Lead Disease Intervention Specialist (Dis)

THIS POSTING WILL BE USED FOR ON-GOING RECRUITMENT AND WILL REMAIN OPEN UNITL FILLED.

Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) further the department's mission to promote health and improve health outcomes by conducting partner services and disease investigation for HIV and other reportable sexually transmitted diseases (STD) to break the chain of infection and reduce disease incidence. This position is a Lead DIS role, which is more advanced in their skills for disease investigation. Lead DIS within each public health region help to mentor and coach the entire DIS team by handling more complex cases and supporting the other DIS. This allows the entire team to be more productive in focusing on priority cases including HIV and early syphilis.

Core tasks for Lead DIS include conducting STD surveillance and tracking, offering testing and screening for contacts to disease and persons at high risk, doing community outreach to populations with higher disease incidence, and interviewing persons with STD and their partners to ensure timely and effective treatment. Lead DIS also support other infectious disease activities such as harm reduction, syringe services, opiate overdose prevention education and hepatitis screening and referral.

This position will be responsible for:
1. Conduct integrated STD and HIV Partner Services (PS), including case interviews, ensuring timely testing and treatment of contacts, and provision of case management. Conduct HIV and STD screening, including phlebotomy, as appropriate to job role. Ensure linkage to care for newly diagnosed HIV cases. Handle the most complex STD cases including HIV and early syphilis by conducting partner services interviews and other disease management.
2. Mentor and coach all DIS in the region, in partnership with and under the direction of the Disease Prevention Supervisor, to be more effective interviewers to identify a greater number of contacts to persons with STD to increase testing and treatment.
3. Provide STD surveillance and tracking, offering testing and screening for contacts to disease and persons at high risk, and doing community outreach to populations with higher disease incidence.
4. Coordinate and support other infectious disease activities such as harm reduction, syringe services, opiate overdose prevention education and hepatitis screening and referral.

Persons at greatest risk of HIV and STD infection within the public health region.

Associate's degree in Public or Health Education and two (2) years of experience in health related field. Substitutions Apply. See Substitution Table below.

Successful completion of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability ACT (HIPAA) course. Must possess and maintain a valid Driver's License. Must possess and maintain a current Defensive Driving Course Certification from the State of New Mexico or must pass and receive Defensive Driving Course Certification as a condition of continued employment.

Links to the referenced Executive Order and Public Health Order can be found on the State Personnel Office website homepage: www.spo.state.nm.us

Work is performed in an office setting with exposure to Visual/Video Display Terminal (VDT) and extensive personal computer and phone usage. Lifting up to forty (40) pounds may be required. Potential for exposure to communicable disease. Infrequent in-state travel with the occasional overnight stay may be required.

This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement and all terms/conditions of that agreement apply and must be adhered to.