Substance Use Navigation- ED- WestBank

Ochsner Health; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The Substance Use Navigator (SUN) at Ochsner Health in New Orleans provides front-line support in the Emergency Department for patients with substance use disorders. The role focuses on compassionate linkage to treatment, harm reduction, and community resources to reduce repeat ED visits.

This position may require variable shifts, including overnights, weekends, and holidays. Strong communication, trauma-informed care, and experience in behavioral health are highly valued to help patients

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED is required.
• 1 year healthcare, behavioral health, social services, community outreach, or related experience.
• Preferred: lived experience with substance use and sustained recovery.
• Familiarity with medication-assisted treatment referral pathways.
• Experience with populations experiencing homelessness or social needs.

Responsibilities

• Conduct bedside engagement of ED patients with substance use concerns using trauma-informed, person-centered approaches.
• Establish rapport and build trust with patients in crisis or ambivalent about treatment.
• Perform SBIRT activities and educate patients on SUD and harm reduction options.
• Facilitate real-time referrals and warm handoffs to treatment programs and MAT providers.
• Coordinate with ED clinicians, social workers, and behavioral health teams to support care plans.
• Document all interactions and referrals in the EHR.
• Assist with follow-up outreach to support continuity of care post-discharge.
• Participate in team meetings and program improvement efforts.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Cultural competence

Motivational interviewing

Patient engagement

Interpersonal communication

Team collaboration

Documentation accuracy

Electronic Health Record (EHR) use

Education

High School Diploma/GED

Associate's Degree

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Exceptional care starts with exceptional people.

For us, this is more than a job– it’s a calling. It’s waking up each day, looking for ways to make a difference with a compassionate, inclusive and talented team. Ochsner empowers you to discover your passion, reach your potential, and Pursue Your Purpose. Exceptional care starts with exceptional people and teams. Together we are leading the way.

The Substance Use Navigator (SUN) serves as a front-line resource in the Emergency Department (ED), engaging patients with substance use disorders (SUD) through compassionate, non-judgmental support. This role facilitates rapid linkage to treatment, harm reduction services, and community-based resources to improve patient outcomes and reduce repeat ED utilization. The SUN may leverage lived experience with substance use and recovery, when appropriate, to build trust, reduce stigma, and support patients in navigating treatment and recovery pathways. May be required to work variable shifts, including overnights, weekends, and holidays, to support Emergency Department opearations.To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at the company’s discretion.

Education

• - Required - High School Diploma/GED
• - Preferred - Associate's Degree/College Diploma Social Services, Behavioral Health, Public Health, or related field or
• - Preferred - Bachelor's Social Services, Behavioral Health, Public Health, or related field

Work Experience

• - Required - 1 year Healthcare, behavioral health, social services, community outreach, or related area.
• - Preferred - Personal lived experience of substance use and sustained recovery (or experience supporting a loved one) are strongly encouraged; must be able to use lived experience appropriately in a professional, clinical setting. Experience working in an Emergency Department, crisis, behavioral health, addiction treatment, community outreach, peer support, or case management setting.
• Familiarity with medication-assisted treatment / medications for opioid use disorder referral pathways.
• Experience working with populations experiencing homelessness, behavioral health conditions, justice involvement, or other social needs.

Certifications

• - Preferred - Certified Peer Support Specialist/Peer Recovery Specialist
• - Preferred - Commuity Health Worker (CHW) certification
• - Preferred - Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) training
• - Preferred - Crisis prevention-de-escalation training

Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

• - Commitment to patient-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care.
• - Ability to engage diverse patient populations in high-stress environments.
• - Strong interpersonal, communication, and motivational interviewing skills.
• - Knowledge of substance use disorder, recovery principles, and harm reduction strategies.
• - Maintains working relationships with community treatment providers, recovery organizations, and social service agencies to support timely patient linkage.
• - Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in documentation.
• - Ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• - Proficiency with electronic health records, basic computer applications, and accurate documentation workflows.
• - Recognizes safety concerns and escalates patient behavioral health, intoxication, withdrawal, or crisis situations according to department protocols.
• - Emotional resilience and ability to manage challenging or emotionally charged situations.

Job Duties

• - Conducts bedside engagement of ED patients identified with substance use concerns using trauma-informed and person-centered approaches.
• - Establishes rapport and build trust with patients, including those in crisis or ambivalent about treatment.
• - Performs screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) activities.
• - Educates patients and families on substance use disorder, harm reduction strategies, and available treatment options.
• - Facilitates real-time referrals and warm handoffs to inpatient/outpatient treatment programs; medication-assisted treatment (MAT) providers; peer support and recovery services; community and social support resources.
• - Coordinates with ED clinicians, social workers, case managers, and behavioral health teams to support care plans.
• - Documents all patient interactions and referrals accurately within the electronic health record (EHR).
• - Assists with follow-up outreach (phone calls, care coordination) to support continuity of care post-discharge.
• - Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings, case reviews, and program improvement efforts.
• - Maintains up-to-date knowledge of substance use treatment resources, community programs, and regulatory requirements.
• - Supports tracking of referral completion, warm handoff outcomes, follow-up contact attempts, treatment linkage, and repeat ED utilization metrics as required by program leadership.
• - Performs other duties as assigned
• - Complies with all policies and standards

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.

Remains knowledgeable on current federal, state and local laws, accreditation standards or regulatory agency requirements that apply to the assigned area of responsibility and ensures compliance with all such laws, regulations and standards.

This employer maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance-related concerns. The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Physical and Environmental Demands

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.

Light Work - Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly (Constantly: activity or condition exists 2/3 or more of the time) to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job should be rated Light Work: (1) when it requires walking or standing to a significant degree; or (2) when it requires sitting most of the time but entails pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls; and/or (3) when the job requires working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing and/or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is negligible. NOTE: The constant stress and strain of maintaining a production rate pace, especially in an industrial setting, can be and is physically demanding of a worker even though the amount of force exerted is negligible.

Duties performed routinely require exposure to blood, body fluid and tissue.
The incumbent works in a patient care area; works in an area where patients enter; works directly with patients; and/or works with specimens that could contain communicable diseases. The incumbent has an occupational risk for exposure to all communicable diseases.

Because the incumbent works within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste within the environment through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level of exposure may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.

Ochsner Health does not consider an individual an applicant until they have formally applied to the open position on this careers website.

Please refer to the job description to determine whether the position you are interested in is remote or on-site. Individuals who reside in and will work from the following areas are not eligible for remote work position: Colorado, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.

Ochsner Health endeavors to make our site accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website, or if you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact our HR Employee Solution Center at 504-842-4748 (select option 1) or [e-mail] . This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any legally protected class, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.