Primary Prevention Specialist

St Mary's Center; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 38,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Mary’s Center in Oakland invites a Primary Prevention Specialist to coordinate prevention, wellness, and injury-prevention programs for older adults.

The role includes education, outreach, group facilitation, wellness coaching, referral support, and community engagement to reduce falls, isolation, and health risks among seniors. You will lead classes such as WISE, harm-reduction sessions, and aging wellness workshops; build partnerships with senior centers, housing programs, health care

Qualifications

• Associate degree preferred in Public Health, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Human Services, Gerontology, Health Education, or related field
• Minimum of 2 years of experience with older adults, vulnerable populations, prevention programming, behavioral health, or community-based services preferred
• Strong understanding of harm reduction principles, trauma-informed care, and culturally responsive engagement preferred
• Two or more years of facilitation experience required

Responsibilities

• Facilitate prevention and wellness curricula including WISE, Ash Kickers Smoking Cessation, WeConnect literacy programming, and Harm Reduction for Seniors classes
• Conduct workshops on healthy aging, substance misuse prevention, medication safety, overdose awareness, fall prevention, stress management, and chronic disease self-management
• Facilitate culturally responsive wellness discussions, storytelling groups, and peer support activities
• Assist participants in accessing virtual wellness and telehealth opportunities
• Utilize harm reduction principles to meet participants where they are in a respectful, non-judgmental, and person-centered manner
• Educate older adults on safer substance use practices, medication interactions, overdose prevention, mobility safety, hydration, nutrition, and injury prevention
• Help participants identify personal wellness goals and reduce risky health behaviors
• Conduct Medi-Cal outreach and education activities and assist participants in accessing medically necessary services
• Coordinate communication between providers, social services, and caregivers
• Maintain accurate documentation and reporting for MAA/CMAA activities
• Participate in data collection and service tracking to support reimbursement and reporting
• Promote COS programs through outreach events, presentations, and community engagement
• Assist with congregate meals, workshops, and cultural programming
• Participate in emergency preparedness and response activities
• Collect participant feedback and support program evaluation efforts

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Facilitation experience

Bilingual English/Cantonese

Bilingual English/Mandarin

Bilingual Spanish

California Driver’s License

Education

Associate degree in Public Health, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Human Services, Gerontology, Health Education, or related field

Job description

Position: Primary Prevention Specialist

Department: Community Outreach & Services (COS)

Status: Full-time, non-exempt

Hours: Monday–Friday | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Compensation: $33.00 per hour

Reports To: Community ServicesSupervisor

About Us

St. Mary’s Center is a community of hope, healing, and justice dedicated to serving older adults, preschool families, and individuals experiencing homelessness in Oakland and the surrounding Alameda County community. St. Mary’s Center operates transitional housing, a senior center, and preschool and is developing permanent supportive housing as part of a comprehensive, collaborative community development strategy along the San Pablo Avenue corridor. We are proud of an excellent multidisciplinary team delivering high-quality services through which St. Mary’s supports vulnerable populations in aging safely, independently, and with dignity.

Community Services Program Overview

The Community Outreach & Services (COS) Department helps seniors remain safely housed and socially connected while reducing isolation, improving wellness, and promoting access to community-based supports. COS programming includes congregate meals, wellness activities, fall prevention, computer education, health navigation, case management support, behavioral health education, and Friendly Visiting services.

Position Summary

The Primary Prevention Specialist is responsible for coordinating and implementing prevention, wellness, and injury prevention programming for older adults. The position provides education, outreach, group facilitation, wellness coaching, referral support, and community engagement activities designed to reduce substance misuse, falls, social isolation, and preventable health risks among seniors.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Prevention Education & Wellness Programming

• Facilitate prevention and wellness curriculaincludingWellnessInitiative for Senior Education (WISE), Ash Kickers Smoking Cessation,WeConnecttechnology literacy programming, and Harm Reduction for Seniors classes.
• Conduct workshops on healthy aging, substance misuse prevention, medication safety, overdose awareness, fall prevention, stress management, and chronic disease self-management.
• Facilitate culturally responsive wellness discussions, storytelling groups, and peer support activities.
• Assistparticipants in accessing virtual wellness and telehealth opportunities.

Harm Reduction & Injury Prevention

• Utilize harm reduction principles by meeting participants where they are in a respectful, non-judgmental, and person-centered manner.
• Use evidence-based programming to educate older adults on safer substance use practices, medication interactions, overdose prevention, mobility safety, hydration, nutrition, and injury prevention.
• Support participants in identifyingpersonal wellness goals and reducing behaviors that increase health and safety risks.

Outreach & Community Engagement

• Conduct outreach to older adults throughout Alameda County.
• Build andmaintainpartnerships with senior centers, housing programs, healthcare providers, faith-based organizations, Meals on Wheels, social workers, and community-based organizations.
• Participate in health fairs, wellness events, presentations, and outreach activities.
• Provide referrals and linkage to healthcare, behavioral health, nutrition, and social services.

Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (MAA/CMAA)

• Conduct Medi-Cal outreach and education activities.
• Assistparticipants in accessing medically necessary services.
• Coordinate communication between providers, social services, and caregivers.
• Maintainaccuratedocumentation and reporting aligned with county and state requirements for eligible MAA/CMAA activities.
• Participate in data collection and service tracking activities that support reimbursement and reporting efforts.

Program Operations

• Promote COS programs through outreach events, presentations, and community engagement activities.
• Assistwith congregate meal services, workshops, and cultural programming.
• Participate in emergency preparedness and emergency response activities.
• Collect participant feedback and support program evaluation efforts.

Qualifications

• Associatesdegree in Public Health, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Human Services, Gerontology, Health Education, or relateda fieldpreferred.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience working with older adults, vulnerable populations, prevention programming, behavioral health, or community-based services preferred.
• Strong understanding of harm reduction principles, trauma-informed care, and culturally responsive engagement preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
• Two or more years of strong facilitation experience.
• Bilingual English/Cantonese, English/Mandarin, Spanish, or Tagaloga plus.
• California Driver’s License.

Work Environment

This position operates in community-based settings including senior centers, participant homes, housing sites, community centers, wellness classrooms, and partner organizations throughout Alameda County.

General Staff Expectations

• Promote a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment.
• Support the mission and values of St. Mary’s Center.
• Maintain professionalism and confidentiality.
• Follow agency policies and procedures.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In general, while performing the duties of this job, the employee is expected to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, and communicate effectively throughout the workday.
• Ability to travel to participant homes,community sites, and outreach events.
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25pounds.
• Ability to use computers, phones, tablets, and related technology for documentation and communication.

Equal Employment Opportunity

St. Mary’s Center is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active Equal Employment Opportunity. We celebrate diversity and are committed to an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, geneticinformationor veteran status.

In compliance with the California Fair Chance Act, St. Mary’s Center will consider qualified applicant with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act.