DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:  This is a high-level professional position with full responsibility for directing, managing and regulating the Department of Health's delivery of public health services throughout the County pursuant to the powers and duties specified in Section 352 of the Public Health Law. Duties include promoting health, disease prevention, and ensuring the highest quality of health protection to County residents through environmental sanitation, communicable disease control, personal health services, preventive healthcare, and health education. Work is performed under general direction of the County Executive and in cooperation with the Board of Health. General supervision is exercised through subordinates over a large number of professional, technical and clerical employees. Performs related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only)

• Advises the County Executive and County Legislature on issues related to public health and the environment;
• Establishes overall public health policy and conducts long‑range planning for the department by assessing internal and external environments;
• Plans, organizes, directs and controls all public health maintenance and preventive healthcare activities for the County, under the guidelines set by the New York State Public Health Law and other national, state and county legal regulations;
• Directs the department’s Bioterrorism/Disaster Preparedness Program to safeguard the health and safety of residents, including overseeing coordination plans, medication and vaccine dispensing plans, emergency health status assessment plans, triage area plans, etc.;
• Leads the local public health system (other providers of health and related services in the county) in conducting a comprehensive community health assessment which identifies the resources and needs of the Putnam community;
• Oversees the creation and implementation of the Municipal Health Services Plan consistent with the findings of the Community Health Assessment;
• Oversees and participates in Communicable Disease Program, including medical direction of all disease surveillance and investigation activities and the control of outbreaks of communicable disease in the county;
• Oversees and participates in Immunization Clinics, pediatric and adult; provides direct medical care for Tuberculosis Clinics, including physical assessment of clients, and medical interventions for the follow-up of active and potential cases of tuberculosis;
• Oversees and participates in a variety of other primary care clinics including Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Prenatal, and Pediatrics; provides direct patient care and /or assumes medical responsibility for other type of clinician, e.g. nurse practitioner or physician assistant, in the provision of direct patient care;
• Organizes the various functions of the Health Department through appropriate departmentalization and delegation of duties;
• Establishes formal means of accountability, including systems of quality assessment and improvement, and approves developments or changes in matters involving departmental policies and procedures;
• Directs the application of a system of responsible accounting, including budget and internal controls, and approves the annual budget;
• Participates in interdepartmental and departmental meetings when appropriate, to maintain liaison with the professional staff of the various departments concerning matters impacting on public health;
• Develops and implements standards, programs and procedures for the provision of ongoing public health services as required according to the New York State and Putnam County Sanitary Codes;
• Determines responsive and preventive measures to be taken in safeguarding all aspects of the health of the County's residents, and works closely with the County's individual municipalities to assist them in development of their own public health programs;
• Works with key leaders and institutions within the County to establish a local public health system in order to most effectively address the health needs of the County;
• Initiates and directs various licensing and inspection programs and community health programs, establishes County sanitary standards and directs the inspection of sewage disposal facilities;
• Participates in local, state and national professional healthcare organizations and obtains and disseminates information on current and future healthcare practices and trends to ensure the applicability and compliance of County healthcare activities and forecasting with current medical and legal standards;
• Assists the Commissioner of Emergency Services with emergency responses to toxic or hazardous materials incidents, incidents at the nuclear facility, and other man‑made or natural disasters that threaten the public's health, and for establishment of emergency planning for prevention of and response to such disaster situations;
• May provide care to patients in the home care setting, i.e., wound care;
• Performs a variety of additional activities to be planned which will require physician oversight and/or participation in direct patient care activities;
• Performs a variety of related activities as required.

Typical Work Activities are intended only as illustrations of possible types of work that might be appropriately assigned to an incumbent of this title. Work activities that do not appear above are not excluded as appropriate work assignments, as long as they can be reasonably understood to be within the logical limits of the job.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:  Comprehensive knowledge of principles, practices and techniques of modern medicine; comprehensive knowledge of principles and practices of public health administration including knowledge of public administration, personnel administration, and fiscal planning; thorough knowledge of public health laws and code; ability to develop, plan and implement public health operating policies, regulations and procedures; ability to manage effectively and objectively an organization providing various health services to a large health district; ability to work effectively with public officials, professional organizations, the media, community groups, private individuals in public health; ability to elicit the cooperation of others; ability to analyze and evaluate reports and studies; sound judgment; reliability; resourcefulness; initiative, tact.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Must meet the minimum qualifications set by New York State Public Health Law §351 and NYCRR Title 11:

a. A physician currently registered to practice medicine in New York State and possesses two (2) years of experience in administrative practice and:

1. Certification by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, or
2. A Master's degree in Public Health or a related field.

b. All appointments to the position of Commissioner of Health must be approved by the State Commissioner of Health.

c. Candidates who do not meet the education or experience requirements may be conditionally approved by the State Commissioner of Health for a two (2) year appointment (see NYCRR 11.11 for details).

DESIRED ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:  Five (5) years of responsible full time Public Health experience.

PLEASE NOTE:  Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT*: This position is considered to be a public officer. The holder of this position must be a United States citizen and a resident of Putnam County, and maintain residency for the duration of employment.

SPECIAL NOTE: The Commissioner of Health shall serve a term of six years

*Pursuant to Public Officers Law Article 2, Section 3

4/02; 7/10; 9/23; 10/24

Non-Competitive Class