Job Summary
The Mental Health Policy Fellow plays a key role in researching, developing, and implementing TACHC’s public policy initiatives related to child, youth, and family mental health and substance use disorder. This position supports the TACHC Policy team on legislative and regulatory advocacy, policy analysis, and research, taking the lead on growing the child, youth, and family mental health and substance use disorder portion of the TACHC public policy agenda. The Mental Health Policy Fellow is responsible for representing TACHC to health centers, policymakers, and other stakeholders as related to mental health and substance use disorder policy. With the support of the TACHC Policy team, the Fellow will develop a substance use disorder policy framework for health centers aimed at increasing the availability of substance use disorder services for health center patients through removing barriers, improving awareness, and improving the public policy landscape in Texas.
Duties and Responsibilities
· Conducts policy analysis on issues impacting health centers and patients related to child, youth, and family mental health and substance use disorder.
· Drafts policy briefs, presentations, testimony, and other policy materials relevant to their issue areas.
· Represents TACHC to policymakers, state agencies, mental health coalitions, and other stakeholder groups working on child, youth, and family mental health and substance use disorder policy.
· Conducts a comprehensive analysis of substance use disorder state policy and develops a framework to further improve access to substance use disorder services for health center patients and underserved populations across the state.
· Analyzes federal, state, and health center data related to mental health and substance use disorder.
· Follows relevant mental health and substance use disorder policy research and keeps TACHC updated.
· Serves as a liaison to health centers on mental health and substance use disorder policy and assesses additional research needs for community health centers.
· Engages with health center advocates to educate and keep informed on child and family mental health and substance use disorder priorities.
· Presents during statewide and regional advocacy network meetings and develops advocacy messaging on mental health and substance use disorder policy priorities.
· Develops strong relationships with relevant legislative and agency staff.
· Participates in stakeholder and state/federal agency meetings and workgroups related to mental health and substance use disorder on behalf of community health centers.
· Supports TACHC advocacy plan on mental health and substance use disorder issues.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Required
· Strong writing, communication, and presentation skills.
· Strong research and analytical skills.
· Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
· Ability to manage multiple tasks with initiative and independence.
· Ability to work successfully with a diverse group of stakeholders.
· Basic knowledge of mental health policy.
· Ability to follow constantly changing mental health care and political environment.
· Ability to gather, condense, and communicate complex information to health centers and policy makers.
Preferred
· Understanding of community health centers.
· Experience in the health care and/or mental health space.
· Experience with the Texas Legislature and/or state agencies.
· Experience facilitating discussions, providing training, and/or coalition building
Credentials and Experience
Required
· Bachelor’s level degree in government, public health, social work, or related field
Preferred
Position may require sitting for extended periods of time. Circumstances may require standing, walking, stretching, reaching, pushing, lifting objects weighing 10-30 pounds, bending, and/or stooping and the ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions.
The above information is intended to describe the most important aspects of the job. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required to perform the work.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $25.00 - $30.00 per hour
Experience:
- Research: 1 year (Preferred)
- Public health: 1 year (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Austin, TX 78735 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Austin, TX 78735: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Austin, TX 78735