PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR - 40004426

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**This position is provisionally (grant) funded. Continued employment is contingent upon availability of funding. Renewal of funding is anticipated, however not guaranteed.**

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

This position requires flexibility to periodically work evenings and weekends to meet the needs of our clients and community partners. The individual in this role will be responsible for delivering services and engaging populations of interest during non-traditional hours, ensuring accessibility to those who may be unable to participate during standard business hours. This position will primarily focus on expanding HIV prevention efforts within Durham County’s correctional facilities. This role is crucial in addressing the healthcare needs of justice-involved individuals, particularly those with substance use disorders, who are at higher risk for HIV and other infectious diseases.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this position. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the position as necessary.

• Jail Testing: Provide HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis C, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia testing to detainees in the Durham County Detention Facility and the Durham County Youth Home. Process lab requisitions and blood samples and deliver to the DCoDPH lab for processing. Compiles monthly reports for the program manager. Input all patient encounters into UNC Epic and all test results into Evaluation Web.
• Health Education and Risk Reduction: Conduct routine HIV/STI prevention group and individual education sessions in the Durham County Detention Facility and Durham County Youth Home. Conducts monthly education for participants of Durham County’s substance use treatment and recidivism reduction program.
• Prevention Services for Jusice-Involved Populations: Provide HIV/STI testing and referral services to justice-involved individuals through group and individual sessions in reentry programs.
• Advance DCoDPH. Priorities: Contribute to Departmental, Interagency, and Community activities that support the health and well-being of all Durham County residents and the Durham County Department of Public Health Strategic Plan.  Support efforts to advance racial equity and impact health disparities.  Document this work by the NC Local Health Department Accreditation Board and the Public Health Accreditation Board.  Attend all required Department, Division, and supervision meetings.  Responds to emergent public health needs.
• Career and Professional Development: Develop professional knowledge and skills by attending two professional development trainings per year.  Attend required annual County Government and other departmental training.
• Performs related tasks as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of theories, principles, and practices of Public Health Education.
• Knowledge of program planning, implementation, and evaluation principles and methodologies.
• General knowledge of the functions of community health agencies.
• Good interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with humans of diverse gender identities, races, ethnicities, ages, and sexual orientations.
• Knowledge of principles for local-level coordination of HIV/AIDS response, including PrEP access, treatment as prevention (TASP), and efforts to address stigma.
• Proficiency with methods and techniques used in preparing and disseminating educational information to the public.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with individuals, groups, and communities, including departmental personnel, community organizations, and the public.
• Ability to write and speak effectively and to stimulate interest and cooperation among various groups in carrying out a program in public health education.
• Ability to contribute to program reporting.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduation from a four-year college or university with a major in health education; or graduation from a four-year college or university and completion of one year of on-the-job training as a public health educator.

SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES REQUIREMENTS:

• Whetstone, Counseling, Testing, and Referral. Bloodborne Pathogen and Phlebotomy may be acquired during probationary period.

EMERGENCY PREPARDNESS REQUIREMENTS:

Primary work hours are between the hours of 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM.  Employee is subject to be called upon at any time to help the agency respond to a public health emergency, which may include but is not limited to outbreak investigations, staffing mass dispensing or immunization clinics, providing disaster relief, or incidents (man-made or natural and intentional or non-intentional) as they arise, or any public health response as requested by the Health Director.

To further the mission of the Durham County Department of Public Health (DCoDPH) to partner with our community to advance health equity, protect the environment, and promote health and wellness for all, DCoDPH is implementing the employee vaccination and tuberculosis screening policies. All DCoDPH employees are considered healthcare personnel (HCP) working in a health care setting with the potential for exposure to patients and/or infectious materials and, therefore, are required to comply and provide documented proof of the following:

• Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) vaccination/immunity 
• Varicella-Zoster Virus (Chicken Pox) vaccination/immunity 
• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
• Tuberculosis (TB) baseline screening within the last twelve (12) months prior to employment
• Hepatitis B vaccination/immunity – only required for DCoDPH employees with potential Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) exposures.

Identified DCoDPH HCP with potential Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) exposure have an additional requirement for the Hepatitis B vaccination. Required vaccination, serological testing to determine immunity, and baseline tuberculosis screening are available for all Public Health employees who elect to become DCoDPH patients upon request and at no cost.

Proof of vaccination and tuberculosis screening must be provided to Human Resources within seven (7) business days prior to the date of employment.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE:

Durham County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires Durham County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.