Public Health Ambassador

Job Description

ONLY PERMANENT EMPLOYEES IN THE TITLE AND THOSE THAT ARE REACHABLE ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISER CIVIL SERVICE LIST ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.

Division/Program Summary:
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is expanding home visiting in NYC and streamlining how providers, organizations and community residents can access quality home visiting services. The goal is to improve maternal and child health and well-being outcomes by matching families’ assessed risks to evidence-based (EB) or evidence-generating (EG) home visiting (HV) models that are most appropriate for them based on their needs, and to connect them to other resources as needed. Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities create disparate outcomes in the neighborhoods served by existing Agency sponsored locally designed home visiting programs as compared with the rest of the city, and providing services beginning in the prenatal through postpartum period is vital to addressing these outcomes. In addition, recent attention to inequities in maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in New York City, points to the need for more respectful care and greater agency for the laboring patient during childbirth, both of which the program’s home visiting staff will facilitate:

We are seeking a candidate that can demonstrate leadership and is able to inspire, influence and enable others to achieve a specific mission and meet unit goals.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Ensure all client referrals are promptly and appropriately assigned to home visiting staff.
- Contact clients to conduct initial intakes, gather essential information, and schedule home visiting appointments.
- Identify and connect clients to community resources that support women and families residing in shelters, addressing their unique needs.
- Conduct home visits to perform follow-up assessments and surveys, distribute cribs, and provide other program materials to families, particularly those who have recently given birth.
- Offer screenings and health education on maternal and infant health topics, including breastfeeding, safe sleep practices, early childhood development, and environmental assessments.
- Follow up with referral partners to obtain updates and outcomes for client referrals, ensuring comprehensive service coordination.
- Collect, enter, and maintain accurate program data; monitor, review, and manage case assignments to ensure timely service delivery.
- Actively participate in program-sponsored events, such as crib distribution initiatives, health fairs, and stakeholder training sessions.
- Provide support to senior management by assisting with special projects, initiatives, and additional assignments as needed.


Why you should work for us:

- Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:
o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
o a tax-deferred savings program and
o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.
- Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
- Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

Commitment to Equity:

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from d