Job Description

The Indian Health Liaison serves as the main resource, advocate and communication link between the Department of Health & Human Services and Utah’s American Indian/Alaska Native health care community comprising a wide variety of local tribal health offices, Urban Indian Health Organization, Indian Health Service, and other agencies and entities providing direct or indirect public health services to Utah’s American Indian communities. The position shall promote and coordinate collaborative efforts between the department and Utah's American Indian-Alaska Native population to improve the availability and accessibility of quality health care impacting Utah's American Indian-Alaska Native populations on and off reservations. The position reports directly to the Director of the Office of American Indian/Alaska Native Health & Human Services.

Principal Duties
Under the supervision of the Office Director, the Tribal Health Liaison will:

• Work with the following partners to improve health disparities for Utah's American Indian-Alaska Native populations:
  • Tribal Health Programs;
  • Local Health Departments;
  • State Agencies and officials;
  • Providers of health care in the private sector
  • Work with members of the Utah Indian Health Advisory Board (UIHAB) and manage meetings and related activities of the advisory board.
• Plan, organize, and implement the annual Utah Indian Health Advisory Board (UIHAB) Retreat.
• Serve as an internal resource to Department staff on American Indian health issues, and representing the Department on key initiatives.
• Implement the continued use of the DHHS Tribal, Indian Health Services and Urban Indian Program Consultation and Conferment Policy.
• Implement processes to ensure that tribes are consulted with an included in statewide plans and initiatives.
• Prepare and present an annual health report to the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee.
• Work with the Utah Medicaid program and the Indian Health system to increase accessibility to high quality health care services.
• Facilitate education, training, and technical assistance regarding public health and medical assistance programs of Utah's American Indian- Alaska Native populations.
• Promote health-related projects with tribal and community leaders.
• Facilitate collaboration between tribal communities and the State of Utah to build trust, enhance understanding, and improve the quality and effectiveness of the Dept. of Health & Human Services programs.
• Promote and improve cultural learning, cultural humility, cultural humility, cultural responsiveness, cultural competency, and promote government to government training within the State of Utah and with our partners to assure understanding of tribal issues that impact the effectiveness and inclusion of tribal issues in development of agency plans, programs, and policies.
• Serve as a key point of contact for health and assist tribes in navigating the agency with health-related matters.
• Report opportunities, concerns and feedback from tribal communities to the Office Director.
• Identify and schedule key meetings between tribal representatives and Office Director to solve problems, support positive relationships, and advance community goals.
• Work in collaboration with the Utah Division of Indian Affairs team on health-related policy issues.

The Ideal Candidate

• Has a Bachelor's degree and 5+ years experience working directly with tribal communities and governments as the primary responsibility.
• Demonstrated knowledge of government to government sovereignty protocols.
• Attention to detail, follow-through, ability to multitask, teamwork, self-starting ability, timeliness and dependability.
• Knowledge of tribal community health concerns and best practices.
• Exceptional interpersonal communication skills with the ability to understand and appropriately respond to the tribal stakeholder, client, employee and internal leadership issues and concerns.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Ability to engage and build positive relationships with a wide range of tribal and state stakeholders.
• Ability to manage a project effectively, including planning, budgeting, outreach to partners, and implementation.
• Computer literacy with proficiency in Google products ( Google docs, Google slides, Google slides, Google Spreadsheets, Gmail).

Why You Should Join Our Team
This is your opportunity to make a difference among the AI/AN communities throughout Utah. In addition it will provide experience working with Tribal governments and the Indian Health System. Along with the satisfaction improving the health data collected to drive effective interventions, you will receive great health and retirement benefits, such as, generous paid time off so you can have a positive work life balance. Click here to view a summary of all the benefits we offer.

The Agency
To learn more about the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, click here. If offered this position, your continued employment will be contingent upon passing a fingerprint background check.

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:

• The typical office setting for this job is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. However, you may encounter some risks that are associated with any office setting, for example, the safe use of office equipment, avoiding trips and falls, observing fire regulations, etc.
• Standard Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Physical Requirements:

• Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform the work; however, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying light items; driving an automobile, etc. Special physical demands are not required to perform the work.