Health Access Navigator

GLIDEsf; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

GLIDE in San Francisco is seeking an Health Access Navigator to support individuals with substance use histories and co-occurring disorders. The role provides harm reduction supplies, links to medical and social services, and education to help clients overcome barriers and access long-term care.

The position emphasizes trauma-informed, client-centered care, confidentiality, and collaboration with community providers. This is a full-time, 40-hour week role in a Tenderloin program.

Qualifications

• Direct experience with harm reduction services and outreach.
• Experience providing social services to homeless or very low-income clients.
• Knowledge of violence prevention, de-escalation, and motivational interviewing.
• 1–2 years in harm reduction services, case management, or advocacy.
• Experience with clients who are dual diagnosed or have domestic violence history or incarceration.
• Proficiency in spelling, grammar and writing for documentation.
• Excellent interpersonal communication and collaboration with clients.
• Crisis management experience and de-escalation skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work ethically.
• Ability to work independently and plan outreach objectives.
• CA Rapid HIV/HCV testing and/or harm reduction certification preferred.
• California driving license in good standing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide harm reduction supplies to community members at SAS desk and outreach.
• Promote syringe access and HIV/Hep C services and other health services.
• Assist SAS Manager with data collection and monthly reports.
• Support Community Engagement training for navigators and hours at SAS desk/outreach.
• Provide group education, support groups, and outreach materials.
• Educate on safer sex, safer injection, overdose prevention and distribute supplies.
• Assist with Narcan distribution and DOPE program activities.
• Coordinate outreach activities and special events for testing and care linkage.
• Build rapport with clients via motivational interviewing for long-term care.
• Collaborate with GLIDE service providers and community agencies.
• Document contacts and progress in program database, maintain records.

Skills

Harm reduction

Crisis management

De-escalation

Motivational interviewing

Outreach

Documentation/writing

Driver's license

Interpersonal skills

Job description

About Glide

GLIDE is a nationally recognized center for social justice, dedicated to fighting systemic injustices, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. Through its integrated comprehensive services, advocacy initiatives, and inclusive community, GLIDE empowers individuals, families, and children to achieve stability and to thrive. GLIDE is on the forefront of addressing some of society’s most pressing issues, including poverty, housing and homelessness, and racial and social justice. GLIDE’s mission is to create a radically inclusive, just, and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization

About Glide

GLIDE is a nationally recognized center for social justice, dedicated to fighting systemic injustices, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. Through its integrated comprehensive services, advocacy initiatives, and inclusive community, GLIDE empowers individuals, families, and children to achieve stability and to thrive. GLIDE is on the forefront of addressing some of society’s most pressing issues, including poverty, housing and homelessness, and racial and social justice. GLIDE’s mission is to create a radically inclusive, just, and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization

Position Summary

GLIDE’s Health Access Programs are at the forefront of innovative and collaborative approaches in San Francisco. The program’s goals are to improve our community’s wellness through linkages to medical services, collaboration with community and city providers, advocacy for underserved and marginalized individuals and engagement in recovery and health improvementactivities. The Health Access Navigator provides support to individuals with a history of substance use and co-occurring disorders who are in immediate need of harm reduction supplies, health services, and other support. The Health Access Navigator – provides supplies, information, and support to overcome barriers, provide early-interventions, and link to long-term services and care. Though trained cross-functionally across harm reduction navigation services, this position specifically supports on-site and outreach-based syringe access services (these services provide clients with sterile supplies and equipment for people who use drugs—PWUDs and other wrap around and integrated services).

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Provide harm reduction supplies, including safe sex and safe using supplies, to community members via SAS desk and community outreach .
• Promote and recruit clients for syringe access services as well as HIV/Hep C services; and other social and health services and/or recovery and treatment services .
• Assist SAS Manager with all SAS data collection and preparation of monthly reports .
• Assist Community Engagement Coordinator with engaging community navigators during their training for and hours spent at the SAS desk and outreach .
• Provide group education, support groups and presentations. Will a ssist with preparing outreach materials .
• Provide prevention & health education including safer sex, and safer injection drug use, overdose prevention education for PWIDs (People Who Inject Drugs), distribute condoms, dams, lubrication, hygiene kits, and other harm reduction/prevention materials and supplies.
• Assist with GLIDE’s DOPE Program (Drug Overdose Prevention Education) and Narcan distribution to prevent opioid overdose and over ramping or overdose with methamphetamine and or other substances .
• Assist with coordinating community outreach activities and Special Events to promote testing, linkages to care, health and wellness, prevention education .
• Develop rapport and trust with clients, through motivational interviewing techniques, to ensure a smooth and successful transition to long-term services and their providers.
• Develop and maintain an effective network, based on collaborative efforts, with other GLIDE service providers and appropriate community service agencies, to provide comprehensive services to clients;
• Document service contacts and other efforts within program database and maintain accurate , current data, records and files, and documentation of clients’ progress .
• Apply strength -based, client-centered approach with adherence to cultural humility and trauma-informed service and harm reduction principles .
• Attend weekly individual supervision and other administrative meetings as directed by supervisor .
• Adhere to professional boundaries and standards, including requirements of HIPAA, best practices to maintain confidentiality, and reporting requirements (e.g., child reporting, abuse, etc.) .
• Meet professional obligations through efficient work habits such as: collaborating with co-workers, meeting deadlines, honoring schedules, attending, and actively participating in staff and individual meetings, supervision, and in-service training .

Minimum Qualifications

• Direct e xperience with harm reduction services (syringe access, outreach and health navigation) .
• Experience providing direct social services to homeless and/or very low-income clients who are duel diagnosed and/or have experienced involvement in the criminal justice system.
• Knowledge of violence prevention and intervention de-escalation & harm reduction practices and motivational interviewing techniques.
• A minimum of 1-2 years harm reduction services, case management, or advocacy experience working with socially and/or economically marginalized, multiply diagnosed populations .
• Experience providing direct social services to homeless and/or very low-income clients who are dual diagnosed and/or have experienced domestic violence, and/or have been incarcerated .
• Proficiency in spelling, grammar and writing is needed to draft required documentation .
• Excellent interpersonal /c ommunication skills ; ability to maintain effective working relationships with clients.
• Experience with crisis management and ability to provide de-escalation in individual and group settings .
• Ability to work professionally and ethically, including ability to maintain confidentiality and privacy of persons, documents, data, and communications .
• Demonstrated ability to work independentl y while working to meet the demands of clients.
• Ability to plan and implement outreach objectives and other programs and services; and ability to collect data and prepare reports to record efforts .
• CA Rapid HIV/HCV Testing and/or Harm Reduction certification preferred .
• Current valid California Driving License in good standingpreferred .

Physical Requirements

• This work can be physically and mentally demanding. As a result, employees may be frequently standing and walking . Physical stamina and a high energy level are essential to this role.
• Ability to move quickly to address emergencies.
• Must possess the strength, stamina and mobility to climb multiple flights of stairs, repeatedly in a given shift.
• Ability to hear within normal range, and communicate effectively (in person, telephone or zoom).
• Finger dexterity and the ability to use all standard office equipment.

$30 - $31.50 an hour

This is a fulltime (40 hour/week), Non-Exempt position.

Work Environment

GLIDE’s buildings are located in the Tenderloin neighborhood.GLIDE maintains an "open door" policy to the community and its clients, who frequently enter and leave the building.

This role is covered by the collective bargaining agreement.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.