Perinatal & Early Childhood Mental Health Program Operations Lead, Bureau of Children, Youth, and Families

Division/Program Summary Description: The Bureau of Children, Youth, Families & Developmental Disabilities (CYF-DD) is responsible for planning and monitoring much of NYC's comprehensive network of child and adolescent community mental health services. CYF-DD relies on research and surveillance to guide its decisions around service planning, implementation and evaluation and incorporates a health equity lens into its work. CYF-DD oversees a portfolio of over 100 programs and supports a family-driven, individualized and strength-based approach to care. The portfolio includes the NYC Perinatal and Early Childhood Mental Health (P+ECMH) Network, consisting of specialized clinics for children birth to five and their families as well as pregnant persons, and a Training and Technical Assistance Center. CYF-DD collaborates with large DOHMH programs, such as: (a) The New Family Home Visits program that offers support, services and referrals to new and expectant parents and (b) the Citywide Doula Initiative (CDI) that aims to reduce inequities in birth outcomes in New York City by providing doula services in neighborhoods that face elevated social and health burdens resulting from structural racism and disinvestment.

Position Summary: The Perinatal + Early Childhood Mental Health Program Operations Lead will work closely with the Director of Perinatal + Early Childhood Mental Health (P+ECMH) Programs and the P+ECMH team to support the expansion of perinatal mental health services, ensuring alignment with key public health initiatives and stakeholders. This role focuses on program development, service integration, data management, stakeholder collaboration, and capacity building to enhance behavioral health services for pregnant and parenting caregivers.

Job Duties and Responsibilities: The Program Operations Lead will have the following responsibilities:

Program Operations, Data & Evaluation
- Utilize evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness of perinatal and early childhood mental health services, consultation pilots, and training initiatives.
- In collaboration with Data & Program Coordinator, oversee perinatal mental health data reporting from provider agencies (e.g., P+ECMH Network, home visiting, doula services) and use it to inform program outcomes and continuous quality improvement.
- Partner with agencies such as the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) and other stakeholders to enhance data-driven decision-making and cross-system referrals.
- Review, synthesize, and report data findings, providing actionable recommendations for program improvement.

Training & Capacity Building
- Support the Training and Technical Assistance Center in capacity-building initiatives for providers, including home visiting programs, maternity hospitals, and other key stakeholders.
- Review and refine training materials to enhance practitioner knowledge in perinatal mental health and SUD-informed practices.
- Provide technical assistance to contracted providers to ensure effective utilization of clinical assessment tools.

Program Strategy & Service Expansion
- Lead the expansion of behavioral health services for pregnant and parenting caregivers, integrating substance use disorder (SUD) treatment into existing P+ECMH services.
- Collaborate with contracted providers to ensure that substance use screening, treatment protocols, and referrals align with trauma- and resilience-informed care principles.
- Ensure alignment of the perinatal mental health expansion with the goals of the P+ECMH Network and key DOHMH bureaus, including the Bureau of Maternal, Infant & Reproductive Health, the Bureaus of Neighborhood Health, and the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention, Care, and Treatment.
- Identify opportunities for policy and programmatic expansion in perinatal mental health, coordinating interagency planning efforts.

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
- Foster strong relationships with internal DOHMH programs, including the New Family Home Visits Initiative and Citywide Doula Initiatives, and external partners such as community organizations and healthcare providers.
- Support the development of referral pathways to improve access to perinatal and early childhood mental health services.
- Act as a liaison to Commissioner’s Office to help shape departmental strategies with regard to perinatal and infant mental health.
- Convene and facilitate stakeholder meetings, including agenda preparation, note-taking, and follow-up on action items.

Research and Implementation of Best Practices
- Conduct literature reviews and assess local, state, and national best practices related to perinatal and early childhood mental health.
- Develop a Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Consultation Manual and update existing manuals for clinical, consultation, and family peer support services.
- Advisement to policy teams internally and across stakeholders
- Monitor program adherence to scopes, budgets, and regulations through site visits and data analysis.

Supervision & Additional Duties
- Provide supervision to an implementation staff member if funding permits.
- Perform other duties as assigned.

Preferred Skills:

- Experience working with community-based mental health programs, public health initiatives, behavioral health integration or maternal and child health systems.
- Knowledge of perinatal mental health (PMH) and/or early childhood mental health (ECMH).
- Experience with program evaluation, data management, and quality improvement initiatives.
- Understanding of trauma-informed care, health equity principles, and resilience-focused approaches.
- Outstanding program management and organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
- Strong research and data management skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and statistical software such as SAS or R.
- Ability to build partnerships and collaborate with government agencies, healthcare providers, and community-based organizations.
- Experience incorporating racial equity and social justice principles into program operations and a demonstrated commitment to supporting communities affected by systemic oppression and bias.
- Strong teamwork and collaboration skills, with the ability to function effectively both independently and as part of a multi-stakeholder team.
- Experience supervising staff (preferred).

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 [email protected] or 347-396-6549.

CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

1. 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:
1. 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
2. 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
3. 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.

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.