Assists other local health departments throughout the state during times of significant morbidity increases by helping develop and participate in outbreak response management for sexually transmitted diseases, as well as other communicable diseases of public health significance. Formulates intervention techniques, implements screening activities, performs partner counseling and referral services, and provides linkage to care and active referral services. Provides technical assistance to district/local health department personnel and to health care providers on treatment and field-related methods. Verifies treatment for STD/HIV reported cases. Documents findings and makes recommendations to enhance case finding and reporting activities. This position is located in the Eastern region of Virginia, primarily in the Hampton Roads metropolitan areas. The selected candidate may request to work from an alternate health department location in the Eastern region, pending availability of space and approval of the hiring manager. Overnight travel expenses will be covered by the employer. Occasional evening and weekend work are required, and a personal car is needed for fieldwork, with mileage being reimbursed.
The Virginia Department of Health offers 12 paid holidays, medical, dental, vision and life insurance, retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan) as well as sick, family/personal, and annual leave.
Minimum Qualifications
- Knowledge of and/or experience in public health practices, HIV, STIs (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis), HBV/HCV, and/or other communicable diseases.
- Knowledge and/or experience with practices that support public health administration and/or disease reporting (e.g., service planning, service delivery, evaluation of principles and practices that support surveillance, quality assurance for public health initiatives).
- Knowledge and/or experience with data collection and/or management (e.g., collecting data, maintaining narrative documentation, ensuring data accuracy and integrity, and making data corrections)
- Ability to work appropriately with diverse populations in diverse settings
- Ability to build rapport with clients to encourage them to engage in sensitive conversations
- Experience identifying, analyzing, and providing recommendations for problem resolution
- Experience working as part of a team, responding to inquiries in a professional and timely manner, interpreting and applying policies and procedures.
- Demonstrated effective professional skills (e.g., oral and written communication, organizational, time management, analytical, interpersonal, and decision-making skills).
Additional Considerations
- Experience providing disease intervention or support services to people living with or exposed to an STI.
- Proficiency with or fluency in Spanish or another language.
- Public health experience
- Knowledge and/or experience with training (e.g., developing and/or delivering presentations)
- Experience performing phlebotomy
- Frequent in-state travel required. Staff must have access to a vehicle, and will be reimbursed for work-related mileage.
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
VDH accepts only on-line applications. Faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications will not be considered. Applications are accepted until 11:55 p.m. on the job closing date. Applications and/or resumes should include relevant work history which indicates your qualifications for this position. Supplemental questions are encouraged to be answered in a comprehensive manner and reference any pertinent knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as any previous experience that relates to the position.
Employment is contingent upon satisfactory results of a state and federal criminal history background check and the Department of Social Service’s Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check, U.S. HHSIG Exclusion List check, employment reference check and E-Verify. Other financial, credit, driving, background checks or completion of Statement of Economic Interests may be required for certain positions.
It is the policy of the Commonwealth and VDH that all aspects of human resource management be conducted without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists); sex; color; national origin; religion; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; age; veteran status; political affiliation; disability; genetic information; and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. VDH employees have a shared Code of Ethics, which can be found in the bottom banner of our website: www.vdh.virginia.gov.
If you have been affected by DHRM Policy 1.30 layoff and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Card) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Card), you must submit the card before the closing date for this position. The Card may be submitted with the state application as an attachment.
As a V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) employer VDH Welcomes Veterans to apply!
Contact Information
Name: Yatavia Banks
Phone: N/A
Email: [email protected]
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.
Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.
