Disease Investigation Specialist II - Internal Posting

Job Summary

Are you ready to apply your advanced skills in general communicable disease investigation, surveillance and quality assurance? The STI/HIV Program is looking for a Disease Investigation Specialist II. This position provides advanced case investigation and partner services for reportable sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, syphilis, and gonorrhea. This is a Full-time 1.0 (FTE) position in our Disease Investigation and Management Division.

• Internal Applicants Only*****
  
  

This is the third level in the Disease Investigation Specialist (DIS) series and works to coordinate and perform disease and epidemiological case investigations. Employees in this position work independently under supervision and serve as a team lead, providing direction to other classifications within the DIS program. This position differs from the DIS I role in scope and complexity of work and level of responsibility. The work involves highly sensitive and confidential information requiring strong discretion.

Position Series

• Disease Investigation Technician
• Disease Investigation Specialist I
• Disease Investigation Specialist II
• Disease Investigation Supervisor
  
  

Career Path Options

Options to continue your career at the Health Department depend on your interest, education, and training. Possibilities include:

• Health Promotion Technician
• Health Promotion Coordinator I, II, and III
• Clinic Coordinator
  
  

Essential Functions

• Leads and coordinates work for teams responsible for disease investigation efforts. Reviews new case documentation, enters information into the shared database, and distributes the caseload to the team.
• Provides project management and leadership for community outreach events and projects that raise awareness about disease prevention and control. Proactively engages with community partners.
• Provides advanced surveillance of targeted populations
• Manages client screening activities and provides appropriate testing information, including test results and linkage to care and risk reduction resources.
• Performs direct observation therapy to ensure medications are taken.
  
  

Examples of Key Duties

The items in this section are the key duties and responsibilities for this job and do not represent an exhaustive list. Our organization is dynamic, and duties may change based on business needs. Any new duties will remain within the scope of the job.

• Provides advanced surveillance of targeted populations, identifies and interviews potential sources of infection, and performs contact tracing and partner notification of potential exposure.
• Provides disease-specific education and referrals for corresponding health care services and follows up to ensure contacts have sought testing and treatment.
• Manages client screening activities and provides appropriate testing information, including test results and linkage to care and risk reduction resources.
• May need to work in a clinical setting. This work could involve counseling clients about diagnoses and disease exposures, performing CLIA waived tests, and providing test results.
• Obtains biological specimens (sputum, blood, etc.) for screening activities and packages and ships samples to the laboratory for testing.
• Performs direct observation therapy to ensure medications are taken. Depending on the assigned program, observation may take place within client homes.
• Assists clients in accessing the full range of services available to them including pregnancy and family planning resources, communicable disease prevention, domestic violence intervention, and substance use treatment.
• Assists patients with the interpretation of test results and explain treatment options during consultations with providers.
• Assists with the development and implementation of communicable disease control strategies and compliance.
• Conducts consultations with providers to assist with interpretation of test results and explain treatment options.
• Leads and coordinates work for teams responsible for disease investigation efforts. Reviews new case documentation, enters information into the shared database, and distributes the caseload to the team.
• Provides assistance with scheduling follow-up appointments and ensuring essential needs are met.
• Provides project management and leadership for community outreach events and projects that raise awareness about disease prevention and control. Proactively engages with community partners.
• Supports the Disease Investigation team by offering assistance and back-up when workload requires it. May manage cases that are complex or especially sensitive.
• Trains and mentors departmental staff including other classifications within the DIS series.
• Supports the implementation and management of quality improvement efforts for disease investigation, including providing data for quality assurance reporting.
• Performs epidemiological case investigations as required by law and provides expert witness testimony for court cases.
• Applies relevant Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations in conjunction with departmental policies and procedures.
• Maintains strict confidentiality and adheres to privacy laws including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Protected Health Information (PHI).
• The work you do might require you to participate in the Title XIX Medicaid Claiming Program.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

Safety & Emergency Preparedness

• Adheres to all workplace and trade safety laws, regulations, standards, and practices.
• Understands and properly follows established procedures in preventing and responding to unsafe or emergency situations. Identifies and reports potentially unsafe practices or conditions.
• Operates equipment, tools, machinery, and vehicles safely and understands processes for reporting an accident or injury.
• Understands and applies knowledge and skills necessary to successfully perform assigned emergency response role during an emergency.
  
  

When public health responds to an emergency, you may be assigned duties and responsibilities that are outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time and reporting to a location other than the department with different working conditions and physical requirements. You are expected to participate in emergency preparedness activities including our emergency notification system, WA SECURES. Drills and real-world events may take place at any time.

For a more detailed description of the classification specification click here.

What you bring to the table

• Some positions within this classification may require fluency in a language other than English to translate certified medical terminology into English.
• Intermediate knowledge of standard Microsoft Office programs, Electronic Medical Records, and Electronic Disease Notification Systems.
• Understanding of the principles, practices, and techniques of communicable disease surveillance, outreach, education, and community-based networking.
• Knowledge of medical terminology and disease symptoms, causes, transmissions, treatment, and control.
• Working knowledge of public health issues related to communicable diseases and disease investigation practices and techniques.
• Strong data collection, compilation, and analysis skills.
• Skill in public speaking or giving presentations to diverse groups.
• Strong organizational and leadership skills to coordinate work for teams.
• Skilled in maintaining sensitive and confidential data and using discretion when sharing information.
• Skilled in communication:
• Listens to others and communicates in an effective manner.
• Asks questions in ways that enhance the clarity, quality, and reliability of information.
• Understands and learns from what others say, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Grasps the meaning of written information and applies it to work situations.
• Conveys ideas and facts using language the audience will best understand, taking into consideration the audience and nature of the information.
• Writes in a clear, concise, and organized manner for the intended audience.
  

Foundational Competencies

• Knowing and managing oneself: Understands that all equity, trauma-informed, and restorative practices start with oneself. Exercises a high degree of self-reflection, personal accountability, resilience, flexibility, and adaptability. Is willing to learn, apply, and model agency values and ethical standards.
• Restorative practices and conflict resolution: Articulates through words and actions authentic commitment to create an environment in which all people are treated with dignity and respect and afforded equal opportunities and impartial treatment. Centers work in equity and trauma-informed and restorative practices to achieve and maintain collaboration and teamwork and to effectively work with historically underrepresented and/or underserved populations to advance community health. Utilizes restorative practices to address harm and promote healing to strengthen relationships between individuals and social connections within communities.
• Collaboration and engagement: Provides balanced and objective information to help teammates, partners, and the public understand problems, alternatives, opportunities, and solutions. Works directly with partners within the Department, in the community, and members of the public affected by the work to obtain feedback and understand diverse points of view, concerns, and aspirations. Identifies preferred solutions together, incorporating advice and recommendations to the maximum extent possible.
• Evidence informed practices and decision-making: Applies evidence informed practices and methodologies to achieve the greatest impact in delivery of services to internal and external customers and partners. Incorporates the social determinants of health into public health work. Integrates research and evidence into the decision-making process. Seeks to systematically identify and eliminate inequities resulting in differences in health and in overall living conditions. Utilizes evidence informed practices to increase equity in systems and policy. Creates a robust culture of assessment and evaluation and continuous process improvement.
• Cross cultural communication and engagement: Understands that cultural awareness, appreciation, and humility can only occur when you practice curiosity and open-mindedness. Operates with a high level of humility and cultural agility to achieve effective intercultural communication, engagement, and collaboration in the workplace and in the community. Is open to feedback and continuously self-reflects on one’s own actions and responses. Centers personal accountability on the Department’s mission, values, and ethical standards.
  
  

Who should apply

The items below are the requirements for the job and are relevant to this position. The organization values work experience, lived experience, and education and realizes that people take different paths to acquire knowledge.

• Associate’s Degree.
• 5 years of progressively responsible experience in communicable disease surveillance, outreach, education and community-based networking or in clinic settings.
• Experience in a lead role is preferred.
  
  

We will consider any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the necessary qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Professional Certifications, Licensure, And Other Requirements

We require or prefer the below for this classification.

• Valid driver’s license and acceptable driver’s abstract required prior to employment.
  
  

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

Work Environment

• Work is performed in a trauma informed, patient-centered environment within an office, residential, clinical, or community setting. In most environments, exposure to hazards is limited to those commonly found in office, community, or clinical environments, including communicable diseases. In entering a patient’s residence, exposure to hazards include those normally found in entering an unknown residence.
• Work may be performed outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, including heat, humidity, snow, and rain, leading to exposure to hazards related to heat or cold exposure.
• Environmental conditions may entail a stressful work climate due to the nature of the job, i.e., working with individuals that have experienced traumas such as sexual abuse, physical and mental abuse, being unhoused; and providing services such as sexual health counseling, substance use disorder counseling, etc.
• The potential for dealing with dissatisfied or angry customers exists, requiring skills in conflict resolution.
  
  

Physical and Cognitive Demands

• Regularly required to sit or stand continuously.
• Regularly communicate clearly in-person, over the phone, and via written communication, including communicating with dissatisfied or angry individuals.
• Capable of reading physical and electronic documents and working for prolonged periods on a computer monitor.
• Fine motor skills sufficient to operate a telephone, operate a computer mouse and keyboard, and standard clinical equipment.
• Gross motor skills sufficient to grasp promotional items, pamphlets, and standard clinical equipment.
• Frequently required to perform work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, including heat, rain, and cold.
• 1-3 times per month, reaching overhead for tent setup and frequently stooping.
• This position may require lifting, carrying, pulling, or moving objects up to 10 pounds consistently, 20 pounds frequently, and exerting up to 40 pounds of force occasionally.
• Occasionally operate a motor vehicle locally in any lighting conditions and various weather conditions, including rain.
• May require walking/traversing up to ¼ mile (ie: from parking to the booth) at community events.
• Traverse from parking to residences of varying levels of accessibility
• Learn, recall, and apply specialized information.
• Work effectively when exposed to workplace stressors, such as emotional and/or confrontational individuals.
• Regularly work effectively in the presence of visual, auditory, or other distractions.
• Regularly maintain awareness of surroundings to identify and address potential safety issues.
• Effectively perform frequent task-swapping and work with frequent interruptions.
  
  

Tools and Equipment

• Duties require the use of standard office furniture and equipment (e.g., desk, filing cabinet, computer, printer, telephone, copy machine, etc.)
• Duties require the use of standard clinical equipment (e.g., needles, gloves, swabs, test kits, etc.).
  
  

Travel

• Regular travel is required (up to 30% of the time), and is typically local or regional, to meet with clients, conduct business, or attend training.
  
  

Click Here for more details on reasonable accommodations, safety, risk management and more.

Benefits

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department offers an excellent pay and benefits package, combined with the opportunity to provide innovative Public Health services to our community, making this a rewarding place to work!

Salary: Salary ranges are listed on the job announcement and are based on the unique skills, education, and experience for the position. Salary offers are typically made at the starting pay step and are reviewed annually. You will get an annual cost-of-living adjustment that increases the salary range as well as an annual step increase on your anniveristy date. All salary offers are subject to administrative approval.

Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance: The Department pays a significant portion of these premiums for employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and dependent children, with an FTE of .80 or greater. Employees with an FTE between .50 and .80 pay a pro-rated portion of their premiums. Medical, vision and dental coverage begins the first day of the month following date of hire.*

Life Insurance: The Department provides a term Life Insurance policy equal to the employee's annual salary, up to a maximum of $50,000.* Affordable voluntary, spouse, and dependent life insurance is also available.

Long Term Disability Insurance (LTD): The Department provides a base LTD policy which provides 40% income replacement for participants who are unable to work due to illness or injury for greater than 180 days. Buy-Up LTD is available at group rates and provides 60% income replacement to participants who are unable to work due to illness or injury for greater than 90 days.

Retirement: Eligible employees participate in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (TERS). TERS is a defined retirement benefit plan funded by both the employee and the Department. We also have a 457 Deferred Compensation retirement program available which allows individuals to set aside a portion of their income on a tax deferred basis.

Additional Benefits include: Generous paid vacation**, sick, personal, and holiday leave**, Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, On-site Fitness Center, Commute Trip Reduction program, Worksite Wellness Program, Direct Deposit; Service Awards, Safety Program / Rewards, Executive Benefits Plan and more.

• Temporary Employees (hired for greater than 2 months): The Department provides medical, dental, and vision benefits, $12,000 base life insurance effective the first of the month following 2 months of employment. **Paid vacation, sick leave and holiday leave accrual begin following 6 months of temporary employment.
  
  

Please Note

• There may be restrictions to the above benefit programs or policies not listed. The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provisions contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.
• Employee pay is distributed through Direct Deposit. For this reason, employees are required to have an open checking or savings account, at their choice of banking institutions, upon employment.
  
  

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. For assistance, contact our Office of Human Resources/Risk Management at hr@tpchd.org or (253) 649-1660.

01

This position requires the equivalent of an Associate's degree and five or more years experience in communicable disease surveillance, outreach, education and community-based networking or in clinic settings. Indicate below your education and experience.

• I have a Master's degree and one or more years of the required experience.
• I have a Bachelor's degree and three or more years of the required experience.
• I have an Associate's degree and five or more years of the required experience.
• I have less than an Associate's degree and seven or more years of the required experience.
• I do not have the required education or experience.
  
  

02

Do you have experience with communicable disease surveillance, outreach, education and community-based networking or in clinic settings?

• Yes
• No
  
  

03

Please describe your experience in communicable disease surveillance, outreach, education and community-based networking or in clinic settings. If you do not have this experience, please indicate N/A.

04

Do you have experience with qualitative interviewing, including research projects, and/or motivational interviewing, and/or behavioral counseling?

• Yes
• No
  
  

05

Describe your experience with qualitative interviewing, including research projects, and/or motivational interviewing, and/or behavioral counseling. If you do not have this experience, please indicate N/A.

06

Do you have experience working with and providing customer service to clients from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, racial, ethnic and professional backgrounds?

• Yes
• No
  
  

07

Do you have experience working with confidential information?

• Yes
• No
  
  

08

Do you have experience working with the LGBTQ community?

• Yes
• No
  
  

09

Please describe your experience working with the LGBTQ community. If you do not have this experience, please indicate N/A.

10

This position requires proof of a valid driver's license and acceptable driver's abstract prior to employment. Can you meet this requirement?

• Yes
• No
• Required Question