Prevention Specialist-Bilingual

Allies In Hope; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Allies In Hope is seeking a dedicated prevention specialist to expand HIV/STI testing and education in the community. You will conduct rapid and traditional tests, provide counseling, and help clients access health insurance, housing and supportive services.

The role requires flexible hours including some evenings and weekends. You will work with local organizations to promote care options, enroll clients in services, and support linkage to HIV/STI treatment as needed.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering HIV/STI testing and counseling in community settings.
• Ability to conduct outreach and education to high-risk populations.
• Strong communication and motivational interviewing skills.
• Willingness to work evenings/weekends as required.

Responsibilities

• Provide rapid and traditional HIV testing and counseling in community settings.
• Conduct outreach to engage and recruit clients for testing and services.
• Link clients to supportive services and treatment or care as needed.
• Assist in navigation to health insurance, housing, benefits and care access.
• Coordinate with partner organizations to promote awareness and referrals.
• Maintain documentation and participate in quality management activities.

Skills

HIV testing

Counseling

Outreach

Navigating services

Job description

SUMMARY: This position reports to the Prevention Manager and is part of the Prevention team working to improve the number of persons that access HIV/STI testing, are educated on HIV/STI prevention methods, referred to supportive services and are linked to HIV/STI treatment and care as needed. This includes providing rapid and tradition HIV testing, social support, informal counseling, outreach activities and intensive navigation support to help clients address needs that make it challenging to stay health, including transportation, housing insurance benefits, mental health, substance use, stigma, food and in navigating complex care and support systems. This position requires working some evenings and weekends in the community and requires good judgement and independent thinking skills.

DUTIES AND TASKS

Planning and Implementation

1. Prioritizes and plans work; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives.
2. Create position, program, department, and agency plan, as assigned.
3. Utilize position and knowledge to add to the development of case management and group services.
4. Read and implement the agency Strategic, Annual and Departmental plans.
5. Use calendar to schedule work duties, meetings, and planning activities.

Daily Duties

• Provides targeted outreach and recruitment, HIV/STI counseling, testing, linkage and referral (e.g. blood based, Orasure®, Oraquick®) as well as Health Education and Risk Reduction to High Risk and/or Persons Living with HIV/AIDS.
• Provide ongoing follow-up, basic motivational interviewing and goal setting with clients.
• Follow-up with assigned clients through phone calls, home visits, and visits to other settings where clients can be found.
• Assist individuals, families, groups and communities to develop their capacity and access to resources, including health insurance, quality care and health information.
• Identify and characterize the various social networks, appropriate community venues and key peer leaders for outreach and education activities.
• Plan and execute education, outreach and testing initiatives.
• Collaborate with various local organizations to build awareness of healthcare options, spur enrollment, and build referral linkages.
• Develop, discover and attend community events in order to promote coverage options and the mission and services of the organization.
• Distribute outreach/education materials to patients, community stakeholders, partner organizations and businesses underscore awareness on health center and physician office services
• Work with other clinical, behavioral and supportive service providers assigned to the same client.
• Assist clients in gaining support from family and friends to stay healthy.
• Assist clients in completing applications and registration forms.
• Promote and maintain positive relationships with the surrounding neighborhood.
• Provide health services, such as monitoring blood pressure, blood glucose levels and HIV/STI screenings.
• Provides general health education (i.e. cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, diabetes prevention).
• Performs quality management/assurance activities.
• Must be highly available and flexible to work some late nights and maintain a flexible schedule.
• Other duties as described by the supervisor.

Program Compliance Expectations

1. Implement policies, best practices, guidance, standards to create framework for effective case management services.
2. Implement department programming and selected service model.
3. Understand and implements program /department organizational development to increase efficacy, better services, and outcomes.
4. Use and ensure the compliance of all protocols as required by funding sources.
5. Complete and submit timely and accurate documentation; financial/program paperwork, forms, letters, surveys, reports, meeting notes, and all other required correspondence, ensuring it is according to departmental standards.
6. Knowledge of general office practices and procedures and uses them effectively to streamline work.
7. Report to the program supervisor on the overall successes and issues regarding program.
8. Through the Quality Management Program look for ways to improve and promote quality; demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.