Perinatal Mental Health Senior Specialist

The Division of Pregnancy, Infancy and Early Childhood (DPIE) under the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking a dynamic Perinatal Mental Health Senior Specialist to play an essential role in advancing maternal health equity by supporting the development, expansion, implementation, integration, and evaluation of perinatal mental health and substance use programs and their impact on perinatal outcomes within the Division of Pregnancy, Infancy and Early Childhood (DPIE). Primary responsibilities include program management, integration, innovation, training and workforce support, engagement and coordination, communication and outreach, and data and outcomes monitoring. The Perinatal Mental Health Senior Specialist will participate in and/or coordinate special projects to support program planning, innovations, building infrastructure to support program implementation, and collaborations across perinatal mental health and substance use programs and initiatives as needed.

 Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

1. Statewide Strategy, Systems Integration & Continuum of Care

• Oversee and direct the integration of perinatal mental health and substance use initiatives across hospital systems, birth centers, community health centers, home visiting, and other organizations and spaces where birthing people seek care and services. Establish statewide priorities and standards to guide integration efforts.
• Design and advance statewide strategy for continuity and care and integration of services, to improve the continuum of care across the spectrum of services. Oversee implementation of these approaches across partners and settings.
• Lead cross-bureau strategy and alignment with the Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition (BFHN) and Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) to further integrate Moms-do-care and First Steps Together into obstetric and pediatric care systems, both at the hospital and community birth level.
• Lead cross-divisional strategy across DPIE and other divisions in BFHN to bring a strategic approach to understanding the relationship between infant health and wellbeing to perinatal mental health, including children with special healthcare needs, infant death, and issues related to infant mental health.

2. Policy, Standards and Statewide Regulations

• Define programmatic and policy frameworks for dual reporting pathways for substance exposed newborns and family care plans, and oversee implementation across provider systems. Ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and statewide standards.
• Establish standards and oversee development of training materials and guidance, including those related to screening, dual notification pathways, family care plans, and new regulations, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and alignment with statewide strategy related to Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) and substance use disorder (SUD).

3. Partnerships & Statewide Coordination

• Establish and guide the development of a Leadership Council, including defining its structure, purpose, and role in informing PMADS strategy. Oversee engagement of families with lived experience, providers, and community stakeholders to inform system improvements.
• Lead and manage the strategic partnership with Perinatal-Neonatal Quality Improvement Network (PNQIN) to advance dissemination, training, and quality improvement initiatives aligned with PMADS priorities. Ensure coordination between clinical quality initiatives and statewide program goals.
• Establish and sustain partnerships with healthcare providers, local public health departments, home visiting programs, and community-based organizations (among others) to align efforts and avoid duplication, providing a unified voice for perinatal mental health and substance use programs statewide.

4. Workforce Development and Training

• Assess workforce capacity and set training strategy including defining standards, priorities and required competencies for providers, social workers, home visitors and other allies are equipped to address the full spectrum of perinatal mental health and substance use concerns. Oversee development and dissemination of training resources and initiatives.

5. Data, Evaluation, Research

• Analyze and interpret statewide data on maternal mental health and substance use outcomes, focusing on maternal mortality reports, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) and Pregnancy to Early Life Longitudinal Data System (PELL) data, Public Health Data Warehouse (PHD) data, and develop evidence-based strategies to address disparities, ensuring programs are both effective and equitable.
• Seek evidence on infant mental health and other infant related variables that impact perinatal mental health to design strategies to address them.

6. Program Expansion, Communications & Community-Based Services

• Collaborate and strategize with DPIE’s infant mental health programs to identify intersections and spaces of coordination across programs.
• Provide strategic oversight with Home Visiting partnerships to understand opportunities for improvement and expansion of services in the community.

7. Contract & Program Administration

• Oversee up to 5 postpartum depression contracts with community health centers totaling upwards of $860k annually and up to 5 PMAD contracts with community based organizations totaling upwards of $220K annually.

Required Qualifications:

•      Demonstrated knowledge of human services planning, including an understanding of social, economic, technological, and ecological factors and trends affecting service delivery.

•      Proficiency in statistical methods and terminology, including the ability to calculate and interpret means, medians, modes, and standard deviations, and to prepare related charts, graphs, and tables.

•      Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess data for relevance, draw informed conclusions, and make sound, actionable recommendations.

•      Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to program activities and decision-making.

•      Skilled in gathering, organizing, and compiling information through document review and interpersonal communication, following established formats and procedures.

•       Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear and concise reports, give accurate instructions, and present ideas logically,

•      Proven ability to build and maintain positive relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and individuals from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.

•       Highly organized and detail-oriented with the ability to work independently, manage confidential information with discretion, and exercise sound judgment under minimal supervision.

Preferred Qualifications:

•      Understanding of the role and scope of practice of Doulas and midwives.

•      Knowledge of the current maternal health landscape in Massachusetts.

•      Ability to manage projects and ensure deliverables are met.

•         Strong community outreach and collaboration skills.

DPH Mission and Vision:

The mission of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is to promote and protect health and wellness and prevent injury and illness for all people, prioritizing racial equity in health by improving equitable access to quality public health and health care services and partnering with communities most impacted by health inequities and structural racism.

We envision a Commonwealth with an equitable and just public health system that supports optimal well-being for all people in Massachusetts, centering those with systemically and culturally oppressed identities and circumstances.

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Pre-Hire Process:

A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being hired. For more information, please visit http://www.mass.gov/hhs/cori

Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division's Hiring Guidelines.

Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Record Law and may be published on the Commonwealth's website.

ADA Reasonable Accommodation:

If you require a reasonable accommodation with the application/interview process, please contact us at: EOHHS Candidate ADA Requests

For questions regarding this requisition, please contact the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Human Resources at 1-800- 510-4122 Ext. 4

First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.

Minimum Entrance Requirements: 

Applicants must have at least (A) four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional or paraprofessional experience in social work, social casework, health care administration, public health program administration, hospital administration, or in program administration or program management, and (B) or which at least two years must have been in a professional capacity, or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.  

Substitutions:  

I. A Bachelor's degree with a major in social work, health care administration, hospital administration, public health or health services administration may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required (A) experience.*  

II. A Graduate degree with a major in social work, health care administration, hospital administration, public health or health services administration may be substituted for a maximum of three years of the required (A) experience and one year of the required (B) experience.*  

*Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.  

NOTE: Educational substitutions will only be permitted for a maximum of one year of the required (B) experience.  

Special Requirements: Based on assignment, possession of a current and valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Operator's License.

Salary placement is determined by a combination of factors, including the candidate’s years of directly related experience and education, and alignment with our internal compensation structure as set forth by the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines. For all bargaining unit positions (non-management), compensation is subject to the salary provisions outlined in the applicable collective bargaining agreement and will apply to placement within the appropriate salary range.

Comprehensive Benefits

When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

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An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer.  Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law.  Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100%25 of the job requirements.  We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.