Health Privacy Law Compliance Senior Associate

Position Title: Health Privacy Law Compliance Senior Associate – Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Mental Health Services                       

Reports To:  Project Director, Center of Excellence for Protected Health Information (CoE-PHI) 

Employee Status: Full Time or Part-time Exempt, or Consultant-based (hourly) - in application will be asked to provide preference

Location/Office:  This position may be based in any of CAI's offices (Albany, NY; Buffalo, NY; New York, NY; Atlanta, GA; Jackson, MS; Denver, CO; or Los Angeles, CA). CAI has a hybrid work schedule of working 2 days in the office and 3 days remotely, adjusted based on FTE. Employees located more than 50 miles away from a physical office may work remotely, based anywhere in the United States. All consultants may work remotely. 

General Statement of Responsibilities:

The Center of Excellence for Protected Health Information (CoE-PHI), administered by CAI and funded by SAMHSA, assists people and families, and organizations providing substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health services in understanding and applying current federal health privacy laws and regulations on the job, specific to their task or role.  Given the current mental health and substance use crises in the U.S., this position plays a crucial role in ensuring that professionals, the expanded workforce, and patients and families have the guidance and information that they need to practically apply relevant law and regulation in practice, and in their lives.

The Senior Associate is a content area expert in health privacy law, regulation, and compliance related to federal privacy laws, including HIPAA, and the federal law that protects the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records (42 CFR Part 2).  Practical experience applying health privacy regulations in a health setting is preferred, along with the ability to work with a multidisciplinary team to translate legal information into plain language for SUD and mental health care administrators and providers and their patients and families.  

Major Tasks and Responsibilities (include, but are not limited to):

• Act in the capacity of content area expert to the CoE-PHI team and stay abreast of current federal privacy laws and changes to laws.
• Communicate with project funder, representing the team as a legal subject matter expert (SME), to ensure appropriate interpretation and application of health privacy laws and regulations. 
• Work as part of a team to develop training content intended to improve awareness, education, and skills of providers, and awareness and knowledge among patients and families about health privacy laws and regulations. 
• Participate as part of the training team in the delivery of virtual and face-to-face training.
• Lead the design and content development, in partnership with project team and SMEs, of resources and tools for healthcare and supportive service providers and administrators, school-based professionals, and patients and families, using plain language.
• Engage and partner with local, state, and federal public health officials in the design of strategy and provide consultation
• Review website content including resources and on-demand learning opportunities on a periodic basis to ensure content remains relevant and in compliance with health privacy laws and related HHS guidance.  
• Identify existing CoE resources and content that can be adapted and made available in other modalities as appropriate.
• Triage requests for technical assistance, and in partnership with project team and SMEs, respond to identified needs.  
• Triage requests for training and other group learining experiences, and in partnership with project team and SMEs, respond to identified needs. 
• Document the provision of technical assistance in the project management database and ensure that appropriate documentation is obtained from CoE consultants.
• Inform and participate in evaluation activities for continuous quality improvement.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Education, Experience, and Other Skills Required: 

• A J.D. or Master’s degree in Legal Studies preferred. 
• This is a highly visible position and experience engaging and partnering with local, state, and federal public health officials in the design of strategy and provide consultation is preferred
• At least 2 years of professional health law experience. 
• Experience working with non-profit organizations preferred. 
• Excellent verbal and written presentation and communications skills.
• Ability to work as a part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Outlook. 

Physical Demands:  

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the Health Privacy Law Compliance Senior Associate’s job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the Health Privacy Law Compliance Senior Associate’s job.

While performing the Health Privacy Law Compliance Senior Associate’s responsibilities, the employee is required to talk and hear. This position requires the employee to be on-site at a CAI office. The employee is often required to sit and work at a desk for prolonged periods of time and use their hands and fingers to handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision. 

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the Health Privacy Law Compliance Senior Associate’s position and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

CAI is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.