Correction Specialist

Job Description

The Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health's Division of Environmental Health Regulations and Standards (EHRS) works cooperatively with state agencies, local health authorities (LHAs), and various other special interest groups to help prevent avoidable death and morbidity through enforcement of the State Sanitary Code, and related regulations. The EHRS provides a wide range of education, technical assistance, and compliance activities in many areas and disciplines, including the minimum health and sanitation standards, inspection procedures, requirements governing medical records of inmates and the conduct of physical examinations in correctional facilities.

The Corrections Specialist is responsible for conducting training, outreach, health and safety audits, bi-annual compliance audits, heat surveys and audits, across state and county correctional facilities working collaboratively with division analysts to ensure compliance with Department regulations and promote a safe, healthy environment for the inmate population. In addition, data collection and assessment efforts will be prioritized using variables including population volume; cell sizes; age of facilities; structural, building and ventilation systems and components; extreme heat vulnerabilities and mitigation measures; inspection history and remedial efforts, complaint history and resolve, and other related topics. The collection of this data will be used as the foundation for developing and maintaining a database to establish effective and efficient policies and procedures and help prioritize and track compliance, environmental changes, complaints, responses, and aging infrastructure at correctional facilities across the state. As part of the Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health, trainings, policies, and new initiatives that promote climate resiliency for our most vulnerable populations is a top priority and the Corrections Specialist will, in conjunction with senior leadership, identify opportunities for the division to promote and support this objective.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

• Conduct and assess regulatory bi-annual compliance audits, health and safety audits, heat audits and surveys of correctional facilities as it relates to food, water, bedding, plumbing, ventilation, indoor air temperature and relative humidity, as well as general health and safety provisions. Generate, review, and distribute reports based on findings in accordance with EHRS Standard Operating Procedures. Identify and support inter-agency cooperative efforts to better acknowledge and address the limitations of aging infrastructure of some of the correctional facilities across the state.
• Evaluate and reply to responsive plans of correction and determine effective enforcement actions or corrective measures to be implemented when violations of laws and regulations are identified. Recommend operational strategies for dealing with compliance and enforcement in the areas of public health and safety. Partner with the Department of Corrections (DOC) and MA Sheriff's Association and other advocates to identify temporary mitigation strategies when funding for capital improvement is needed.
• Conduct meetings, outreach, trainings, and/or conferences with inter-agency staff, division staff, contractors, advocacy groups and other special interest groups, as the subject content expert on health and safety requirements including climate/environmental issues such as managing, monitoring and mitigating extreme heat and the public health effects.
• Receive and respond to complaints. Partner with Bureau and IT staff to maintain an electronic database to track complaints and responses from incarcerated individuals, their family, and advocates. Enhance and expand the division standardized response system to better identify and address crucial concerns associated with the living conditions inside correctional facilities.
• Review, revise and implement standard operating procedures for monitoring correctional facilities including inspection criteria, documentation review and approval requirements, corrective action evaluation checklists and response templates, and decision-making processes including escalation and notification procedures when there are repeated violations of concern and unresponsive facilities that fail to act on corrective action recommendations.
• Collect data and work with Bureau leadership and IT to build a statewide facility database to identify cell size, air conditioning, population, aging infrastructure, capital projects, and other relevant information related to limitations and the improvement of each correctional facility.
• Establish and implement an incident response inspection and reporting protocol relating to public health concerns, complaints and conditions at correctional facilities.
• Promote an effective cooperative working relationship with the Department of Corrections, Policy Development and Compliance Unit and Massachusetts Sherriff's Association as well as inmate advocacy groups to balance competing priorities and provide both health-based and practical solutions and transparency.
• Review, revise, and implement a model extreme heat management plan for facilities, explore the potential to track health trends from medical record review or other available data sets associated with the environment and weather. Work collaboratively with the Division of Environmental Toxicology, Hazard Assessment and Prevention to analyze and present relevant data.
• Guide and inform decisions regarding supporting and promoting policies, procedures, guidance and regulatory revisions.
• Review and discuss health and safety plans for environmental assessments as it relates to state and county correctional facilities and offer technical expertise based on best practices as it relates to remedial construction projects.
• This list is not exhaustive, and the incumbent is expected to perform other related duties, as necessary

• Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of compliance inspection techniques, principles, practices, regulations, terminology and procedures.
• Able to read and interpret documents such as laws, regulations, policies, procedures, inspection reports and correction orders.
• Capacity to adapt to varying work conditions and situations, including at home, inside the office and in the field including inside correctional facilities.
• Proficient in communicating with individuals to understand and effectively share information both verbally and in written format.
• Capacity to determine the applicability of data, draw conclusions, recommend appropriate action and support enforcement actions.
• Ability to understand, explain, and apply the laws, regulations, rules, policies, procedures governing assigned Program activities.
• Proficient in training methods and techniques including planning and conducting training in a correctional setting.
• Capable to establish and maintain effective and harmonious working relationships with diverse professionals and the public.
• Highly skilled in technical and concise report writing methods, including effective structuring, formatting, and content organization.
• Capacity to collect, organize and maintain accurate records.
• Capable of responding calmly and providing constructive feedback.
• Familiarity with the instruments and equipment used in measuring environmental conditions and to perform mathematical calculations to solve environmental science problems.
• Capability to work independently and virtually with minimal direction while collaborating in a team environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Teams, Outlook, and Word.
• Able to supervise, including planning and assigning work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished, the capabilities of subordinates and available resources; controlling work through periodic reviews and/or evaluation;
• determining subordinates' training needs and providing or arranging for such training; motivating subordinates to work effectively; determining the need for disciplinary action and either recommending or initiating disciplinary action.

• Proficient in interpreting different chapters of the State Sanitary Code while offering insight and expertise.
• Valid MA driver's license and reliable transportation. Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• Capacity to determine the applicability of data, draw conclusions, recommend appropriate action and support enforcement actions.
• Ability to recommend operational strategies for dealing with compliance and enforcement in the area of public health and environmental protection.
• Ability to understand, apply, and explain the policies, procedures, specifications, standards, guidelines, laws, rules and regulations governing assigned Bureau activities, specifically environmental health-related research and industry standards.