Duties Description The EMS Agency Licensure Unit Chief directs statewide programs governing the certification, operating authority, ownership, and authorized operations of nearly 2,000 EMS agencies. The incumbent oversees ambulance service and advanced life support first response operating certificates; basic life support first response service certifications; competency and fitness reviews; transfers of ambulance operating authority; determinations of public need conducted with Regional Emergency Medical Services Councils; agency and vehicle approvals; official vehicle insignia; regulatory waivers and variances; and Department approval and records-management processes for EMS blood and community paramedicine programs.

Under the general direction of the Emergency Services Licensing Branch Chief (Health Program Administrator 2) the incumbent supervises unit staff; establishes review and decision processes; evaluates organizational, ownership, corporate, insurance, operating authority, and other licensing records; and integrates survey, inspection, investigation, clinical, technical, and compliance findings provided by other Division units into final licensing and program determinations. The position coordinates closely with the Compliance and Conduct Unit for operational verification and field activity, the Regulation and Policy Unit for policy and procedural development, and regional councils, Department counsel, clinical programs, the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, adjudication staff, healthcare partners, and regulated organizations to support consistent, timely, and legally defensible decisions.

Assignments range from routine certificate and vehicle transactions to contested public-need determinations, complex ownership transfers, competency and fitness reviews, regulatory waiver requests, specialized vehicle operations, controlled-substance applications, and emerging clinical programs. The incumbent independently evaluates incomplete, conflicting, or disputed organizational and licensing information; determines what additional compliance, clinical, technical, legal, or field review is required; frames the questions and verification elements to be addressed by other Division units or subject-matter experts; and reconciles their findings with applicable statutes, regulations, policies, precedents, and administrative requirements.

The incumbent's decisions and recommendations may determine whether an EMS agency, vehicle, operator, or specialized program may legally begin, continue, modify, expand, or transfer operations. Errors may authorize an unqualified or unsafe operation, improperly restrict a qualified provider, interrupt EMS coverage, create inconsistent statewide regulatory treatment, compromise patient or provider safety, weaken the Department's position in administrative or judicial proceedings, or reduce public confidence. The work requires substantial judgment, analysis, discretion, and coordination across licensing, compliance, clinical, legal, policy, and operational disciplines.

Major Functions and Associated Duties

EMS Agency Licensure, Operating Authority, and Public Need Administration
Directs the review and processing of applications to issue, renew, amend, surrender, or otherwise modify ambulance service and advanced life support first response service operating certificates and basic life support first response service certifications; Evaluates ownership, governance, corporate, insurance, and other organizational records to determine whether applicants satisfy applicable licensing requirements; Coordinates with the Compliance and Conduct Unit to obtain review findings concerning medical oversight, staffing, equipment, authorized service level, operational readiness, and other field-verifiable requirements; Integrates organizational documentation, compliance findings, corrective action information, and applicable statutory and regulatory standards to make or recommend the final licensing determination; Conducts or directs competency and fitness reviews of proposed operators by analyzing management experience, ownership interests, organizational relationships, compliance history, and other information relevant to their ability and suitability to operate an EMS service; Prepares or approves findings and recommendations for Regional Emergency Medical Services Councils, the State Emergency Medical Services Council, Department leadership, and other authorized decision-makers; Reviews proposed transfers of ambulance operating certificates and changes in ownership or control to determine compliance with transfer, competency and fitness, and public-need requirements; Coordinates with Regional Emergency Medical Services Councils on determinations of public need, expansions of operating territory, transfers of operating authority, hearings, findings, appeals, and related statutory processes; Analyzes operating territory maps, demographic and utilization information, existing EMS resources, response information, and other evidence relevant to public need; Identifies upcoming certificate expirations, renewals, ownership changes, service-level changes, and other transactions requiring surveillance, inspection, or field verification and refers those matters to the Compliance and Conduct Unit; Reviews completed survey reports, inspection findings, corrective action documentation, and recommendations provided by the Compliance and Conduct Unit and incorporates the results into licensing, renewal, transfer, restriction, or other determinations; Maintains authoritative records of agency certificates, ownership, operating territories, competency and fitness findings, public-need determinations, transfers, restrictions, and appeals; Prepares decision documents and administrative records for Department, State Council, adjudicatory, or judicial review; Monitors certificate expirations and pending transactions to prevent unauthorized operations and avoid unnecessary interruptions in EMS coverage.

Agency and Vehicle Regulatory Review, Waivers, and Specialized Operations
Interprets and applies Article 30 of the Public Health Law and 10 NYCRR Part 800 to EMS agency, advanced life support system, vehicle, equipment, waiver, and specialized transportation applications; Reviews applications, affirmations of compliance, ownership records, vehicle registrations, agency affiliations, prior regulatory actions, and other administrative documentation to determine whether submissions satisfy applicable licensing and authorization requirements; Identifies matters requiring additional documentation, technical evaluation, surveillance, inspection, physical verification, corrective action, legal consultation, or investigation before approving, conditionally approving, or denying an application; Coordinates with the Compliance and Conduct Unit to identify agencies, vehicles, equipment, staffing, medical oversight arrangements, service levels, or operations requiring records review or field verification based on application information, renewal status, regulatory requirements, prior compliance history, identified discrepancies, complaints, risk, or other program concerns; Provides application records, regulatory questions, and required verification elements to support surveillance, inspection, or investigation activities; Reviews reports, findings, corrective action documentation, and recommendations provided by the Compliance and Conduct Unit and integrates those findings with licensing records and applicable requirements to determine whether approval, denial, conditions, corrective action, restriction, referral, or other licensing action is warranted; Refers suspected violations, unauthorized operations, improper vehicle identification, or other enforcement matters to the Compliance and Conduct Unit and coordinates related licensing actions and records updates; Directs the issuance, replacement, tracking, and removal of official Department vehicle insignia after verifying agency affiliation, ownership or lawful operation, authorized service level, required inspection status, and continued eligibility; Evaluates regulatory waiver and specialized vehicle variance requests by analyzing operational necessity, proposed alternative safeguards, patient and provider safety, and continuity of EMS services; Prepares or approves waiver and variance recommendations, conditions, limitations, expiration requirements, approvals, and denials; Reviews EMS agency controlled-substance license applications for consistency with agency certification, ownership, operating authority, and authorized service level; Coordinates with the Compliance and Conduct Unit to verify medical oversight, staffing, equipment, security, storage, recordkeeping, operational readiness, and other field-verifiable requirements; Reviews compliance findings and corrective action documentation and incorporates the results into the Department's recommendation to the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement; Coordinates resolution of discrepancies that may affect issuance, renewal, modification, suspension, or continuation of controlled-substance authority.

Specialized EMS Program Administration and Compliance Coordination
Administers Department application, approval, modification, renewal, reporting, and records-management processes for EMS blood and blood product programs and community paramedicine programs; Reviews applications and supporting documentation to identify required administrative, clinical, operational, technical, and field verification; Coordinates clinical, legal, regulatory, operational, and technical review with Department programs, Regional Emergency Medical Advisory Committees, Regional Emergency Medical Services Councils, medical directors, hospitals, blood suppliers, healthcare providers, participating EMS agencies, and other subject-matter experts; Identifies applications, renewals, program changes, complaints, adverse events, or compliance concerns requiring records review, surveillance, inspection, field verification, or investigation and refers those matters to the Compliance and Conduct Unit; Defines the program elements and regulatory requirements requiring verification and provides relevant application, approval, and program records to support the review; Reviews post-survey reports, findings, corrective action documentation, and recommendations and incorporates the results into approval, renewal, modification, suspension, withdrawal, or other program determinations; Recommends changes to application materials, review procedures, documentation standards, decision criteria, approval conditions, reporting requirements, and internal controls based on program experience, statutory requirements, compliance findings, and identified operational needs; Coordinates proposed changes with the Regulation and Policy Unit, affected Division programs, legal and clinical subject-matter experts, and other stakeholders; Implements approved requirements, procedures, and controls following review and authorization by Division leadership; Maintains authoritative program records and analyzes participation, utilization, safety, performance, and implementation information to recommend changes to policy, guidance, application requirements, data collection, or program oversight.

Unit Leadership, Program Management, and Technical Assistance
Plans and directs unit operations based on statutory mandates, certificate expirations, application volume, regulatory deadlines, public-need proceedings, specialized program requests, staffing levels, and workload priorities; Assigns and reassigns work according to staff experience, assignment complexity, absences, backlogs, and deadlines; Establishes review standards, decision criteria, documentation requirements, quality-control measures, and internal timeframes; Reviews completed and ongoing work for accuracy, completeness, consistency, regulatory compliance, and adherence to established procedures; Resolves complex matters involving agency licensing, ownership, competency and fitness, certificate transfers, public need, vehicle authorization, regulatory waivers, EMS blood, community paramedicine, and other nonroutine assignments; Coordinates recurring and case-specific work with the Compliance and Conduct Unit by sharing renewal schedules, upcoming expirations, pending applications, approval conditions, identified risks, and matters requiring surveillance, inspection, or investigation; Establishes procedures for requesting field activity, transmitting records, tracking assignments, receiving completion reports, resolving discrepancies, and documenting how field findings affect licensing or program determinations; Reconciles licensure records with survey, inspection, investigation, and enforcement information to ensure agency and vehicle statuses remain accurate and regulatory actions are consistently implemented; Trains and develops staff; Evaluates performance; Provides feedback and counseling; Identifies corrective, disciplinary, or developmental needs; Participates in recruitment, selection, onboarding, leave administration, and other supervisory activities; Monitors workload, productivity, processing times, pending actions, certificate expirations, and data quality and implements measures to address backlogs, inconsistencies, or operational risks; Prepares program reports, performance measures, briefing materials, policies, procedures, guidance, application materials, correspondence templates, and decision documents; Provides authoritative technical assistance to applicants, EMS agencies, regional councils, municipalities, healthcare organizations, Department programs, legal representatives, and other interested parties; Represents the unit on committees, workgroups, and initiatives involving EMS agency authorization, health planning, vehicle regulation, controlled substances, specialized clinical programs, data systems, and regulatory modernization; Supports health emergency management activities by providing information and analysis concerning agency authority, operating territories, service levels, vehicles, and specialized program capabilities.

Minimum Qualifications Permanent Transfer Candidates: Current NYS Department of Health employee with one year of permanent or contingent permanent competitive service in the Health Systems Specialist 3 (EMC), SG23 title. OR current NYS employee with one year of permanent or contingent permanent competitive service in a title SG21 or higher and eligible to transfer under Section 52.6 of the NYS Civil Service Law AND able to meet the non-competitive qualifications below.

Non-Competitive Candidates via NY HELPS: New York State DOH Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B), or Advanced EMT - Intermediate (AEMT-I) certification; and five years of administrative experience in an EMS program. Administrative experience incl