Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (the NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the country. Our mission is to protect and improve the health of all New Yorkers, in service of a vision of a city in which all New Yorkers can realize their full health potential, regardless of who they are, how old they are, where they are from, or where they live.

As a world-renowned public health agency with a history of building transformative public health programming and infrastructure, innovating in science and scholarship to advance public health knowledge, and responding to urgent public health crises from New York City’s yellow fever outbreak in 1822, to the COVID-19 pandemic we are a hub for public health innovation, expertise, and programs, and services. We serve as the population health strategist, and policy, and planning authority for the City of New York, while also having a vast impact on national and international public policy, including 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 racial and social justice work, among others.

Our Agency’s five strategic priorities, building off a recently-completed strategic planning process emerging from the COVID-19 emergency, are:
1) To re-envision how the Health Department prepares for and responds to health emergencies, with a focus on building a “response-ready” organization, with faster decision-making, transparent public communications, and stronger surveillance and bridges to healthcare systems 2) Address and prevent chronic and diet-related disease, including addressing rising rates of childhood obesity and the impact of diabetes, and transforming our food systems to improve nutrition and enhance access to healthy foods
3) Address the second pandemic of mental illness including: reducing overdose deaths, strengthening our youth mental health systems, and supporting people with serious mental illness
4) Reduce black maternal mortality and make New York a model city for women’s health
5) Mobilize against and combat the health impacts of climate change

Our 7,000-plus team members bring extraordinary diversity to the work of public health. True to our value of equity as a foundational element of all of our work, and a critical foundation to achieving population health impact in New York City, the NYC Health Department has been a leader in recognizing and dismantling racism’s impacts on the health of New Yorkers and beyond. In 2021, the NYC Board of Health declared racism as a public health crisis. With commitment to advance anti-racist public health practices that dismantle systems that perpetuate inequitable power, opportunity and access, the NYC Health Department continues to work in and with communities and community organizations to increase their access to health services and decrease avoidable health outcomes.

Responsibilities include:

- Respond to emergency medical/toxicological calls from both the public and health care providers.
- Triage cases from calls from the public to the emergency department, private physicians or clinics, or to stay home with follow-up from PCC.
- Participate on the treating team for cases created from health care providers and will be a resource for patient care.
- Will be trained to become expert in the field of toxicology, that includes the mechanism of toxicity of the following, but not limited to, medications (both foreign and domestic), substance abuse products, plants, bites and envenomation’s (both foreign and domestic), gases and vapors, chemicals, and also including questions about medication safety, adverse effects, and drug interactions.
- Assist in identifying public health issues, including but not limited to, such as novel substance abuse products, contamination of substance abuse products, contaminated food, tampered medication, illegal pesticides and other products, toxic cultural products that may contain lead or other heavy metals, and be a sentinel for possible weapons of mass destruction.
- Document cases in real time in our data collection software in compliance with current NYS and American Association of Poison Control Center (AAPCC) requirements.
- In addition, the Poison Information Specialist acts as a liaison after hours with various DOHMH programs. Tasks include taking calls regarding:
o All reportable diseases
o Rabies
o Fire in a food establishment
o Food poisoning
o Environmental issues
o Weather related issues
o Public pool/beach incidents
o Distribution of various medications
o Point of contact for various issues.

**IMPORTANT NOTES TO ALL CANDIDATES:

Please note: If you are called for an interview you will be required to bring to your interview copies of original documentation, such as:
- A document that establishes identity for employment eligibility, such as: A Valid U.S. Passport, Permanent Resident Card/Green Card, or Driver’s license.

- Proof of Education according to the education requirements of the civil service title.

- Current Resume

- Proof of Address/NYC Residency dated within the last 60 days, such as: Recent Utility Bill (i.e. Telephone, Cable, Mobile Phone)

Additional documentation may be required to evaluate your qualification as outlined in this posting’s “Minimum Qualification Requirements” section. Examples of additional documentation may be, but not limited to: college transcript, experience verification or professional trade licenses.

If after your interview you are the selected candidate you will be contacted to schedule an on-boarding appointment. By the time of this appointment you will be asked to produce the originals of the above documents along with your original Social Security card.

**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 StudentAid.gov/PSLF.

"FINAL APPOINTMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET APPROVAL”

All candidates must be either a NYS licensed and registered pharmacist, nurse, or physician assistant. If candidates possess a BSN, must have 1 year of experience in the Emergency room or in the Intensive Care Unit. All candidates must have clear communication skills. Second language skills are desired but are not required. All candidates must sit for the AAPCC certification examination and maintain their certification throughout their employment. NOTE: This position may be eligible for remote work up to two days per week, pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program agreed to between the City and DC37.

New York City Residency is not required for this position. Minimum Qualification Requirements: Must possess one of the following valid New York State licenses or certification: Registered Pharmacist Registered Professional Nurse Registered Physician's Assistant Certified Nurse Practitioner **The licenses and/or certification listed above must be maintained for the duration of employment.

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.