LGBTQ+ Health Specialist

About the role

The LGBTQ+ Health Specialist is responsible for coordinating educational and peer support programs at the Boston Living Center and delivering services that support ongoing engagement and retention in services. This position also provides substance misuse and HIV prevention services to racial and ethnic minority males at risk for HIV/AIDS through a person-driven, harm reduction model.

Responsibilities

• Act in accordance with Victory Programs, Inc.’s Standards of Excellence & Philosophy, including maintaining professional ethics, boundaries, and client confidentiality.
• Support clients in housing navigation and resources to barrier remediation.
• Aid members in connecting to services through individual and group level support and referrals.
• Provide PrEP education and support clients with accessing PrEP from partner health centers.
• Facilitate verbal and written harm reduction counseling related to safer injection practice, wound care, overdose prevention, sexual health, vein and abscess care, and prevention of infectious disease transmission.
• Provide syringe services, naloxone, and harm reduction supplies for individuals at risk for overdose or infectious disease transmission.
• Facilitate groups and workshops on health navigation needs, social support, and other relevant issues.
• Facilitate VOICES/VOCE Intervention for MSM members.
• Follow up with members through milieu support and follow-up phone calls and wellness checks.
• Coordinate and complete outreach and recruitment activities for identified populations.
• Participate in the intake process and orientation of new members.
• Encourage clients to engage actively in their own healthcare.
• Engage in relationship building, nonviolent crisis intervention, motivational interviewing, and conflict de-escalation as needed in the milieu space.
• Comply with agency protocols for data collection and record management, including sign in sheets, reminder calls for appointments, individual progress notes, milieu support notes, group notes, and individual action plans in the electronic health record within 24 hours of service.
• Coordinate recruitment and retention into peer support and education programming.
• Collaborate and coordinate with outside partner agencies to bring guest presenters for workshops, on-the-job preparedness, and maintaining employment, computer literacy, and other topics.
• Remain in good standing with agency and funder required training.
• Attend weekly supervision, monthly staff meetings, and periodic professional development training and workshops as requested by the supervisor.
• Support the agency in program events, State House rallies, fundraising and advocacy events, rallies, walks, and any additional functions.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Phlebotomy and specimen collection training/certification or willingness to be trained.
• Working knowledge of HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis, homelessness, substance use, STIs, and sex work as well as health-related social issues faced by persons who use drugs.
• Competency working with individuals of diverse race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex and drug cultures, age groups, religion, country of origin, disability and economic status.
• Excellent verbal communication skills including an ability to have open and affirming conversations about sex and substance use risk.
• Ability to work in an environment involving potentially hazardous materials (blood borne pathogens, discarded syringes, etc.) and situations requiring safety precautions and/or the use of protective equipment.
• Prior experience in a milieu or drop-in environment serving homeless and/or people who use drugs required.
• Proficient computer skills.
• CPR certified (obtained upon hire).
• TB screening completed (obtained upon hire).
• Three work-related professional references; at least two from managers or supervisors.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two years of experience working in harm reduction, community health, or human services.
• Conversational Spanish.
• Previous experience in nonviolent crisis intervention, de-escalation, and milieu management.

Benefits

Victory Programs offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• A 75% health and 25% dental employer premium contribution.
• 100% employer-paid disability and life insurance.
• A generous paid time off package, including vacation, sick, personal time, and holidays.

Pay

$26.00/hr

Schedule

Full Time (40 hours) Monday - Friday 7:30am-3:30pm. On-site.