Policy and Planning Analyst, Bureau of Community Awareness, Action, Response & Engagement

Job Description

Division/Program Summary Description:
The Bureau of Community Awareness, Action, Response, and Engagement (BCAARE) BCAARE serves in a pivotal role for the department to engage and support community action during a time when all New Yorkers are struggling to recuperate, recover, and remain resilient in the ongoing health crises facing the city. BCAARE’s approach is to learn from community members’ experiences and expectations to develop and disseminate behavioral health linkages and supports for wellness, and for preparing for, and responding to local and widespread events and emergencies. The bureau invites and includes peer perspectives to integrate equitable access to behavioral health across sectors and settings. BCAARE is organized into five main units including Local Services Planning.

BCAARE’s Local Services Planning unit leads a variety of policy and planning activities on behalf of the Division. The Senior Planning Analyst works in close collaboration with offices in BCAARE, Bureaus in the Division of Mental Hygiene, other Divisions in the agency and external stakeholders.

Position Summary:
The Planning Analyst supports a variety of planning activities including analyzing and commenting on proposed legislation and regulations on behalf of BCAARE, developing planning and policy recommendations, and managing ad hoc planning/policy/research projects.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Research and analyze local, state, and federal regulations, legislation, budgets, and policies, and develop policy recommendations, positions, and public comments on behalf of BCAARE
- Contribute to the annual development of the BCAARE policy/legislative agenda and collaborate with MHy colleagues in developing the Division's legislative agenda.
- Work with Sr. Planning Analyst to use policy to inform local strategic planning priorities, needs, and outcomes for the behavioral health system as informed by best practices, community feedback, policy, data and literature in collaboration with BCAARE’s Office of Data Aggregation, Translation, and Analytics.
- Continuously research and create research/policy briefs, memoranda, and reports for various audiences including the NYC Health Department leadership. City/State partners, service providers and other community members.
- Conduct research and create research/policy briefs, memoranda, and reports for various audiences including the NYC Health Department leadership, City/State partners, service providers and community members, under EDSO supervision and at AC discretion.
- Contribute to the development of research surveys, tracking mechanisms, policy trackers, operating procedures, and other tools necessary for improving behavioral health, as identified by the CSB and other community members.
- Regularly attend community events, public forums, stakeholder meetings and/or hold focus groups and/or develop surveys to obtain community input for local services planning with Sr Planning Analyst and in collaboration with BCAARE offices and units.
Preferred Skills:
- Strong research and analytical skills and the ability to synthesize highly complex information into content relevant to a particular reader or situation.
- Background and demonstrated knowledge of public policy and/or health policy, policy analysis, program planning, health promotion, and New York’s behavioral health landscape.
- Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills and the ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders.
- Strong project management and organizational skills with a high level of attention to detail.
- Knowledge of and/or experience with community engagement and the public behavioral health system in New York especially in the areas of mental health, substance use, or developmental disabilities, current trends in behavioral health and social services policy.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and the ability to use virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom, Webex and MS Teams.
- Be highly motivated, and a good team player.
- Ability to work independently as well as in team settings, and in close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and meet tight deadlines.

Why you should work for us:

- Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/)
- 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,