Community Health Specialist

Closing Date: May 9, 2025
$33.88 to $44.61 DOQ

Chisago County Public Health is seeking a Community Health Specialist to lead population-based public health initiatives under the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) framework. In this role, you will coordinate efforts with partners to improve community health, develop and implement strategies based on local data, advocate for policies that enhance access to care, and address chronic disease prevention. You will focus on health equity, using data to influence local, state, and federal policies, and build partnerships with community organizations to support health and policy development. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of public health principles, experience with health assessments, and the ability to engage cross-sector stakeholders to integrate public health into broader policies. Join us in making a lasting impact on the health of Chisago County!

Title: Community Health Specialist

Department: Health and Human Services

Reports to: Community Health Supervisor

Position Status: Full Time; Appointed; MN Teamsters Local 320 Union

Job Location: Chisago County Public Health Office, North Branch

Position Objective

Performs Intermediate work implementing the protection and promotion of the health of county residents through promotion and provision of population-based public health services through the implementation of population-based public health initiatives. This includes planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based community health strategies in alignment with the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) and other initiatives as identified. The position works under the limited supervision of the Community Health Supervisor.

Essential Functions

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Population-Based Public Health Initiatives:

Coordinate efforts to provide population-based public health services with internal and external partners, acting as a community health liaison.

• Research and apply evidence-based models and best practices for broad population health initiatives, ensuring alignment with public health policy frameworks.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate community health strategies based on the community health assessment and improvement plan (CHIP) or other identified needs, advocating for policies that support the improvement of health outcomes.
• Create and deliver health messaging to targeted populations, with a focus on health in all policies and improving public health in Chisago County.
• Pursue and evaluate promising population health practices, policies, and initiatives, and adapt them to the needs of Chisago County residents.
• Serve as a community resource, ensuring public health best practices and policy recommendations are integrated into community programs and services.
• Provide guidance on population health by aligning with the ten essential public health services, core public health functions, and relevant public health policies.
• Contribute to the community health assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation processes, ensuring that the CHIP is informed by current public health policies and emerging legislative trends.
• Participate in identifying priority goals and objectives for the community health improvement plan (CHIP) that promote policy changes and systems-level improvements in public health.
• Identify grant opportunities and assist with the writing, reporting, management, and evaluation of public health-related grants, ensuring that grant applications align with community health policy goals.

Access to Care:

• Provide education and technical assistance to healthcare providers to improve access to services and advocate for policies that remove barriers to care.
• Plan, develop, and implement strategies to enhance healthcare access within the community, aligning with CHIP priorities and public health policies that promote access to care for underserved populations.

Assessment and Surveillance:

• Convene public health partners to develop health assessments and improvement plans, ensuring alignment with community priorities and the policies that guide health interventions.
• Establish metrics to monitor the implementation and track progress of health improvement initiatives, considering the impact of local and state policies on public health outcomes.
• Collaborate with community partners to collect, validate, and use public health data, particularly for communities facing health inequities, to influence the development of evidence-based policies.

Community Partnership Development:

• Establish and maintain trust with community members, especially those impacted by health inequities, to drive community health decision-making and policy development through inclusive, community-driven approaches.
• Engage with governmental and cross-sector partners (e.g., transportation, aging, substance abuse/mental health, education) to promote health and prevent disease, while advocating for policies that support these efforts.
• Engages the community through public presentations, meetings with organizational leaders, residents, and others to promote health in all policies.
• Engage community partnership to build the community's health promotion capacity and strengthen systems that support community health and health policy. Identifies gaps in the community for partnerships to address a health needs.
• Lead a community-driven health improvement process, aligning efforts with community health assessment data, and advocating for policies that address identified health priorities.

Health Equity and Policy Development:

• Strategically address social and structural determinants of health through policy development, programs, and services designed to achieve health equity for all residents.
• Collaborate with cross-sector stakeholders (government, healthcare providers, non-profits) to influence, implement, and revise policies that impact public health at the local, state, and federal levels.
• Advocate for the enactment of evidence-based policies, laws, and ordinances that support Health in All Policies, aiming to reduce health inequities and ensure comprehensive, long-term public health improvement.
• Guide local and state-level policy development by utilizing data, evidence, and community input to create policies that promote health equity, enhance access to care, and address social determinants of health.
• Promote the integration of public health principles into broader policy discussions, ensuring that health considerations are embedded in policies related to transportation, housing, education, and employment.

Chronic Disease & Injury Prevention:

• Assess and address factors influencing the prevention and control of chronic diseases and injuries in the community, advocating for policy changes that support prevention strategies.
• Develop, implement, and maintain plans to mitigate chronic disease risks and improve public health, incorporating policy-driven approaches to support long-term health improvements.

Miscellaneous Duties

• Participates with public health emergency response functions as trained and assigned within the department's emergency response plan.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Participates in training as assigned.
• Demonstrates adherence to miscellaneous County and HHS Department policies.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of foundational public health work. Ability to apply principles of public health to communities, families, and individuals.

• General knowledge of health promotion (population and community-based primary prevention).
• Knowledge of community organization systems, norms, and resources
• Knowledge of educational, training and consultation principles, practices, materials, and tools with various populations.
• Ability to speak and present publicly.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with staff, community, and professional groups.
• Ability to exercise tact, judgment, initiative.
• Ability to work independently and set work priorities complimentary to the work of the Department.
• Effective communication skills, both oral and written.
• Employee must have demonstrated ability to work effectively and efficiently in a wide variety of computer programs and systems.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective, respectful, relationships with clients, agency staff members, and the public.
• Ability to apply previously acquired knowledge and skills to new situations.
• Ability to communicate effectively using a variety of method.
• Must be able to maintain positive working relationship with County Attorney, County Administration, Department Administrative team, and other county and community committees, State offices of the State of Minnesota for miscellaneous programs.

Desired Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in health education or promotion, community health, health sciences, or a closely related field.
OR
Two (2) years of experience providing professional support to a health education, promotion, or prevention program, or a substance use disorder treatment program.

Special Qualifications

None.

Tools and Equipment Used

Computer, telephone, copier, fax and general office equipment.

Working Conditions

The characteristics listed below are representative of the physical demands, physical agility, sensory requirements, and environmental exposures required by an individual to successfully perform the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

• This classification regularly involves physical agility requirements such as: climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, pushing, pulling, repetitive motions and manual dexterity.
• Sensory requirements include standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing ideas by means of the spoken word; and hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels;
• The noise level can range from moderately quiet in the office to loud and noisy in the field.

Physical Exertion (Pounds)

Up to 10

Regular

Up to 25

Occasional

Up to 50

Occasional

Up to 100

Seldom

100 or more

Seldom

Applicants for appointment to this position will be required to submit a formal application and may be subject to rating of education and experience, oral interview and/or reference check, background investigation, criminal history check, drug testing. Job related tests may be required of any applicant.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee as is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.