Who We Are: Since 1985, BHCHP’s mission has been to ensure unconditionally equitable and dignified access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness in greater Boston. Over 12,000 homeless individuals are cared for by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program each year. We are committed to ensuring that every one of these individuals has access to comprehensive health care, from preventative dental care to cancer treatment. Our clinicians, case managers, and behavioral health professionals work in more than 60 locations to serve some of our community’s most vulnerable—and most resilient—citizens. From our earliest days as a program, we have always sought to do work that is transformational: recognizing our shared humanity; centering dignity, compassion, mutual respect and supporting the right of every individual to access the highest levels of health care and every staff member to reach their fullest potential. We continue to be committed to building bridges and breaking down barriers, including systemic racism which harms us all. We provide community-based health care services that are compassionate, dignified, and culturally appropriate, incorporating social determinants of health, with the goal of breaking down the physical and systemic barriers that our patients face. Bilingual, Bicultural, LGBTQIA identifying, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are encouraged to apply. To learn more about working at BHCHP, watch our video Please Click Here (https://www.bhchp.org/careers) . Job Summary: Drug overdose has become the leading cause of death among people experiencing homelessness in Boston. Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) advocates for a health care system without stigma, and we recognize the need to expand access to all types of addiction treatment, on demand. We assert a parallel need to reduce the harms associated with drug use for people who do not seek treatment or cannot currently access treatment. We do not require people to stop using before we can start helping. Working at the intersections of the epidemics of drug overdose, HIV risk, and homelessness, the Harm Reduction Specialist will provide care coordination and case management, behavioral risk reduction counseling and harm reduction education, and medication adherence support for people in a street-based outreach setting in Boston’s South End. Hours: 40 hours; Monday–Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm Responsibilities:
Work collaboratively with other Harm Reduction Specialists, nurses, medical providers on the Harm Reduction team to proactively engage and build relationship with people who use drugs in a low-threshold, street-based setting; attend Harm Reduction team staff meetings and clinical case conferencing, working collaboratively with the HIV Outreach, CCiR Van, Counseling and Testing, HepC, and House of Corrections Teams; participate in clinical supervision of Harm Reduction Specialists in individual and/or group format at least once per month
Serve as a liaison, connecting patients with longitudinal case management programs at BHCHP, with the ability to assist in these transitions over a long period of time while maintaining clear lines of communication with mutual teams to ensure patient goals are met
Provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed services, to include:
Sexual health promotion and substance use risk reduction – Support client health promotion, behavioral risk reduction, and prevention of communicable disease acquisition or transmission by offering guidance and practical support
Medical care coordination – Facilitate access to medical care and to support continued retention in medical care and treatment services through coordination and in-person accompaniment
Social services coordination – Help clients identify health-related social service needs, help them access related resources, and support the successful utilization of these resources. This may include referrals or direct support in housing stabilization though not serving as the primary contact, and referrals or direct support in attainment of benefits
Medication adherence support – In collaboration with Harm Reduction nurses, enhance client readiness for, and adherence to, preventive and therapeutic medications for HIV/AIDS and other conditions, by providing support, developing strategies, offering counseling, and/or locating clients and supporting directly observed therapy through medication couriering
Facilitate referrals to BHCHP and external services for both behavioral health and medical care, document referrals and interactions with patients in the electronic health record
Visit patients at their place of residence (street, shelter, etc.) as needed to accompany them to appointments, reconnect them to care, and/or provide case management
Complete training in overdose prevention and response, and respond to overdoses if nursing or medical staff are unavailable
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree (social service or related field preferred), or comparable work experience
Experience working with people with substance use disorder is required; a commitment to and knowledge of harm reduction strategies and trauma informed approaches, with an emphasis on patients not needing to be abstinent to receive care and an openness to recovery being defined by the patient; experience working with people experiencing homelessness, incarceration and/or sexual violence as well as conducting street level outreach with at-risk populations is a plus
Life support training certification (e.g., CPR, BLS, ACLS) from a course that includes a hands-on, in-person component. If not certified prior to the start date, applicant must submit certification within 60 days of the start date
Bilingual English/Spanish preferred
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, with excellent communication skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities; ability to be flexible and take direction well; works well with a multidisciplinary approach
Commitment to equitable and culturally appropriate care for a wide range of diverse populations, including communities of color, LGBTQIA communities, non-English speaking populations, people with substance use disorders and behavioral health challenges and people experiencing homelessness
Compensation and Benefits:
The compensation starts at $22.07 per hour and increases based on years of experience.
BHCHP full time employees are eligible for our competitive time off policy of 4 weeks’ vacation, health, dental and vision insurance, 403B retirement savings plan and employer retirement contribution, and pre-tax MBTA pass program with 40% discount. In addition, eligible employees will receive yearly increases, additional compensation of seven thousand five hundred dollars added to your base hiring rate for demonstrated bilingual proficiency and the opportunity to work with local hospitals and community health centers.
Does this amazing opportunity interest you? Then we'd love to hear from you.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, BHCHP pledges not to discriminate against and encourages those from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds to apply, particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA identifying, first generation college students and adults without a college degree, Bilingual and Bicultural persons; and individuals from low economic backgrounds.
Covid-19 Vaccination: Proof of Covid-19 vaccination(s) is optional for employment. Candidates who are offered employment will be given details about how to demonstrate receipt of vaccination if they choose to.
Please Note: Employment at Boston Health Care for the Homeless is at-will. Boston Health Care for the Homeless does not sponsor work authorization visas.Powered by JazzHR
