Harm Reduction Specialist

Compensation Range $20/hr - $23/hr commensurate with experience Benefits We have three comprehensive healthcare plans to choose from based on your priorities and budget. Housing Works covers most of the plan; you pay a portion, based on your salary. Staff begins accruing PTO immediately for a total of up to 30 days earned in the first year. We offer employees an educational benefit. This money is available for tuition loan reimbursement, tuition costs, and textbooks. Overview The Harm Reduction Specialist is the main link among clients, agency staff, and medical care providers. This role involves conducting assessments, enrolling clients in case management programs, providing health education, and offering various supportive services. The Specialist builds relationships, solves problems, locates resources, and promotes the recovery, independence, health, and wellbeing of service users. The Specialist must be knowledgeable about agency services and community resources, including educational, social, and emotional support services available to clients. Duties may also include client outreach, care coordination, documentation and maintenance of patient databases, conducting individual and group services, and performing various administrative tasks. Responsibilities Primary: Conducting an initial assessment with each new participating consumer to assess health and wellness status and experience with obtaining health care. Providing health promotion, health education, and risk reduction interventions as needed. Maintaining routine communication and assisting with care coordination services for primary care and psychiatric services, including reminder calls. Maintaining appropriate and timely communication with all members of the care team. Communicating with clients regularly to keep them engaged, assess progress, and track progress through follow-ups. Navigating the medical system, including helping clients make appointments, accompanying them, and communicating with medical personnel. Completing and submitting documentation of services in a timely manner (within two business days of service provision). Conducting group services on topics such as general wellness, overdose prevention, safe injection, and sexual risk reduction. Secondary: Attending meetings as deemed appropriate and related to the scope of service. Adhering to workplace policies and procedures, including confidentiality, documentation, communication channels, workplace culture, dress code, and conflict resolution. Participating in quality assurance and quality improvement planning, projects, and activities as directed. Participating in monthly staff and peer worker development meetings and interventions. Requirements Minimum of a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma. Experience providing care navigation services preferred. New York City Department of Health Peer Certificate Training or ability to obtain certificate through attendance at an AIDS Institute Authorized training center. Preferable training: HIV 101, Viral Hepatitis 101, Motivational Interviewing, LGBT Sensitivity, Syringe Exchange and Harm Reduction Training, HIV confidentiality and risk-reduction counseling, De-escalation. Culturally aware and sensitive to PWUD, PLWHA, LGBTQAI, YIDU, SMI, MSM. Ability to enter data into program databases such as AIRS, e-Share, EiCare. Good group facilitation skills and overdose prevention training experience. Skilled with health insurance navigation and documentation. Good verbal, written, communication, and interpersonal skills. Computer skills: Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Outlook calendaring, and Excel. Bilingual in Spanish/English helpful. Frequently remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods. Occasionally moving around to additional worksites. Occasionally lifting and moving objects up to 25 pounds in ordinary office related tasks. Equal Employment Opportunity Housing Works provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Housing Works complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. Housing Works also does not request prior salary information during the hiring process. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. #J-18808-Ljbffr Housing Works