Position Title: Rapid Response to Recovery Community Paramedicine Implementation Specialist
Salary: $90,000-$100,000 (plus benefits)
Position End Date: 6/30/2026
Location: Kentucky Department for Public Health (hybrid)
About the CDC Foundation
The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations, and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. The CDC Foundation is the sole entity authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC’s critical health protection mission. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has launched approximately 1,000 programs and raised over $740 million. The CDC Foundation managed over 300 CDC-led programs in the United States and in more than 130 countries last year.
Overview:
The CDC Foundation is seeking a highly skilled individual to serve as the Rapid Response to Recovery (RRR) Community Paramedicine Implementation Specialist for the Kentucky Rural Health Transformation Program. The Community Paramedicine Implementation Specialist will coordinate with EMS agencies, hospitals, and state partners to launch and integrate community paramedicine teams into the broader crisis care continuum.
Required Qualifications:
· Bachelor’s degree in public health, health administration, emergency services management, technology, or a related field.
· Minimum 3 years of experience coordinating emergency medical services, public health program implementation, healthcare project management, or crisis services.
· Knowledge of ambulance services, 911 dispatch, and emergency medical protocols.
· Ability to manage technology deployment and troubleshoot issues.
· Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
· Experience with telemedicine platforms and rural healthcare delivery.
· Understanding of Kentucky’s behavioral health system.
· Familiarity with Kentucky’s regulatory and funding landscape for crisis services.
· Expertise in data security and HIPAA compliance in telehealth settings.
Responsibilities:
Program Implementation & Launch – 30%
· Guide the selection, onboarding, and readiness assessment of KY EMS agencies to start or expand community paramedicine teams.
· Oversee planning and launch of EMS-led behavioral health crisis response services, including staffing, training, protocol development, and operational logistics.
· Ensure fidelity to the RRR model and compliance with the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS).
Crisis System Integration – 25%
· Oversee data interoperability enhancements.
· Develop dispatch and referral workflows with 911 and 988 systems to enable timely deployment of community paramedicine team.
· Coordinate with EmPATH units and the Telebehavioral Health Hub to ensure seamless handoffs and integrated care pathways.
· Align operations with CMHCs/CCBHCs and other behavioral health providers to support warm handoffs and post-crisis follow-up.
Coordination of Training & Technical Assistance – 20%
· Coordinate and support behavioral health-focused training for community paramedics by facilitating partnerships with CMHCs, and ensuring content addresses de-escalation, overdose response, trauma-informed care, and crisis stabilization.
· Track registrations and agency attendance to ensure required staff complete CMHC-delivered trainings.
· Maintain toolkits, protocols, and reference materials provided by CMHCs, to guide EMS agencies through implementation and operations.
Partner Engagement & Coordination – 15%
· Build and help manage partnerships across first responders, behavioral health providers, and other cross-sector crisis response partners – including KBEMS, EMS agencies, CMHCs, and local leaders – to support program success and sustainability.
· Serve as the primary liaison for community paramedicine efforts in Kentucky, representing RRR in regional coalitions.
· Facilitate MOUs and collaborative agreements to support data sharing, referral pathways, and coordinated care.
· Serve as the primary liaison between local communities, RRR leadership, and state agencies (i.e., Department for Public Health, Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities) to align implementation with statewide crisis initiatives.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting – 10%
· Define and track key performance metrics such as ED diversion rates, EMS response times, and follow-up engagement.
· Analyze data to identify trends, gaps, and success stories to lead quality improvement efforts across pilot sites.
· Prepare reports to communicate program impact to RRR leadership, CMS, and other community partners.
Special Notes:
This role is involved in a dynamic public health program. As such, roles and responsibilities are subject to change as situations evolve. Roles and responsibilities listed above may be expanded upon or updated to match priorities and needs, once written approval is received by both the
CDC Foundation and Kentucky Department for Public Health in order to best support the Kentucky Department for Public Health in their public health programming.
This position is currently a hybrid position. CDC Foundation retains the right to make adjustments to this as required.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disabilities, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law. We comply with all applicable laws including E.O. 11246 and the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 governing employment practices and do not discriminate on the basis of any unlawful criteria in accordance with 41 C.F.R. §§ 60-300.5(a)(12) and 60-741.5(a)(7). As a federal government contractor, we take affirmative action on behalf of protected veterans.
The CDC Foundation is a smoke-free environment.
Relocation expenses are not included.
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