Summary:  Works to build the capacity of state and territorial health officials to identify, develop, and analyze evidence-based/evidence-informed law and policy in the development of project deliverables for federally funded projects important to state health officials and agencies in the areas of unintended injury, overdose prevention and, and other projects in support of the State Health Policy and the Social and Behavioral Health teams.

Principal Functions:

• Develops in-depth reports, state stories, issue briefs, newsletters, and articles for publication pertaining to mental health, overdose surveillance and prevention, and behavioral health.
• Supports the state health policy team and the social and behavioral health team in tasks related to overdose-related policy development, analysis, and implementation.
• Supports the development and execution of a workforce development mentorship program for health agency staff managing opioid overdose prevention and surveillance programs.
• Assists in the management of project activities, including planning large meetings for the 66 jurisdictions receiving CDC’s Overdose Data to Action funds, which may occur virtually, or other administrative tasks necessary to support project deliverables such as site visits, workforce development trainings, and quality improvement projects around state health agency processes.
• Supports a virtual learning community for 47 states focused on best practices and evidence-based interventions to address the overdose crisis.
• Responds to requests for assistance and information from members, affiliates, and national organizations.
• Supports state health agencies during ASTHO technical assistance and capacity building activities around overdose prevention and surveillance, which may focus on overdose fatality reviews, strategic planning for overdose prevention programs, building collaboration between state and local health agencies, or implementation science and techniques.
• Serves as an information and policy resource on injury prevention, behavioral health, overdose prevention and surveillance, and other related areas.
• Monitors the progress of cooperative agreement goals and adjust activities according to evaluation results and the changing public health landscape.
• Provides staff support to ASTHO’s Substance Misuse, Addiction Recovery and Treatment subcommittee and other related projects.
• Represents ASTHO on national committees and partnerships and at meetings and conferences.
• Develops relevant materials and links for overdose prevention related topics and policies on the ASTHO Web site and through several newsletters.
• Tracks and analyzing appropriate issues at federal and state levels.
• Oversees or handles administrative tasks when necessary.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor preferred. Consideration given to those with relevant experience in areas such as public health, public policy, or health administration.
• 3+ years of prior related experience.
• Knowledge of state or local public health legislative and/or policy development and analysis.
• Knowledge of state or local public health policy, injury prevention policy, or substance misuse and addiction policy preferred.
• Association or state/local government experience is a plus.
• Ability to research, track and analyze appropriate issues and legislation at federal and state levels using abstract concepts.
• Strong written and oral communications skills.
• Ability to exercise own judgment and occasionally consider different courses of action to get the job done.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment, manage multiple priorities, and complete assigned tasks in a timely manner.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate tactfully and diplomatically with public and internal contacts.
• Ability to develop and maintain working relationships and collaborative networks to coordinate ASTHO programs and activities with other staff members, government organizations and to represent ASTHO at meetings and conferences.
• Ability to travel within service area should in-person activities resume in the future.
• Knowledge of word processing applications such as MS Word, and other software applications (e.g., spreadsheet, database, desktop publishing, etc.)