HIV Client Advocate

Parkland Health; United States; On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Parkland Health seeks a dedicated caregiver to assess, plan, implement and coordinate care for people living with HIV, helping link and retain them in medical and psychosocial services.

The role emphasizes education, resource coordination, and liaison work across clinical and community settings to support patients and families affected by HIV.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• One year of terminal illness related care or counseling experience is required.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills across diverse populations are essential.
• Bi-lingual ability may be required.

Responsibilities

• Assist, educate and guide HIV infected patients to linkage and retention in care.
• Serve as a resource for newly diagnosed and follow-up cases to provide HIV counseling and refer patients to psychosocial agencies.
• Assist patients’ needs outside the clinic setting with information and recommendations on non-health care issues.
• Act as liaison and patient advocate to reduce conflicts and support stated and unstated needs.
• Maintain medical knowledge of HIV infection issues and new developments in care.
• Develop and maintain relationships between patients and healthcare team members; represent client advocacy in case conferences.
• Assist with patient group sessions as assigned.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Bi-lingual

Patient-centered care

Cultural sensitivity

Medical knowledge

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Primary Purpose

Assesses, plans, implements and coordinates care for people living with HIV to assist, serve and identify their medical and psychosocial needs for linkage and retention in to care.

MINIMUM SPECIFICATIONS

Education

• High Diploma or equivalent.

Experience

• One year of terminal illness related care or counseling experience required.

Skills or Special Abilities

• May be required to be bi-lingual.
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to communicate effectively with all cultural, ethnic, national and socio-economic levels.
• Must be able to demonstrate patient centered/patient valued behaviors.
• Must demonstrate a medical knowledge of disease process; general knowledge of human services; and be culturally sensitive.

Responsibilities

Assists, educates and guides HIV infected patients, ensuring they are aware and informed of Parkland and community service programs to support patients and their families.

Serves as a resource for newly diagnosed and follow up cases to provide HIV counseling and refer patient to psychosocial agencies.

Assists with patients’ needs outside the clinic setting, as a resource to clients as well as their families by providing information and recommendations on non-health care issues that require answers.

Serves as a resource to the medical staff by providing timely and accurate information in support of client needs.

Serves as liaison and patient advocate to reduce patient conflicts as well as assist their stated and unstated needs.

Maintains medical knowledge of HIV infection issues and new developments in the care of patients with HIV infection.

Maintains and develops working relationships between patients and healthcare team members. Represents client advocacy in case conferencing sessions.

Assists with patient group sessions as assigned.