Intern: Perinatal HIV Prevention Project (Healthcare)

Equal Opportunity Employer

The mission of the Health Federation of Philadelphia is to promote health equity for marginalized communities by advancing access to high-quality, integrated, and comprehensive health and human services.  Health equity is at the heart of all our work. We believe in and are firmly committed to equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion, disability, sex or gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status.  This commitment applies to all aspects of the Health Federation of Philadelphia's employment practices, including recruiting, hiring, training, and promotion.

Company Description

The mission of the Health Federation of Philadelphia (HFP) is to improve access to and quality of health care services for underserved and vulnerable individuals and families.

Since 1983, The Health Federation has served as a network of the community health centers in Southeastern Pennsylvania, providing a forum for the region's federally qualified health centers and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health to collaborate and mobilize resources for their shared goals of improving the health of the population by expanding access to high quality care.

Project Background

The Perinatal HIV Prevention Project is a federally funded collaboration between HFP, the Division of HIV Health (DHH) of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH), and Action Wellness.  The goals of this project are to improve the quality of local healthcare and prevention services for pregnant and postpartum individuals living with HIV, reduce perinatal HIV transmission, and improve long-term health outcomes for women/people with HIV and their children.

Since 2012 the Perinatal HIV Prevention Project has provided support to local prenatal care providers through training and technical assistance, on-going education, and facilitation of connections and communication between various members of the health care and social service teams. 

The FIMR/HIV Prevention Methodology (www.fimrhiv.org), an important component of the Perinatal HIV Prevention Project, was created collaboratively by CityMatCH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (the College), and the National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program (NFIMR). The FIMR/HIV Prevention Methodology is based upon the Fetal & Infant Mortality Review (FIMR). FIMR is an action-oriented community process that continually assesses, monitors, and works to improve service systems and community resources for women, infants, and families. 

The goal of the FIMR/HIV Prevention Methodology is to improve perinatal HIV prevention systems by using the FIMR case review and community action process.

The FIMR/HIV Prevention Methodology is based on the premise that all cases of perinatal HIV infection in the United States are sentinel events that warrant full review. By collecting comprehensive, quantitative and qualitative data about the pregnancy experiences of those with HIV infection, the methodology provides an in-depth look at the systems that result in a perinatal HIV exposure or transmission. This examination allows communities to identify system strengths, missed opportunities for prevention and, more rarely, failures of interventions to prevent perinatal transmission. Communities can then develop and implement improvements to systems of care for women/people with HIV and their infants.

Responsibilities of Intern:

- Assist with various activities of the Perinatal HIV Prevention Project, including Philadelphia's Fetal Infant Mortality Review-HIV project, co-facilitated by the Health Federation of Philadelphia and the Division of HIV Health of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. 

- Tasks include:

• staffing multi-disciplinary Case Review Team (typically scheduled on Mondays, 2-4 pm once per month) and Community Action Team meetings (two times annually, variable schedule)
• summarizing recommendations from both groups
• entering case data
• attending monthly planning meetings with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Division of HIV Health leadership
• attending perinatal case management case consultations
• and participating in the development of policy statements, educational materials, and other projects related to reducing perinatal transmission of HIV in Philadelphia. 

- Other projects that may provide opportunities for intern involvement include HFP's monthly Perinatal Opioid Use Disorder Learning Collaborative and other activities related to perinatal mental health and substance use disorder.

- This has been rich project for past students, with many ongoing research opportunities based on both quantitative and qualitative data collected via blinded chart abstractions and maternal interviews, as well as policy recommendations implemented since fall 2010.

- The ideal intern for this project is detail-oriented, organized, and has a strong interest in quality improvement and perinatal health.  Some familiarity with women's health and obstetric terminology would be beneficial but is not required.

Learning Opportunities:

This intern will benefit by gaining experience in public health, health policy analysis and development and non­profit project management. The intern will learn about: current state of perinatal HIV transmission in the United States, and in Philadelphia; organizational and policy challenges to improving HIV prevention services, and how to overcome those barriers. The intern will also learn a great deal about how to work in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team, and the skills necessary to advance community-based projects and programs.

The intern will be encouraged to network with other HFP staff (including social workers, public health professionals, trainers, policy advocates and direct service staff), attend trainings hosted by HFP, and learn about the different departments and programs within the organization(s).

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications:

• Preferred: Graduate student in public health or related field
• Strong analytical, research and writing skills
• Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally
• Ability to work independently
• Detail-oriented and organized

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with analyzing quantitative and qualitative data including identifying and correcting incomplete data sets
• Knowledge of reproductive/maternal health and/or HIV issues

Additional information:  This internship will occur via both remote and in-person interaction.

Duration of Internship:

• Fall, 2025 through Spring, 2026

Hours per week: 10-20 hours per week.  

Deadline to Apply: May 14, 2025

DISCLAIMER

The Health Federation reserves the right to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the Company desires. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an employee assigned to this position. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, responsibilities and/or skills to be performed by the employee occupying this position. This job description is not an employment contract, implied, or otherwise. The employment relationship remains “at will.” The aforementioned job requirements are subject to change to reasonably accommodate qualified disabled individuals.