AOT Quality Improvement Specialist, Bureau of Mental Health

The Bureau of Mental Health’s (BMH) mission is to improve mental health and wellness for people in New York City, and to eliminate racial and other long-standing societal disparities by providing services, resources, and opportunities to New Yorkers that are grounded in accurate, data-driven information that fosters community participation, thus reducing the stigma around mental health. The Office of Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) is responsible for the management and oversight of the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program in New York City. The New York State Legislature passed Kendra’s law as an amendment to the Mental Hygiene Law to allow for outpatient civil commitment of individuals with histories of serious mental illness, difficulty engaging in rehabilitation, and who present high risk to themselves or the community. The program enables these individuals to live safely in the community, avoid repeated inpatient hospitalizations, and ensure they have access to comprehensive outpatient services.

Position Summary: The Quality Improvement Specialist will oversee and monitor quality improvement activities for the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program and will be responsible for ensuring that the on-going activities are well coordinated and in concert with the latest best-practices in the field of mental health.

Job Duties and Responsibilities: Reporting to the Deputy Director of Quality Improvement, the Quality Improvement Specialist will:

• Develop standardized criteria for decisions pertaining to AOT clients under the direction of the Deputy Director for Quality Improvement and in conjunction with the AOT team Assistant Directors.
• Monitor implementation of AOT standardized criteria through the management and analysis of data sets as well as the review of consumer charts and other clinical material.
• Monitor the overall day-to-day activities for the AOT team, identify opportunities for programmatic improvements and make recommendations for changes in policy and procedures.
• Ensure that clinical records are maintained according to the AOT policy and procedure guidelines.
• Ensure that policy guidelines are understood and adhered to by staff and community program providers.
• Develop relationships with community mental health agencies, hospitals, and NY State Office of Mental Health liaisons to insure that AOT meets the needs of the consumers served.
• Identify program-related data needs to help recognize programmatic trends, the needs of consumers and best practices.
• Prepare draft reports and summary tables documenting program impact and outcomes.
• Assist in the creation of user training materials and conduct trainings for AOT providers.
• Participate in the development of program standards, protocol, performance, and outcome measures.
• Conduct quality improvement projects and present findings to internal and external users on a regular basis.
• Implement continuous process improvement techniques to strengthen programmatic outcomes.
• Participate in program Incident and Quality Improvement reviews.

Preferred Skills:

• The ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge of Assisted Outpatient Treatment, mental health treatment services, and the service delivery system as well as excellent quantitative, oral, and written communication skills, a background in program evaluation.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong problem solving and organizational skills
• Strong ability to manipulate and analyze data; ability to use.
• Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Office Visio, and Access.

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 sahn1@health.nyc.gov or 347-396-6549.

CONSULTANT (PUBLIC HEALTH-SOCI - 51613