Case Manager HIV/Counseling and Testing

Department/Unit: HBD – Aids Program

Work Shift: Day (United States of America)

Salary Range: $70,068.00 – $108,605.00

Responsibilities

• Provides HIV counseling and testing services onsite and in the community.
• Provides engagement, re‑engagement, linkage, referral, and other services to new patients and patients who have fallen out of care (and patients at risk for falling out of care).
• HIV Counselor
  • Provides counseling and testing at approved community events, according to established procedure.
  • Participates in outreach/publicity events, as needed and approved by supervisor.
  • Provides outpatient HIV pre‑ and post‑test counseling for scheduled or walk‑in clients according to established procedure.
  • Recognizes signs of HIV sero‑conversion and notifies medical provider to assure best practice is followed.
  • Serves as liaison to community agencies regarding counseling and testing.
  • Maintains stock of charts, documents, educational materials, and related paperwork for clients being tested.
  • Facilitates provider completion of HIV reporting/Partner Notification forms and forwards appropriate copy to NYS DOH.
  • Follows guidelines for clients with newly positive HIV tests (internal), assures confirmatory test, arranges appointment with medical provider, and follows up to ensure confirmatory test is received prior to provider appointment.
  • Links patients into HIV care within 30 days of confirmatory test; coordinates with community and internal care team to facilitate access to HIV care.
  • Collaborates with internal multidisciplinary team and community agency staff to link newly positive HIV patients to care at AMC DHIVM within 14‑30 days of confirmatory test.
  • Tracks information on patients with new diagnoses to monitor timeliness of linkage to care and retention in care as required by funders.
  • Follows NYS HIV testing guidelines and AMC policy when conducting pre‑ and post‑testing.
  • Conveys information regarding benefits of HIV testing, relationship between HIV and AIDS, modes of transmission, testing options (anonymous vs confidential), testing procedures, purpose of the test, meaning of results, and the window period.
  • Provides risk/harm reduction education and counseling relevant to the patient’s individual behavioral context (e.g., condom use, needle cleaning).
  • Adapts counseling technique to suit the patient’s developmental level and personal circumstances; responds to patient’s questions and concerns.
  • Assesses patient’s ability to cope with HIV test results and the availability of supportive resources in the patient’s immediate living environment.
  • Assesses patient’s capacity to consent to HIV testing and obtains appropriate consent.
  • Post‑test counseling
    • Conveys HIV test results, discusses meaning, and addresses immediate concerns and questions.
    • For negative results: discusses possibility of exposure during the “window period,” assists with re‑testing decisions, and reinforces risk/harm reduction strategies.
    • For positive results: discusses availability and importance of medical care and follow‑up services, provides education on behavior change to prevent transmission, encourages partner/contact notification and offers assistance, provides referrals for testing of partners and children, and refers to medical, support, and community services as needed.
    • Utilizes knowledge of AMC and community resources to advocate for patient needs.
• Retention Specialist
  • For patients with new HIV appointments: complete pre‑intake screening, identify barriers to care, facilitate referrals, provide reminder calls, assist with intakes, contact patient post‑visit to assess understanding of medical plan, and assure quarterly follow‑up.
  • For patients at risk for retention issues: establish caseload of patients without HIV medical appointments in the previous 6 months or with consecutive no‑show visits; review medical records, collaborate with care team, attempt contact every 2‑4 weeks, notify team of retention status, enlist community agency assistance when authorized, remind patients of upcoming appointments, meet patients at visits when possible, check in after appointments, and continue monitoring until successfully retained.
  • Close patient case once retained in care or all contact avenues exhausted; closures reviewed and approved by supervisor.
• Data Collection to Support Grant Requirements and Quality Activities
  • Complete Ryan White eligibility forms on patients.
  • Enter all counseling/testing, retention, care coordination, and other patient services into the AIRS database as directed.
  • Enter intake information to the AIRS database as directed.
  • Enroll patients to specified AIRS programs as directed.
  • Close patients from AIRS programs as directed and in accordance with policy.
  • Maintain assigned spreadsheets.
• Documentation
  • Document all client/patient encounters and care coordination activities in paper chart (counseling and testing) or electronic health record (retention) using DIP (Data, Impression, Plan) format.
  • Keep notes objective and concise; ensure impressions/opinions are supported by objective information and include information to support corresponding entry of services in AIRS.
  • Utilize EHR tasking feature to communicate with care team; copy tasks to notes or separate documents as needed.
• Miscellaneous
  • Additional duties may be assigned by supervisor or management staff.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or sociology.
• Prior experience working in a healthcare setting (preferred).
• Preferred language skills: ability to read and understand medical information; fluency in written and oral English; Spanish is a plus.
• Mathematical skills: ability to calculate figures and percentages.
• Good computer and typing skills.
• Reasoning ability: define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

Physical Demands

The employee is regularly required to sit and frequently required to walk. Occasionally required to stand and lift/move up to 10 pounds. Vision requirements include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The role may involve moderate stress and occasional exposure to infectious diseases.

Work Environment

The work environment includes both inpatient health‑care settings and outpatient clinic settings. Noise level is usually moderate. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.