Community Outreach Worker (Health, Behavior and Society)

Supports the conduct of a research project focused on an innovative, low-barrier mobile overdose- and HIV-prevention intervention. Provides mobile point-of-care drug checking, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), wound care, syringes, safer drug use supplies, and other harm reduction services to people who use drugs in Baltimore and neighboring counties.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing operational plans to meet research goals.
• Set up tools and procedures for data collection and study processes.
• Collect and organize data through study-specific procedures, including community outreach, sample collection, laboratory work, and fieldwork.
• Process data by organizing records and study files; run basic analyses and prepare routine reports.
• Perform literature searches, abstract data, and index gathered information.
• Prepare for, engage in, and document client interactions and service/supply provision; organize and track supply inventory.
• Develop and maintain referral networks with service providers and pharmacies in intervention areas.
• Make referrals to medical, social, treatment, and other support services, including warm hand-offs as appropriate.
• Engage in harm reduction-based street outreach, promoting program services, distributing promotional items, and providing harm reduction education.
• Build rapport with community members, including people who use drugs, through outreach and attendance at community association meetings.
• Perform general administrative support for meetings, events, communications, and reporting.
• Support HIV testing and counseling; facilitate healthcare and social service referrals.
• Distribute safer drug use supplies and naloxone; provide education on naloxone use.
• Additional research, outreach, administrative, and project-related responsibilities as project services evolve or expand.

This role requires community-based work at least 90% of the time. Community Outreach Workers are expected to take independent initiative and make independent decisions about the direction and conduct of the work. On-call or non-standard work hours may be required.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• One year of related experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field.
• Prior experience doing community outreach in syringe services or other harm reduction programs.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to drive large vehicles.

Skills

• Administrative Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Data Entry
• Data Management and Analysis
• Information Gathering
• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral and Written Communications
• Organizational Skills
• Research and Analytical Skills

Pay

$16.10 - $26.90 hourly (commensurate with experience).

Schedule

Variable, but always within Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Non-standard or on-call hours may be required.