Certified Application Counselors, Bureau of Equitable Health Systems

Job Description

The Center for Health Equity & Community Wellness (CHECW) uses a racial and social justice approach to eliminate health inequities for those who are most marginalized in New York City and to reduce overall premature mortality from the leading causes of preventable death with the vision that every New Yorker will live in a thriving neighborhood with equitable access to resources that help support healthy individuals and communities. This division unifies and strengthens the Department's lines of work directed at eliminating racial inequities for preventable health conditions, which are rooted in historical and contemporary injustices and discrimination, including racism. The Bureau of Equitable Health Systems (BEHS) is the healthcare systems bureau of DOHMH situated within CHECW and supporting the strategic plan and vision of the Chief Medical Officer. Our mission is to apply policy, evidence, and practical expertise to improve equity in health care delivery at the individual, organizational, financing, and systems levels. We aim to operationalize the Board of Health's resolution of Racism as a Public Health Crisis by addressing structural racism and intersectional inequities embedded within the healthcare delivery system. The mortality experienced due to COVID-19 made visible the inequities that many New Yorkers experience in accessing the healthcare system, as well as the marginalization of essential health workers. As we move forward towards an equitable COVID-19 recovery, we need to develop innovative solutions to improve the performance, equity, and efficiency of the healthcare delivery system.

The Bureau of Equitable Health Systems, Office of Health Insurance Services (OHIS) seeks to hire Certified Application Counselors, who will establish collaborative working relationships with other city agencies and community based organizations within New York City's non-English native speaking communities and perform very responsible work in the supervision, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring and/or evaluation of community development programs/project initiatives.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
- Participate in outreach events to raise awareness about available services and assist community residents in overcoming barriers to meeting access to their healthcare needs. OHIS partners with DOHMH Public Health clinics, Neighborhood Health Action Centers, Early Intervention Program, Health & Affordability Corps, and other Health Department programs; community and faith-based organizations; the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA); NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA); New York State of Health, Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU); and NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H)/NYC Cares.
- Facilitate health insurance enrolment activities and manage the processing of incoming referrals to connect New Yorkers to health insurance. Referrals are received through various channels, including the new digital navigator tool, incoming phone calls from community residents, community-based partners, internal and external agency programs, and special projects under the OHIS program (e.g., Consumer Contact Center, Early Intervention Program, Neighborhood Health Corps, Health & Affordability Corps, Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, Asylum Seekers, and DIS TB Unified Electronic Medical Records).
- Educate clients about health insurance products; insurance affordability programs; and resources for government benefit programs including Medicaid Excess Income, Medicare Savings, Waiver Services and SNAP (food stamps).
- Provide an overview of the application process and explain required documentation necessary to submit the application. Fully utilize the tools provided by the New York State of Health (NYSOH) Marketplace, NYC HRA, NYC Care Kiteworks, and other consumer interface portal systems to implement processing of the application.
- Utilize electronic reporting tools (e.g., New York State of Health (NYSOH) Marketplace, ACCESSNYC, NYC Care Kiteworks, and HICASTS, to record daily activities, case manage and track al applications until eligibility/coverage is determined by the NYSOH Marketplace and NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA).
- Work collaboratively with Site Supervisor to work on special projects, resolve issues, pool resources, and ensure the effective delivery of services to the community.

Additional Role/Responsibilities as needed include:
- Coordinate and track community referrals from the Consumer Contact Center, ensuring timely completion and accurate documentation.
- Handle and respond to incoming calls related to health insurance enrolment, including referrals from various state and city programs, while educating consumers on insurance options and government-sponsored programs on the New York State of Health (NYSOH) Marketplace, Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid and Medicare Saving