Founded in 1793, BCHD is the oldest health department in the country, with over 800 employees and an annual budget of $208 million, that aims to protect health, eliminate disparities, and ensure the well-being of every resident of Baltimore through education, advocacy, and direct service delivery. BCHD's wide-ranging responsibilities include maternal and child health, youth wellness, school health, senior services, animal control, restaurant inspections, violence prevention, emergency preparedne... more details
THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION
POSTING DATE: 07/02/2024
CLOSING DATE: 10/02/2024 AT 12:00 MIDNIGHT
SALARY RANGE: $43,901.00 - $69,639.00 USD Annually
CLASS DESCRIPTION
Founded in 1793, BCHD is the oldest health department in the country, with over 800 employees and an annual budget of $208 million, that aims to protect health, eliminate disparities, and ensure the well-being of every resident of Baltimore through education, advocacy, and direct service delivery. BCHD's wide-ranging responsibilities include maternal and child health, youth wellness, school health, senior services, animal control, restaurant inspections, violence prevention, emergency preparedness, STI/HIV treatment, and acute and chronic disease prevention.
The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) is seeking a Respiratory Viruses Outbreak Investigator for the Acute Communicable Disease program. Work of this class involves no supervisory duties. The Respiratory Virus Investigator is a public health professional responsible for receiving reports of respiratory virus spreading in medical facilities, schools, correctional facilities and other congregate settings. This position is responsible for interviewing persons suspected or confirmed as having a COVID-19, Influenza and/or RSV, and working with facility leadership to intervein in the spread of disease. The incumbent will report directly to the Director of Acute Communicable Disease.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Conducts timely phone interviews with facilities where lab confirmed cases of respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV have been identified. Educates facility points of contact on respiratory virus transmission and mitigation and collects epidemiological information such as demographics, clinical presentation, underlying medical conditions, and nature of association with the high-risk facility.
- Provides technical assistance (TA) to facilities (e.g. nursing homes, long-term facilities) and congregate living settings (correctional facilities, homeless shelters, developmental disability and group homes, transitional and recovery housing, etc.) experiencing respiratory virus outbreaks and clusters. TA will be provided predominantly via telephone and email but may require on-site intervention on controlling infectious disease spread.
- Provides information and linkage to resources such as testing, vaccination, and PPE as needed for facilities experiencing outbreaks. Using all available surveillance and information resources, ensures due diligence to confirm and report new outbreaks. Makes every attempt to perform initial intake interview with facilities within 24 hours of learning of a possible outbreak.
- Maintains regular contact with facility during the outbreak to provide resources to mitigate spread and obtain updated epidemiologic information on new cases identified at the facility.
- Enters accurately and timely the epidemiological information obtained from facility interviews in the electronic outbreaks surveillance database.
- Reports outbreaks to MD Dept of Health (MDH) within 24 hours of initial report, using approved secure mechanisms and established reporting parameters.
- Stays up to date on guidance from state and local health authorities and the CDC to inform infection control recommendations made to facilities.
- Stays up to date on technology systems used in surveillance and reporting, such as electronic surveillance databases, lab portals, facility reporting portals, and others.
- Provides facilities with any CDC and MDH approved resources on isolation, quarantine, and other mitigation measures for controlling the spread of COVID-19 that are appropriate to the facility type.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION: Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
AND
EXPERIENCE: Have one year of experience in health program administration, coordination, planning or supervision.
OR
NOTES(EQUIVALENCIES): Have an equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted for the degree requirement.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
- 1-3 years’ experience in conducting education, health education.
- Experience collecting and documenting health information accurately and securely in a database.
- Experience working in Public Health or another healthcare field.
NOTE: Those eligible candidates who are under final consideration for appointment to positions in this class will be required to authorize the release of criminal conviction information.
BALTIMORE CITY AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
