Outreach Worker

Overview

The Outreach Worker is the main link among clients and agency services. This role will conduct community engagement activities (i.e., harm reduction-based outreach), education, meetings with community partners, and representation within program catchment areas with specific focus on transit hubs, areas experiencing increased syringe litter, homelessness, and encampments located in midtown Manhattan. The Outreach Worker will conduct overdose prevention interventions and safe injection and disposal practices education to high-risk populations. Workers build relationships with community stakeholders and locate resources for the harm reduction community. They must be knowledgeable about community resources, including educational, social and emotional support services, available to clients.

Responsibilities

• Conduct outreach in assigned catchment areas to engage participants in the field.
• Conducting an initial assessment with each participating consumer to assess their health and wellness status and experience with getting health care.
• Provide health promotion, health education, and risk reduction counseling tailored to client needs.
• Provide referrals to appropriate community resources.
• Assist in syringe cleanup at community locations.
• Maintain ongoing communication with clients to support engagement, assess progress, and conduct follow-ups.
• Communicating with clients on a regular basis to keep them engaged and to assess progress as well as tracking the progress of clients including conducting follow-ups.
• Works in teams when engaging community members and will be conducting outreach on foot five days a week. Should be prepared to work from a mobile structure or on foot.
• Daily work activities will be coordinated by the Outreach Supervisor, workers should be able to check in daily with the supervisor for work assignments as well as to report back any significant findings from the day.
• Complete and submit documentation of services provided in a timely and efficient manner (e.g., within 24 hours past the provision of service).
• Adhere to workplace policies and procedures, including confidentiality, documentation, channels of communication, workplace culture, dress code, and conflict resolution practices.

Requirements

• A high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma required or higher.
• Ability to make data entries into programs database such as AIRS, e-Share, EiCare.
• Good verbal, written, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Use of computer software -- Microsoft Office Suite including Word and Outlook calendaring, and Excel.
• Culturally aware and sensitive to PWUD (People Who Use Drugs), PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS), LGBTQAI, YIDU (Young Intravenous Drug Users), SMI (Severe Mental Illness), and MSM (Men who have Sex with Men).
• Preferrable training in the following areas: Motivational Interviewing, Deescalation, Mental Health First Aid, Syringe Exchange and Harm Reduction, Needlestick prevention and bloodborne pathogens, HIV confidentiality, Risk-reduction counseling, Outreach safety, Community Sensitivity, Ability to make introductions and connections with members of the community, Safe injection training experience.
• Good verbal, written, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Use of computer software -- Microsoft Office Suite including Word and Outlook calendaring, and Excel.
• Ability to document appropriately.
• Bilingual in Spanish/English helpful.
• Frequently walking to conduct services, often standing for prolonged periods.
• Occasionally moving around to additional worksites.
• Often carrying lifting and moving objects up to 25 pounds.