Community Health Specialist

DAP Health•Oceanside, CA

6d•$22 - $24•Onsite

About The Position

The Community Health Specialist provides one-time health education to individuals, groups, and communities, along with referrals and prevention and education messages and materials. The role delivers HIV, HCV, syphilis, and other STI education and testing, supports risk-reduction efforts, and connects clients with medical care and community resources. Services take place in office and community settings throughout the Coachella Valley, including schools, health fairs, religious institutions, treatment facilities, homeless-service organizations, and partner health and social-service organizations. The position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Current American Heart Association- or American Red Cross-accredited BLS certification.
Valid California driver's license and up-to-date auto insurance.
Ability to lift 24 pounds.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including some evenings and weekends.
Ability to work in settings involving contact with patients or patient specimens and exposure to blood, body fluids, non-intact skin, or tissue specimens.

Nice To Haves

California Department of Public Health Office of AIDS HIV testing and finger-stick certification; if not held at hiring, it must be completed at the first available training in the region.
Partner Services Training certificate; if not held at hiring, it must be completed at the first available training in the region.
State of California phlebotomy license; if not held at hiring, it must be completed at the first available training.

Responsibilities

Provide HIV, HCV, and STI education to individuals in community settings, including risk assessments and risk-reduction education for people at high risk of infection.
Provide HIV, HCV, and syphilis testing, and instruct clients in self-collection for gonorrhea and chlamydia testing.
Collect and process blood specimens by finger-stick and venipuncture, and prepare specimens for laboratory processing.
Provide HIV and HCV test results to clients.
Facilitate referrals to medical care, Early Intervention services, PrEP/PEP navigators, and DAP Health or other health-clinic services as needed.
Give group and community-level health education presentations and speak at events about risk reduction and ways to reduce individual and community risk for HIV, HCV, and other infectious diseases.
Facilitate support groups that do not use a formalized curriculum or evidence-based intervention requiring fidelity to a structured curriculum and evaluation component.
Educate DAP Health staff and community members, as appropriate, about health conditions affecting the service area and strategies for engaging targeted and impacted populations in care.
Contact local schools, community centers, and other entities to expand education and outreach services.
Stay informed about community resources and help clients navigate those systems, communicating information in accordance with agency standards.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation and keep the Epic Electronic Health Record up to date as needed.
Establish and maintain positive community relations.
Perform other duties as assigned.