Departmental Specialist 13 - Privacy Specialist - Compliance & Data Governance

$28,397 - $200,000/Yr

State of Michigan - Lansing, MI

Full-time - Entry Level

Remote - Lansing, MI

Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities

About the position

The Privacy Specialist at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) plays a crucial role in supporting the organization's Privacy Compliance Program. This position is dedicated to preventing and detecting violations of HIPAA, HITECH, and other relevant federal and state laws, regulations, and organizational policies. As a subject matter expert (SME), the Privacy Specialist serves as an advisor to MDHHS management and project management offices on privacy-related matters across the agency. The role involves planning, developing, implementing, and administering privacy initiatives in collaboration with various stakeholders, including Security, the Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB), and Legal Affairs. The Privacy Specialist is responsible for maintaining the privacy program in compliance with MDHHS, DTMB, and state and federal privacy requirements, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), 42 CFR Part 2, the Michigan Mental Health Code, and the Public Health Code. Key tasks include conducting Privacy Threshold Analyses (PTA), Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA), and HIPAA Assessments. The specialist will also review Data Sharing Agreements to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations, evaluate the existing data protection framework, and identify areas of non-compliance to rectify any issues. A significant aspect of this role is to promote a culture of data protection and compliance throughout all agencies of MDHHS, ensuring that privacy is prioritized in all operations and initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Support the organization's Privacy Compliance Program to prevent and detect violations of HIPAA, HITECH, and other laws.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and advisor on privacy-related matters to MDHHS management and project management offices.
• Plan, develop, implement, and administer MDHHS privacy initiatives in collaboration with Security, DTMB, and Legal Affairs.
• Maintain the privacy program in compliance with MDHHS, DTMB, and state and federal privacy requirements.
• Conduct Privacy Threshold Analyses (PTA), Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA), and HIPAA Assessments.
• Review Data Sharing Agreements for compliance with state and federal rules and regulations.
• Evaluate the existing data protection framework to identify areas of non-compliance and rectify issues.
• Promote a culture of data protection and compliance across all MDHHS agencies.

Requirements

• Possession of a bachelor's degree in any major.
• Four years of professional experience, including two years equivalent to the experienced (P11) level or one year equivalent to the advanced (12) level.
• Experience interpreting confidential laws, including HIPAA and the Michigan Mental Health Code.
• Experience reviewing documents such as contracts and data sharing agreements.
• Advanced knowledge and experience conducting data compliance audits and reviews.

Nice-to-haves

• Bachelor's degree in Legal Studies, Communication, English, or a related major.
• Juris Doctorate.

Benefits

• Health, mental health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families.
• Life insurance benefit of two times the employee's annual salary (up to $200,000).
• Long-term disability insurance.
• 401(k) and 457 retirement plans with state contributions and matching.
• Vacation and sick leave ranging from 15 to 35 personal days and 13 sick days per year.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave after birth or adoption.
• 13 or 14 paid holidays each year.
• Annual longevity bonuses for employees with five years of service.
• Supplemental pay benefits for military service members.
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA).
• Tuition reduction programs for employees and family members.
• Reimbursement for education and training up to $2,000 a year.