Linkage to Care Coordinator

University of Chicago; United States; On-site; USD 26,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

The University of Chicago Medicine's Chicago Center for HIV Elimination seeks a Linkage to Care Coordinator to serve Black gender and sexually diverse populations with STI/HIV testing and linkage to care. You will manage a caseload from testing and research projects and ensure retention in care.

This grant-funded role emphasizes community outreach, documentation, and collaboration, with evening and weekend work as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum requirements include vocational training or equivalent experience in related field.
• Experience with LGBT populations and Black/Latino community preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and basic data/documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Support STI and HIV testing services including phlebotomy and linkage to care.
• Document testing encounters, consent, and counseling notes.
• Pre-screen for research projects and supportive service needs.
• Conduct outreach and resource counseling for communities of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.
• Work with community members by phone or in person and assist with assessments.
• Provide services during evenings and weekends when requested.
• Assist with administrative tasks and quality assurance activities.

Skills

Phlebotomy

MS Office

Cultural competence

Communication

Retention in care

Education

Vocational training or equivalent

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Phlebotomy equipment

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Department BSD MED - Infectious Diseases - Chicago Center HIV Elimination - Testing

About the Department The Chicago Center for HIV Elimination (CCHE) is situated within the Biological Sciences Division at the University of Chicago Medicine. CCHE aims to eliminate all new HIV transmission events by 2041. The University of Chicago's position on the South Side makes it uniquely situated to test, treat, and prevent new HIV infections in a highly affected population. The South Side communities and majority Black suburbs connected to them to the South represents the largest contiguous Black population in the United States. By using our integrated HIV transmission elimination approaches, we are beginning to make new infections in these communities less frequent.

Job Summary

The Linkage to Care (LTC) Coordinator will specialize in Black gender and sexually diverse populations and services as it relates to STIs, HIV and general wellness and services. The candidate will be responsible for conducting STI and HIV testing and linkage to care services and will hold a caseload that is assigned through internal referrals from our testing and research projects. This candidate will be responsible for managing retention in care for their caseload and following the fidelity monitoring protocols in data collection and documentation. They are expected to actively pursue required knowledge and skills for professional development, stay informed about the resources available on the south side of Chicago that serve our population, and inform the team about opportunities for collaboration. This position is grant funded.

Responsibilities

• Support drop in and outreach-based STI and HIV testing services, including phlebotomy; HIV notification, linkage to care services for treatment and PrEP services, and STI treatment notification and linkage to care.
• Properly document all testing encounters; this includes: consent for testing, releases of information, screening for 'risk factors,' HIV pre and post-test counseling.
• Pre-screen individuals for research projects that are connected to a testing encounter as well as pre-screen for supportive service needs that clients may have.
• Support outreach projects, ballroom-focused outreach projects, and club-focused outreach projects.
• Calling community members and conducting resource counseling, completing all related documentation and notes, and researching appropriate and individualized resources for community members, specifically resources for people of color and those who identify as LGBQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer) and TGNC (transgender and gender non-conforming).
• Work with community members over the phone or in person.
• Assist with day to day Supportive Services tasks, such as rapid response support for those who are seeking same-day treatment and will conduct assessments and safety plans for community members in distress.
• Provide tailored linkage and retention in care services to clients tested at the Village and through outreach events.
• Support for evenings and weekend events where supportive services is requested.
• Assists with and performs various administrative and operational tasks as assigned under direct supervision.
• Supports quality assurance reviews conducted by study sponsors, federal agencies, or specially designated review groups.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree).
• Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Certifications: ---

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's or Advanced degree in a relevant field.
• Experience: Experience working with and/or providing care to LGBT populations, Black and Latino community members. Experience with HIV/STI treatment and/or prevention.
• Technical Skills or Knowledge: Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Applications, including but not limited to Outlook, Excel, and Word. Perform phlebotomy or a willingness to be trained in phlebotomy.

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrated effective leadership and teaching skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Strong knowledge of program subject matter.
• Strong interpersonal skills to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Flexibility.
• Creativity.
• Manage stressful situations.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills and strong analytical skills.
• Proficiency in both qualitative and quantitative research.

Working Conditions

• Direct patient or community member contact.
• Exposure to human blood, human blood components, and/or products made from human blood.
• Exposure to infectious material.
• Work evenings and weekends as needed.

Job Details

• Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40
• Drug Test Required: No
• Health Screen Required: No
• Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required: No
• Pay Rate Type: Hourly
• FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
• Pay Range: $19.23 - $24.04
• The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits

Eligible Yes The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

Additional Information

The University of Chicago’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637. The University of Chicago is an urban research university that has driven new ways of thinking since 1890. Our commitment to free and open inquiry draws inspired scholars to our global campuses, where ideas are born that challenge and change the world. We empower individuals to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. Students in the College develop critical, analytic, and writing skills in our rigorous, interdisciplinary core curriculum. Through graduate programs, students test their ideas with UChicago scholars, and become the next generation of leaders in academia, industry, nonprofits, and government. To learn more about the university click here http://www.uchicago.edu/