Harm Reduction Outreach Specialist
Boston Medical Center | |
United States, Massachusetts, Boston | |
One Boston Medical Center Place (Show on map) | |
April 19, 2024 | |
POSITION SUMMARY: This position is a special role designed for the Public Health programs. This position is for a Harm Reduction Outreach Specialist (OS) who conducts their services in the field as well as in the hospital. The OS will work across all programs and interventions primarily to outreach and engage clients who use substances and are unable to engage in traditional healthcare settings to provide harm reduction supplies, education, and linkages. Performs outreach and works with clients in their community location. They will work with the medical providers, the BMC lab, and program management to ensure that these positive patients receive appropriate interventions such as disease risk reduction, partner notification services, further testing, needs assessments, MDPH/CDC/BPHC funded interventions, and any other necessary services. The OS will conduct outreach on the BMC campus and in the community when necessary to follow-up and engage positive cases for linkage to care. All positive STI patients will be followed by the OS through medical engagement up until treatment completion. The OS will link other patients to public health navigation services. The position will conduct individual HIV/HCV/STI/TB prevention testing and counseling sessions. Within these sessions, the OS will be required to educate and refer any high risk patients to biomedical prevention strategies such as PrEP and nPEP. The OS will track all work in the EMR as well as an internal database. The OS will also receive referrals from BMC and community staff for HIV/HCV/STI/TB testing and navigation services. Conducts all activities within the standards and regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and any other funders. Position: Harm Reduction Outreach Specialist Department: Infectious Diseases Schedule: Part Time ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES: Conducts street, hospital, and community outreach to provide harm reduction supplies, education, and linkages
Conducts HIV/HCV/STI/TB testing, counseling and education sessions
Links high risk patients to HIV prevention clinical services, public health navigation, and case management services
Collects all programmatic data
Attends all necessary trainings to become proficient in prevention and education methods and for continuing maintenance of proficiency. Maintains established department standards for prevention and education service delivery Attends meetings as requested by the program manager to represent BMC as needed. Attends staff meetings and communicates progress and problems to Program Manager. Attends clinical supervision staff support group. Participate in regular public health program implementation team meetings. Participate in CDC/MDPH/BPHC meetings with other grantees if requested. Remains knowledgeable of, and follows, appropriate policies, procedures, and work standards, including but not limited to, those regarding hours of work, absenteeism, and tardiness. Maintains competency in appropriate areas of responsibility to ensure quality of care. Maintains patient confidentiality; is comfortable handling sensitive personal information. Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures Utilizes hospital values as basis for decision making and to facilitate BMC missions. Models the ability to set professional boundaries. Performs other duties as assigned or as necessary. Must adhere to all of BMC's RESPECT behavioral standards. OTHER DUTIES: Other duties as specified by supervisors (The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required). JOB REQUIREMENTS EDUCATION: Minimum of a High School diploma or GED required CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED: None. EXPERIENCE:
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans |