HIV Advocate (Linkage to Care)

Care Coordination and Case Management

• Oversee the process from intake to assessment to treatment adherence as part of a care coordination team.

• Conduct assessments upon program intake to identify risks, health service needs, and HIV prevention or treatment requirements.

• Coordinate with team members to provide assistance and support to individuals seeking medical care, substance misuse treatment, and HIV-related services.

• Serve as a liaison with medical providers to ensure access to and retention in healthcare services, including HIV care and treatment.

• Supervise peer navigators to promote services in the community and provide one-on-one support for participants enrolled in treatment or HIV care services.

• Assist participants in scheduling and attending physician appointments, including arranging escort/transportation as needed.

• Manage crisis intervention and provide supportive counseling to participants as necessary.

 

HIV Advocacy and Education

• Provide education to participants on HIV prevention, transmission, and treatment, including PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis).

• Develop and deliver educational messaging regarding HIV testing, treatment adherence, and wellness for individuals living with or at risk for HIV.

• Facilitate onsite educational sessions and support groups for individuals interested in HIV prevention, treatment, and post-care services.

• Advocate for individuals living with HIV to ensure they receive equitable access to healthcare, housing, and other essential services.

• Collaborate with local HIV prevention and care programs to enhance service delivery and community outreach.

 

Community Engagement and Outreach

• Build and maintain relationships with community organizations to connect clients with needed services, including HIV-specific resources.

• Plan and oversee community activities and events to link clients with service agencies and promote HIV awareness.

• Lead research, planning, and execution of weekly outreach activities, including street-based and park-based outreach.

• Provide agency and community briefings on treatment initiatives, harm reduction strategies, and HIV prevention efforts.

• Conduct peer-to-peer and evidence-based training for the community on HIV prevention and substance misuse.

Group Facilitation and Education

• Implement onsite educational sessions and support groups for individuals interested in substance misuse treatment, hepatitis C treatment, and overdose prevention.

• Provide education on injection drug use, overdose prevention, HCV prevention and treatment, and HIV transmission and prevention.

• Facilitate discussions and workshops on reducing stigma around HIV and substance misuse.

Administrative and Team Collaboration

• Serve as the primary contact for administrative and medical document retention and dissemination to coordinate care services.

• Assist participants with procuring necessary documents to begin or continue care, including HIV-related services.

• Provide audit-worthy documentation for all services in the Electronic Health Records (EHR) system and Access Database.

• Collaborate with the Assistant Director of Care Coordination on program reports and service utilization.

• Participate in weekly care coordination meetings and team discussions to identify systems-level improvements for service quality and efficacy.

• Work with team members, medical consultants, and interns to provide services, programming, needs assessments, and evaluations.

 

• Strong understanding of harm reduction principles, substance misuse, HIV prevention and care, and public health strategies.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, EHR systems, and online search engines.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to build relationships with clients, service providers, and community programs.

• Pragmatic and competent in conflict resolution and crisis intervention.

• Organized, creative, and collaborative team player with a positive attitude and strong interpersonal skills.

• Must be able to work occasional weekends and evenings.

• Reliable transportation is required.

• Must be available for home visits and to see clients at the agency or in their homes.

• Enthusiasm for working with individuals who are current substance users and diverse communities (gender, ethnic, generational, lingual, political).

• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and integrity.

 

• 2-3 years working with marginalized populations (e.g., people who use drugs, individuals living with HIV, sex workers, individuals with mental illness, homeless individuals, and/or formerly incarcerated individuals).

• Knowledge of the health and human services industry, including HIV care and prevention.

• Familiarity with social media and marketing platforms.

• Experience in supportive counseling and group facilitation.