Director of Health Justice Network (HJN), Bureau of Health Promotion for Justice-Impacted Populations

The Bureau of Health Promotion for Justice-Impacted Populations (HPJIP) in the Division of Mental Hygiene aims to reduce the negative social and health consequences of criminal legal system involvement through innovative policy and practice change. By centering community, addressing inequities, lived experience, and elevating trauma-and-resilience-informed-approaches, we promote evidence-based best practices to address the needs of those disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system.

The Health Justice Network (HJN) is an equity-centered public health initiative under the Bureau of Health Promotion for Justice-Impacted Populations that aims to maximize health outcomes and support successful community reintegration. Operating as a program with two tracks, HJN pairs individuals returning home from jail or prison with trained Community Health Workers (CHWs) who share personal lived experience with the legal system. Through its community-based Reentry Track and its court-linked Court-Based Mental Health Navigators Track, the initiative delivers person-centered, trauma-and-resilience-informed care by addressing essential healthcare navigation, stabilization needs, and social support.

Position Summary: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Division of Mental Hygiene seeks a full-time Director of Health Justice Network (HJN), for the Bureau of Health Promotion of Justice Impacted Populations (HPJIP) with the primary responsibility of overseeing the operations of Health Justice Network (HJN). HJN is operational 7 days a week, Monday – Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm. The Director of HJN’s schedule would be Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm. Please note there must be flexibility in schedule to meet program needs.

Duties Will Include But Not Be Limited to:

• Provide direct operational and clinical oversight of HJN, setting strategic goals according to Bureau objectives.
• Manage staff coverage, productivity, client service skills, and workload expectations for all embedded CHWs and program staff.
• Guide local planning, development, and execution of both HJN tracks across New York City.
• Develop, implement, and audit evidence-based clinical policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Provide clinical education and training for staff.
• Implement quality initiatives to enhance outcomes, clinical service delivery, and staff accountability.
• Maintain excellent communication and collaboration with HJN partners and leadership to support program operations.
• Work closely with the Senior Director of Programs to ensure program strategies are well-documented and executed effectively.
• Develop an effective intra-disciplinary communications process within the program and across the Bureau for collaborative projects.
• Continue and build new relationships with City agencies, community providers, and relevant collaterals.
• Manage and ensure timely responses to requests from the Executive Deputy Commissioner’s Office, City Hall, and external stakeholders.
• Build robust pipelines with specialty courts, diversion programs, defense counsels, and specialized teams like SPOA, FACT, INSET, and SOS.
• Partner with the HPJIP Epidemiology Unit (EPI) to track outcomes and maintain accurate, timely reports on productivity and quality for case reviews.
• Work with the EPI team to design, implement, and refine data collection instruments, protocols, and processes.
• Enforce utilization of tracking mechanisms (including the OMH platform); work with the EPI team on dashboards to monitor public and criminal legal system data.
• Contribute data interpretations to support data-informed decision-making for the HJN team and its partners.
• Collaborate with clinical and administrative stakeholders to establish project details, standardized definitions, metrics, and implementation plans.
• Proactively develop evaluation strategies to monitor performance and determine the need for programmatic improvements.
• Coordinate data collection and indicators for Quality Performance Reviews, Mayor’s Management Reports, Office of Community Mental Health requests, and funders.
• Deliver comprehensive presentations and accurate reports directly to senior leadership.
• Conduct regular field work to meet with existing partners and optimize program partnerships.
• Maintain a flexible schedule, including working other shifts, weekends, staying late, or coming in early as operationally required.

Preferred Skills:

• Personal lived experience that aligns with population bureau engages.
• Experience leading or supervising peer specialists, community health workers, or professionals with lived legal system experience.
• Knowledge of performance evaluation techniques, key metrics, data analysis, and reporting.
• Ability to act independently, exercise good judgment, and escalate issues accordingly.
• Ability to work flexibly and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills (both written and verbal).
• Working knowledge of MS Office and program management software.
• Familiarity with the specific health impacts of incarceration, healthcare navigation, and vital document procurement 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! 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

• For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.

To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:

• A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
• A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE: Probationary Period Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

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.