Assistant General Counsel - AOT, Office of General Counsel

, NY, United States

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (the NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the country. Our mission is to protect and improve the health of all New Yorkers, in service of a vision of a city in which all New Yorkers can realize their full health potential, regardless of who they are, how old they are, where they are from, or where they live.

As a world-renowned public health agency with a history of building transformative public health programming and infrastructure, innovating in science and scholarship to advance public health knowledge, and responding to urgent public health crises from New York City’s yellow fever outbreak in 1822, to the COVID-19 pandemic we are a hub for public health innovation, expertise, and programs, and services. We serve as the population health strategist, and policy, and planning authority for the City of New York, while also having a vast impact on national and international public policy, including 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 racial and social justice work, among others.

Our Agency’s five strategic priorities, building off a recently-completed strategic planning process emerging from the COVID-19 emergency, are:

To re-envision how the Health Department prepares for and responds to health emergencies, with a focus on building a “response-ready” organization, with faster decision-making, transparent public communications, and stronger surveillance and bridges to healthcare systems 2) Address and prevent chronic and diet-related disease, including addressing rising rates of childhood obesity and the impact of diabetes, and transforming our food systems to improve nutrition and enhance access to healthy foods

Address the second pandemic of mental illness including: reducing overdose deaths, strengthening our youth mental health systems, and supporting people with serious mental illness

Reduce black maternal mortality and make New York a model city for women’s health

Mobilize against and combat the health impacts of climate change

Our 7,000-plus team members bring extraordinary diversity to the work of public health. True to our value of equity as a foundational element of all of our work, and a critical foundation to achieving population health impact in New York City, the NYC Health Department has been a leader in recognizing and dismantling racism’s impacts on the health of New Yorkers and beyond. In 2021, the NYC Board of Health declared racism as a public health crisis. With commitment to advance anti-racist public health practices that dismantle systems that perpetuate inequitable power, opportunity and access, the NYC Health Department continues to work in and with communities and community organizations to increase their access to health services and decrease avoidable health outcomes.

Program And Job Description

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal support and representation to the entire NYC Health Department. The Agency Attorney level I, will provide support to OGC as well as provide legal support to the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) program. The New York State (NYS) 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. Additionally, the AOT program is responsible for the management and oversight of the Citywide Assistance Team (CAT). The CAT staff is responsible for coordinating the involuntary transport of court mandated individuals who do not adhere with their mental health treatment plans.

Duties Will Include But Not Be Limited To

Draft petitions for court-ordered treatment for psychiatric patients and represent the Health Department at the corresponding hearings and jury trials.

Draft motions and appeals, as needed.

Work with and/or collaborate with outside governmental agencies as needed including, but not limited to, the New York State Office of Mental Health, Mental Hygiene Legal Service and the Office of Court Administration.

Collaborate with hospitals located in New York City to help them facilitate patient referrals to the AOT Program and assist them in completing AOT petitions. Provide guidance to the AOT program, as needed, and assist in monitoring the workflow.

Participate in meetings regarding to OGC and AOT policy, as needed.

Represent the Health Department in litigation matters for OGC and AOT matters.

Ensure compliance with deadlines, as well as provide counsel on legal and policy issues.

Travel to court, various health department offices and hospitals/clinics within New York City.

Perform other duties, such as but not limited to, drafting agreements and conducting legal research within OGC as assigned by Executive Agency Counsel and/or the Deputy General Counsel.

IMPORTANT NOTES TO ALL CANDIDATES:

Please note: If you are called for an interview you will be required to bring to your interview copies of original documentation, such as:

A document that establishes identity for employment eligibility, such as: A Valid U.S. Passport, Permanent Resident Card/Green Card, or Driver’s license.

Proof of Education according to the education requirements of the civil service title.

Current Resume

Proof of Address/NYC Residency dated within the last 60 days, such as: Recent Utility Bill (i.e. Telephone, Cable, Mobile Phone)

Additional documentation may be required to evaluate your qualification as outlined in this posting’s “Minimum Qualification Requirements” section. Examples of additional documentation may be, but not limited to: college transcript, experience verification or professional trade licenses.

If after your interview you are the selected candidate you will be contacted to schedule an on-boarding appointment. By the time of this appointment you will be asked to produce the originals of the above documents along with your original Social Security card.

LOAN FORGIVENESS

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at StudentAid.gov/PSLF.

"FINAL APPOINTMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET APPROVAL”

Minimum Qualifications

Admission to the New York State Bar; and either "2" or "3" below.

One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or

Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086).

Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

In Addition To Meeting The Minimum Qualification Requirements

To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment. To be assigned to AL III candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

Preferred Skills

Excellent research and writing skills. Highly detail-oriented with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects. Previous experience using online legal databases such as West Law, CLEAR, and Lexis Nexis. Current working knowledge of Health Department procedures, policies and practices is a plus. Current experience in or knowledge and interest in Mental Hygiene Law requests, Contract/Privacy Issues, Enforcement and other public health matters is a plus.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is not required for this title. **

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

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