The Center for Health Equity & Community Wellness (CHECW) uses a racial and social justice approach to eliminate health inequities for those who are most marginalized in New York City and to reduce overall premature mortality from the leading causes of preventable death with the vision that every New Yorker will live in a thriving neighborhood with equitable access to resources that help support healthy individuals and communities. This division unifies and strengthens the Department's lines of work directed at eliminating racial inequities for preventable health conditions, which are rooted in historical and contemporary injustices and discrimination, including racism. The Bureau of Equitable Health Systems (BEHS) is the healthcare systems bureau of DOHMH situated within CHECW and supporting the strategic plan and vision of the Chief Medical Officer. Our mission is to apply policy, evidence, and practical expertise to improve equity in health care delivery at the individual, organizational, financing, and systems levels. We aim to operationalize the Board of Health's resolution of Racism as a Public Health Crisis by addressing structural racism and intersectional inequities embedded within the healthcare delivery system. The mortality experienced due to COVID-19 made visible the inequities that many New Yorkers experience in accessing the healthcare system, as well as the marginalization of essential health workers. As we move forward towards an equitable COVID-19 recovery, we need to develop innovative solutions to improve the performance, equity, and efficiency of the healthcare delivery system.
The Bureau of Equitable Health Systems, Office of Health Insurance Services (OHIS) seeks to hire Certified Application Counselors, who will establish collaborative working relationships with other city agencies and community based organizations within New York City's non-English native speaking communities and perform very responsible work in the supervision, planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring and/or evaluation of community development programs/project initiatives.
Duties Will Include But Not Be Limited to:
- Participate in outreach events to raise awareness about available services and assist community residents in overcoming barriers to meeting access to their healthcare needs. OHIS partners with DOHMH Public Health clinics, Neighborhood Health Action Centers, Early Intervention Program, Health & Affordability Corps, and other Health Department programs; community and faith-based organizations; the NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA); NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA); New York State of Health, Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU); and NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H)/NYC Cares.
- Facilitate health insurance enrolment activities and manage the processing of incoming referrals to connect New Yorkers to health insurance. Referrals are received through various channels, including the new digital navigator tool, incoming phone calls from community residents, community-based partners, internal and external agency programs, and special projects under the OHIS program (e.g., Consumer Contact Center, Early Intervention Program, Neighborhood Health Corps, Health & Affordability Corps, Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, Asylum Seekers, and DIS TB Unified Electronic Medical Records).
- Educate clients about health insurance products; insurance affordability programs; and resources for government benefit programs including Medicaid Excess Income, Medicare Savings, Waiver Services and SNAP (food stamps).
- Provide an overview of the application process and explain required documentation necessary to submit the application. Fully utilize the tools provided by the New York State of Health (NYSOH) Marketplace, NYC HRA, NYC Care Kiteworks, and other consumer interface portal systems to implement processing of the application.
- Utilize electronic reporting tools (e.g., New York State of Health (NYSOH) Marketplace, ACCESSNYC, NYC Care Kiteworks, and HICASTS, to record daily activities, case manage and track al applications until eligibility/coverage is determined by the NYSOH Marketplace and NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA).
- Work collaboratively with Site Supervisor to work on special projects, resolve issues, pool resources, and ensure the effective delivery of services to the community.
Additional Role/Responsibilities as needed include:
- Coordinate and track community referrals from the Consumer Contact Center, ensuring timely completion and accurate documentation.
- Handle and respond to incoming calls related to health insurance enrolment, including referrals from various state and city programs, while educating consumers on insurance options and government-sponsored programs on the New York State of Health (NYSOH) Marketplace, Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid and Medicare Savings program, how to apply for Medicare, Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) and NYC Care.
- Maintain accurate records by entering consumer information into spreadsheets and databases, and assigning referrals to appropriate supervisors following established procedures in a timely manner.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working directly with individuals from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
- Demonstrated commitment to supporting historically underserved, marginalized, or underrepresented communities, including communities impacted by health inequities and social determinants of health.
- Excellent oral presentation skills
- Experience working with community-based organizations
- Excellent computer skills
- Certified Application Counselor experience a plus
- Bilingual fluency in languages most spoken across New York City including Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Haitian Creole, Russian, Arabic, Urd 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: o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment. o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund. o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement. o a tax-deferred savings program and o 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! Commitment to Equity: 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.
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.
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.
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.