MOUD Care Navigator - CID

Working at Evergreen Treatment Services makes a big difference in our community! ETS has been working to transform the lives of individuals and their communities through innovative and effective addiction and social services in Western Washington for over 50 years.

About the role

The MOUD Care Navigator role of the REACH Linkage to Care Program advances ETS’ mission by providing street-based care coordination and light-touch case management to individuals with opioid use disorder. This position connects patients identified in emergency settings and on the street to MOUD care, harm reduction services, and ongoing support to improve treatment retention.

This position will be deployed in neighborhoods experiencing heightened community concerns related to unsheltered homelessness, public safety, street-level substance use, and underground economies. Success in this role requires exceptional stakeholder engagement, communication, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to navigate complex and politically sensitive environments, build consensus among diverse partners, and effectively represent evidence-based approaches with healthcare providers, public safety agencies, government leaders, businesses, residents, and community stakeholders.

Through embedded care navigation and strong cross-system collaboration, the program strengthens the continuum of care by facilitating warm handoffs, reducing barriers to treatment access, and supporting patient engagement, retention, and re-engagement in MOUD services.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the organization-wide initiative to reimagine interconnectedness within the community to overcome aspects of society and organizational culture shaped by white supremacy and settler colonialism.
• Client Engagement, Outreach & MOUD Linkage (55%)
  • Provide intensive outreach and accompaniment services throughout Seattle's Chinatown International District, utilizing a stages-of-change approach to engage individuals with opioid use disorder and tailor support to their readiness for change.
  • Build trusting relationships through persistent, person-centered engagement and coordinate warm handoffs, direct accompaniment, transportation support, and linkage to MOUD and other behavioral health services.
  • Provide intensive follow-up and re-engagement support to promote treatment retention, particularly for individuals receiving MOUD, while responding to referrals from REACH teams, community partners, healthcare systems, crisis responders, and other aligned programs.
• Stakeholder Collaboration & MOUD Partnerships (15%)
  • Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with businesses, residents, law enforcement, crisis responders, healthcare providers, social service agencies, and other neighborhood stakeholders in the Chinatown International District.
  • Coordinate client-centered care plans across systems to improve treatment engagement, retention, and continuity of care for individuals with opioid use disorder.
  • Partner with MOUD providers, outreach teams, housing programs, and community-based organizations to reduce service gaps and strengthen care coordination.
• Short-Term Case Management, Harm Reduction & Retention Support (15%)
  • Provide focused, short-term case management to address immediate barriers to MOUD engagement (e.g., transportation, housing instability, communication, insurance, co-occurring needs).
  • Deliver harm reduction education and survival supplies, support understanding of MOUD options, and proactively re-engage participants to promote retention in care.
• Documentation, Data & Program Improvement (15%)
  • Document outreach, engagement, and care coordination activities in required systems and support program reporting requirements.
  • Identify and elevate systemic barriers impacting MOUD access and retention to inform program and system-level improvements.
• Local travel on behalf of the Agency is a job requirement.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required; additional education preferred. Academic training in social services, substance use disorder, and mental health treatment desired. Lived experience is highly desirable and may substitute for some educational requirements if relevant project management and/or effective team-building experience is demonstrated and reflected in work history.
• Minimum of three years of experience in social work, outreach programs, or a related field.
• Knowledge of the medications used to treat opioid use disorder (e.g., methadone, buprenorphine) and ability to offer options counseling related to this service adapted to an individual’s stage of change.
• Experience providing services from a harm reduction perspective to individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges is highly desirable.

Skills

• Understanding of racial justice and social equity and a commitment to helping create an equitable environment for all ETS clients, patients, and staff.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, with the ability to translate complex behavioral health, homelessness, and substance use issues into compelling, data-informed narratives that influence cross-system decision-making, policy development, and community support.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, patients, and staff from a wide variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to prioritize workload and daily activities and complete tasks in a timely and efficient manner.
• Ability to set boundaries, resolve conflict, and de-escalate issues.
• Strong interpersonal skills and verbal/written communication skills.
• Flexible team player, with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and use discretion when handling highly sensitive information.
• Computer literate, with basic knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (or equivalent suites such as Google Workspace), as well as a high level of initiative in keeping current with technological changes.
• Skills needed include basic functions such as utilizing MS Outlook email and calendaring programs (or equivalent) and sending attachments, using MS Teams or equivalent chat, call, and videoconference features, and navigating search engines such as Edge or Google and carrying out browser searches and website benchmarking steps.

Physical Conditions and Requirements

• The employee may be exposed to illicit drug residues and fumes or other bio-hazardous materials when carrying out job functions. There is also potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens. ETS will provide employees with appropriate training to limit the risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
• The employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear; frequently required to stand, walk, and kneel; occasionally to climb, balance, or stoop; rarely to crouch or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, color, and peripheral vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• The noise level in the work environment is moderate.
• Must be comfortable working within outside agency locations, such as hospitals, community centers, shelters, clinics, and/or other partner organizations.

Must be able to pass a Washington State Patrol criminal background check. Note that a driving record background check will occur initially and at periodic intervals for use of a program vehicle, for which a valid Driver’s License and acceptable driving record would be required.

Schedule

Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

Pay

The posted salary range is $82,500 – $96,500, representing the full compensation band for the position. New hires are typically placed at the base of the range, plus up to $2,000 total for bilingual skills and/or higher education.