Assistant General Counsel for Healthcare Quality (Attorney II) - SC Department of Public Health

Job Summary

At the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH), you will do meaningful work contributing to our mission to protect, promote, and improve the health and well-being of everyone in South Carolina. Consider joining the DPH Office of General Counsel (OGC), where you will have the opportunity to work in a collaborative and supportive environment where people come first, where we encourage a healthy work-life balance, and where you will become part of a dedicated team of attorneys who advise the state’s first stand-alone public health agency in 50 years.

As a qualifying public service employer, employment with our agency qualifies eligible full-time attorneys for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. After making 120 qualifying payments under an eligible repayment plan while working full-time, remaining federal Direct Loan balances may be completely forgiven tax-free. Our HR department also streamlines annual employment certification.

Enjoy working in a state-of-the-art facility on the South Carolina Health Campus in Cayce, which features a full fitness center, walking paths, on-site cafeteria, and secure parking. DPH offers an exceptional benefits package, including: 15 days of annual (vacation) and sick leave per year or more, depending on applicable state service; 13 paid holidays; paid parental leave; health, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance for employees, spouse, and children; retirement benefit choices (State Retirement Plan or State Optional Retirement Program); and an option to work adjusted hours and have every other Friday off after 12 months of employment.

Under the supervision of the agency’s Chief Counsel for Healthcare Quality (HQ), you will provide legal advice and support to all DPH HQ program areas, including Healthcare Facility Licensure, Healthcare Planning & Construction, Medicare Certification, EMS & Trauma, and Drug Control. This role involves working closely with program directors and staff engaged in specialized areas of healthcare facility and provider regulation and oversight.

As an attorney on the HQ OGC Team, you will:

• Advise staff on questions and issues related to licensing, inspection, construction, and enforcement of standards for: inpatient facilities such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities; outpatient facilities such as adult day cares, home health agencies, body piercing facilities, and tattoo facilities; as well as providers such as hearing aid specialists and midwives;

• Advise staff on issues related to the licensing of EMS agencies, the permitting of ambulances, and the certification of EMS personnel;

• Represent the agency at enforcement conferences held at the agency level, in contested case hearings before the Administrative Law Court, and in any subsequent appeals to the SC Court of Appeals and SC Supreme Court;

• Provide legal assistance to the agency with respect to the performance of its responsibilities as the State Survey Agency pursuant to Titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act;

• Represent the agency in Certified Nurse Aide Registry hearings;

• Advise staff on and help answer questions related to various state statutes implemented by HQ program areas, such as Criminal Record Checks of Direct Care Staff and Medicaid Nursing Home Permits;

• Work collaboratively with OGC HQ attorneys and staff on complex legal issues requiring in-depth research and analysis; and

• Assist the agency with the promulgation of regulations.

You will also:

• Draft, review, and revise legal documents to ensure accuracy, proper content, and appropriate form and grammar;

• Support HQ in the development of HQ procedures and training;

• Participate in public speaking engagements by creating and delivering educational and informational presentations both within and outside the Department;

• Coordinate responses to subpoenas;

• Advise program areas on compliance with the Freedom of Information Act and related laws; and

• Participate in the agency’s Incident Command Structure during emergencies as needed and take related training courses.

You will work in a dynamic environment. You will handle routine matters as well as complex issues. We will provide you with the training and support necessary to become a trusted legal advisor to HQ program directors and staff. You will be a member of a team of attorneys who encourage and collaborate with one another to problem-solve, find solutions to challenging questions, and provide excellent legal services.