Job Board: Albany County Commissioner of Public Health

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC HEALTH

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This position involves responsibility for initiating and managing a local public health program and has the general powers and duties specified in Section 352 of the Public Health Law. The incumbent is responsible for maintaining a high standard of public health services in accordance with the general policies and objectives of the County Executive and County legislature and with applicable State and local health laws and ordinances. General supervision is exercised over the environmental health, sanitation, medical and public and/or community health nursing services.  Does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

• Plans, organizes and directs a comprehensive local public health program;
• Directs the operation of a program of licensing and inspecting to insure the sanitary quality of food served in public eating places;
• Directs a public health program for promotion and supervision of water supply systems and sewage disposal systems, in so far as sanitation is concerned;
• Supervises a program for the control of communicable diseases through investigation of dangerous diseases and the compilation and analysis of appropriate statistics;
• Supervises the conduct of clinics for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and for the prevention and discovery of HIV Infection, tuberculosis and other diseases;
• Participates in professional conferences and training programs and arranges for in-service training of staff;
• Defines program goals, strategies and operating policies and procedures;
• Develops, supervises and advises on cost allocation and budgetary plans concerning new and on-going programs;
• Works with other departments and community groups to assess and address community health care needs and plans strategies accordingly;
• Advises County Legislature, County Executive on issues related to public health and the environment;
• Provides leadership, direction and control to department staff; Prepares public relations material, such as, newspaper articles radio and television announcements, and speaks before groups and organizations regarding the functions and activities of the Health

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Comprehensive knowledge of the principles, practices and terminology of public health administration;
• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of epidemiology, sanitation and of the diagnosis and treatment of communicable diseases;
• Ability to plan, direct and evaluate public health programs;
• Ability to deal with the public on projects related to public health;
• Ability to plan and supervise the work of others;
• Ability to prepare and analyze technical and statistical reports;
• Interest in maintaining a high standard of professional ethics;
• Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. A commissioner of health of a county shall be a physician who is currently registered to practice medicine in New York State and possesses two years of experience in administrative practice that demonstrates that the candidate possesses the knowledge and skills to administer public health programs including workforce and budget management, effective communications, effective establishment and implementation of policy or business goals, and compliance with legal requirements and:
   1. Certification by the American Board of Preventive Medicine; or,
   2. A master's degree in public health from a regionally accredited or New York State­ registered college or university that demonstrates the core competencies of a master’s in public health (Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management, and Social and Behavior Sciences) or a master’s degree in a related field from a regionally accredited New York State-registered college or university.
2. All appointments to the position of commissioner of health must be approved by the State Commissioner of Health.
3. Candidates who do not meet the above education or experience requirements may be conditionally approved by the State Commissioner of Health for an appointment of two years, with an opportunity for two additional one year conditional renewals. Final approval of these candidates shall be contingent on satisfactory progress in meeting a public health education or experience plan developed in conjunction with and approved by the State Commissioner of Health.

Juris. Class: Unclassified