The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is expanding home visiting in NYC and streamlining how providers, organizations, and community residents can access quality home-visiting services. The goal is to improve maternal and child health and well-being by matching families' assessed risks to evidence-based (EB) or evidence-generating (EG) home visiting (HV) models that are most appropriate for them based on their needs, and to connect them to other resources as needed. Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities create disparate outcomes in certain neighborhoods as compared with the rest of the city, and providing services beginning in the prenatal through postpartum period is vital to improving these outcomes. In addition, recent attention to inequities in maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in New York City, points to the need for more respectful maternity care and greater agency for people during childbirth, both of which the program's staff will facilitate, in partnership with NYC doula organizations.
DOHMH's New Family Home Visits (NFHV) Initiative will serve families from pregnancy through the postpartum period. A subset of families will also be offered labor and delivery support by a certified doula. NFHV incorporates a strong mental-health and chronic-disease focus, including screening for diabetes, hypertension, maternal depression, and anxiety, along with referrals to needed services. The citywide program will begin in Brooklyn, offering home visits to more than 2,900 first-time expectant parents. of those. The neighborhoods burdened by adverse maternal and child health outcomes will be prioritized; however, all first-time expectant parents are eligible.
Duties Will Include But Not Be Limited To
- Promote and market the program across all five boroughs to enhance visibility and engagement.
- Represent the program at community events, including occasional weekend events as needed.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with public and private agencies to ensure families receive timely and appropriate support.
- Collaborate with community stakeholders to expand and strengthen resources for families.
- Identify and assess community resources, maintaining an up-to-date database of available services.
- Address gaps in existing resources and advocate for the development of new services to meet community needs.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive outreach strategy to increase program visibility and utilization within the community.
- Provide individual case consultation and participate in case conferences with an interdisciplinary team, including Public Health Advisors, Doulas, Nurses, and Social Workers, to ensure families are effectively connected to community resources.
- Organize and actively participate in a Community Advisory Board to ensure coordination of services within the early childhood system of care.
- Foster collaboration with stakeholders to create a cohesive network of support for families.
Preferred Skills
- Excellent and verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.
- Strong analytical and critical-thinking abilities to support strategic planning, problem-solving, and effective execution of activities.
- Proven experience in program management, including planning, implementation, and evaluation.
- Demonstrated experience conducting community outreach and building relationships within under-resourced communities.
- Ability to work independently and adapt to varying community needs and priorities.
- Experience in public health, particularly in maternal and child health, early childhood development, and/or working with under-resourced populations.
- NYS driver's license
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Fluency in English and Spanish or French preferred
Why You Should Work For Us
- Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/)
- Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:
- a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
- additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
- a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
- a tax-deferred savings program and
- a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.
- Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
- Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.
Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.
Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!
The NYC Health Department is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation to all individuals. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Sye-Eun Ahn, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, at sahn1@health.nyc.gov or 347-396-6549.
COMMUNITY COORDINATOR - 56058
Minimum Qualifications
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
- High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
- Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.
55a Program
This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.
Residency Requirement
New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.
Additional Information
The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.
