MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is to work in partnership with communities to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, especially those impacted by racism and systemic inequities. The BPHC sets an expectation that all staff and leadership commit, individually and as part of the BPHC team, to hold ourselves accountable to establishing a culture of anti-racism and advance racial equity and justice through each of our bureaus, programs, and offices.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Center for Behavioral Health & Wellness “The Center,” established in 2022 at the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), was created in response to the growing need for evidence-based, effective, and meaningful behavioral health resources. The Center aims to promote and coordinate behavioral health and wellness programming across Boston. Envisioning a community where all can achieve their ideal behavioral health and wellness, through just, trauma-informed, and intersectional approaches. The Center focuses on reducing behavioral health inequities by addressing barriers that impede this vision.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Policy and Strategy Specialist will support the Center in setting and advancing a behavioral health policy agenda for the City of Boston. This position plays a critical role in identifying and addressing systemic drivers of behavioral health inequities-through interdepartmental behavioral collaboration, strategic policy development, and community-driven planning.
The Policy and Strategy Specialist is responsible for building partnerships to align policy work between the Center and BPCH, the Center and key City Departments, and key stakeholders within the city. They will work to produce policy guidance and external materials that advance citywide behavioral health transformation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in public health, Social Work, Public Policy, Psychology, or related field, or Bachelor’s degree with at least 2 years of directly relevant experience.
• Experience with systems-level behavioral health policy, public health planning, or social justice advocacy.
• Deep knowledge of behavioral health, substance use, and trauma-informed approaches, especially in the context of racial and social determinants of health.
• Demonstrated ability to write clearly, translate data and policy into community-accessible formats, and produce communications for diverse audiences.
• Strong facilitation, coalition-building, and stakeholder engagement skills across sectors and with racially and culturally diverse groups.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with competing timelines and adapt to changing political and social conditions.
• Flexible and able to work in a dynamic environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with local or state governments, community-based organizations, and residents most impacted by behavioral health inequities.
• Familiarity with Boston’s neighborhoods, institutions, and public health landscape.
• Experience working within or alongside government agencies to advance anti-racist public health systems.
• Bilingual or multilingual skills a plus.
• Experience conducting trauma-informed and healing-centered policy or community work.

COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY & ENGAGEMENT

• Research and propose models for engagement with community stakeholders and people with lived experience in understanding the Center’s policy priorities, current and past programming and future initiatives.
• Research and propose models for accountability mechanisms (e.g., advisory boards, community listening sessions, report cards) to ensure community input informs Center strategic planning efforts and ongoing programming and policy initiatives.
• Attend and support and assist in planning for community events, community forums and/or policy roundtables focused on behavioral health outreach, education and/or equity.