Health Program Assistant 2 (35 Hour)

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is hiring! We are seeking a motivated and experienced individual for the position of Health Program Assistant 2. This Health Program Assistant (HPA2) will join the DPH Public Health Systems and Equity Team to implement the Public Health Workforce Development Emergency Crisis Response Cooperative Agreement grant. The HPA2 will support the development of a workforce development program for the Department of Public Health in collaboration with the Department's Human Resources, Emergency Preparedness, and other divisions.  

This Health Program Assistant 2 will provide administrative and programmatic support by tracking contract activities and deliverables, monitoring program performance, serving as liaison with DPH fiscal and contracts staff, and assisting in the compilation of progress reports related to grant activities. Our ideal candidate will have attention to detail and flexibility to adapt to changing program needs.  

The Department of Public Health received a federal grant “Public Health Workforce Development Emergency Response Cooperative Agreement” to address the public health workforce crisis which became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department is working with state partners to advance several initiatives to support training and continuous education in the public health field. These include training volunteers, exposing high school and early college students to the field of public health, creating summer enrichment programs, and providing tuition subsidies and scholarships for graduate studies in public health. The Department is also creating internships and professional development opportunities for staff working at the agency and for partner organizations.

The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy, preventing disease, injury, and disability, and promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state.

DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

Are you interested in joining our team as a Health Program Assistant 2? We encourage you to apply today! This is a 35-hour per week, full-time position, based in Hartford. The work schedule for this position is typically Monday - Friday. Currently, the team is teleworking 50% of the time. This is subject to changed based on agency needs.

Please Note: This position is grant funded with an anticipated end date of June 30, 2023.

We offer a competitive benefits package, excellent health care, generous leave policies, retirement plan, and more!  We also encourage a healthy work-life balance to all employees!

The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.

This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.  

Due to the volume of applications anticipated, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be provided through your JobAps portal account. 

Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meet the preferred requirements of the position. At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include:  a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.

In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.  

Please Note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam. 

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 

The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

All State employees shall follow the guidelines as listed in Executive Orders  13F (3a) and 13G (3a) .

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Chelsea Moore at Chelsea.Moore@ct.gov

In a state health program or project, this class is accountable for compiling and interpreting fiscal and programmatic data and statistics, developing and implementing program plans and monitoring and evaluating a state health program or project for the purposes of quality assurance and compliance with State and Federal laws.

As with all jobs in the generic health program series the exact duties vary considerably depending on the nature of the program and the current stage in its life cycle. Typical examples of work performed at this level include:
assists in the preparation of sections of state health plans or special federal or state program plans; gathers fiscal, programmatic, census and other kinds of needed data from complex calculations and interpretations; reviews program grants requests and monitors fiscal and programmatic performance of grants using agency regulations and guidelines; monitors programs using site visits when necessary; assists in the preparation of program objectives and evaluation of program results; prepares information for public distribution; may serve as staff to a task force or committee; may answer general informational questions for the public; may serve as a liaison between the program or project and specific people or organizations for the purpose of keeping information flowing; may assist in epidemiological investigations; performs related duties as required.

Knowledge of purposes, plans, objectives and programs of public health agencies including the changing patterns of preventive medicine and environmental health; knowledge of the changing aspects of socio-medical philosophies; knowledge of state and community organizations and programs involved in the field of health; considerable oral and written communication skills; interpersonal skills; ability to conduct independent research, develop and gather data.

Six (6) years of experience in a professional capacity in a health organization.

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been in health care program administration, a health systems agency or other health care organization in at least one of the following areas:

1. grant writing or monitoring;
2. formal program planning, development, management or evaluation;
3. or program consultation.

For State Employees this is interpreted at the level of Health Program Assistant 1.

Note: A health care organization is defined as a large multi-dimensional agency with responsibility for developing health programs.

1. College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (l5) semester hours equals six (6) months of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in public health, health education, hospital administration, or public administration or other closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
3. For State Employees one (1) year as a Health Program Assistant 1 may substitute for the General and Special Experience.

• Experience with public health metrics/data, particularly in the areas of workforce development
• Experience managing multiple and competing priorities
• Experience establishing collaborative relationships across community partners, internal and external stakeholders
• Experience working on federal grants, including oversight of programmatic, fiscal, and compliance aspects
• Experience with Essential Public Health Services to actively promote policies, systems, and overall community conditions that enable optimal health for all
• Experience with standards for public health accreditation
• Experience with Microsoft Products (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel)
• Experience with Adobe Professional
• Experience with website maintenance

Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.