HIV Advocate Mobile Health Unit - MHU

The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada•Las Vegas, NV

16d•$45,000 - $48,000

About The Position

The Center is a leader in providing high-quality, compassionate HIV testing, STI screening, and harm reduction services to underserved and vulnerable populations throughout the community. The HIV Advocate plays a critical role in supporting public health outreach by delivering trauma-informed, nonjudgmental care directly where people live, work, and gather. Under the supervision of the Director of Clinic and HIV Services, the HIV Advocate provides rapid HIV/STI/HCV testing, counseling, health education, and linkage to care from a fully equipped Mobile Health Unit. The role emphasizes harm reduction, community engagement, and trust-building with populations often disconnected from traditional healthcare. This role is mobile and field-based, with occasional work conducted at the Arlene Cooper Community Health Center when the unit is not scheduled to be in the field. This position requires flexibility, cultural humility, and the ability to create safe, welcoming spaces wherever the unit operates. The HIV Advocate will also support efforts to reduce stigma and expand access to care through outreach and education.

Requirements

Minimum high school diploma or GED required.
Two years of experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree.
Live in and have strong community ties to Clark County, including Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and unincorporated Clark County.
Possess a valid driver’s license, reliable personal transportation, valid car registration, and insurance. Travel in a personal vehicle is required for this position.
The ability to verify identity and provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States, and completion of the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.
Ability to pass a background check, fingerprinting, and a drug test, and have a clean driving record
Experience with local HIV services and familiarity with issues related to substance use, homelessness, mental health, and other related co-occurring disorders.
Current on information pertaining to the symptoms, modes of transmission, control, treatment, and effects of the communicable/chronic disease assigned.
Skill in providing individualized HIV health education, HIV testing, and Counseling and Hepatitis C testing.
Ability to discuss sensitive matters in a non-judgmental manner and to respect confidentiality.
Ability to work with diverse groups in diverse settings, including in The Center as well as in the community.
Have social and cultural sensitivity with targeted populations.
Good written, verbal, interpersonal, and communication skills.
Basic knowledge and experience with computers, including Microsoft Office, Excel, and data collection required.
Ability to work flexible hours, mostly evenings/weekends. Saturdays are required.
Gain the confidence of and establish rapport with varied personalities and difficult-to-reach individuals.
Empathize with patients and provide uplifting, helpful counseling.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with team members and with those contacted in the course of work, including service representatives and the general public.
Pass any and all certification training based on state and local requirements, including but not limited to adhering to HIPAA, OSHA, and bloodborne pathogens training requirements.
Provide confidentiality- capable of maintaining the highest degree of confidentiality with regard to client and organizational information.
Be client-centered- capable of working with individuals to identify needs and priorities and facilitate any positive change as the client defines for themselves.
Be motivated- capable of taking the initiative and following a project through to completion.
Be organized- capable of prioritizing needs, goals, and objectives. Capable of maintaining all required information/data for ease of access for staff and clients.
Be a problem solver- capable of thinking on the spot to resolve problem situations as they arise. Able to assess relevant information, identify a range of options, and make client-centered recommendations.

Nice To Haves

Preferred bachelor’s degree in public health, Public Administration, Social Work, Psychology, or Sociology.
Candidates with lived experience within HIV care and prevention, and or with substance use treatment or harm reduction experience are encouraged to apply.
Fluency in English and Spanish is highly preferred.
Knowledge of HIV/AIDS and antibody testing, PrEP and PEP, community resources, Hepatitis C and STD knowledge, harm reduction, and syringe exchange is highly preferred
Certification as a Rapid HIV Test Counselor and phlebotomy is highly preferred, or the ability to be certified within three months of employment.
Experience with mobile or field-based public health outreach.
Familiarity with harm reduction, syringe access programs, HIV/STI prevention strategies, and community organizing.
Comfort working in diverse environments, including encampments, clubs, community centers, or other non-traditional settings.
Ability to draw blood and administer basic point-of-care testing.
Commitment to client confidentiality, empowerment, and trauma-informed care.

Responsibilities

Conduct rapid HIV, HCV, and pregnancy testing onboard the Mobile Health Unit and at offsite outreach locations.
Provide pre- and post-test counseling with sensitivity to cultural and social contexts; explain testing procedures, interpret results, and deliver referrals when needed.
Offer harm reduction education, risk assessments, and safer sex counseling tailored to client needs.
Educate clients on HIV prevention strategies, including PrEP, PEP, and condom use.
Link newly diagnosed HIV+ individuals to medical care and social services promptly and compassionately.
Conduct street-based and event-based outreach targeting disproportionately impacted populations.
Identify at-risk groups to prevent, treat, and reduce the incidence of communicable diseases.
Act as a liaison and advocate to help clients access supportive services (medical, housing, mental health, substance use treatment).
Provide non-medical case management and follow-up support for individuals living with or at risk of HIV.
Assist in the coordination of care by collaborating with internal staff and external partner organizations.
Follow up with clients to support treatment adherence and retention in care.
Build and sustain relationships with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), local service providers, and public health partners.
Collaborate on stigma reduction campaigns and culturally sensitive health education efforts.
Track and report outreach and testing data for internal and grant reporting purposes.
Help maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming environment inside and around the Mobile Health Unit.
Support setup and breakdown of the mobile testing site each day, including privacy curtains, supplies, and signage.
Assist with answering phones, returning voicemails, and navigating patient questions as needed from the field.
Stock and distribute harm reduction supplies, including Safer Sex Kits, syringes, and resource materials
Draw blood samples from individuals in a mobile clinical setting.
Conduct community outreach activities to increase awareness of HIV Counseling and Testing services within the Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) community through distribution of flyers, e-mail blasts, events, and testing sites at bars, clubs, and similar establishments.
Work with the Director of Clinical and HIV Services to provide client-centered care, including systems navigation, referrals, and follow-ups.
Target populations known to be disproportionately at-risk for HIV infection, as well as establishments frequented by individuals exhibiting high-risk behaviors throughout the community.
Maintain up-to-date confidential client records, including progress notes, support group documentation, Arlene Cooper Community Health Center utilization, and all other required paperwork, and electronic submission of client data into the electronic health record.
Work as part of an interdisciplinary team with the Director of Clinical and HIV Services and other team members to increase awareness on what resources are available for the HIV positive community and update the resource card to distribute via safer sex kits when HIV positive individuals collect their medication.
Assist with recruitment and retention of clients, particularly those who are disconnected from care and services.
Work closely with the Director of Clinical and HIV Services to provide education/training on harm reduction, safer sex messages, and cultural sensitivity related to the HIV-positive and the LGBTQ communities with HIV/AIDS, who are not in care, to connect them to services and support groups.
Complete tasks as outlined on the daily task sheet and as assigned.
Prepare and administer injections; take and record patients' vital signs and medical histories; and prepare patients for medical tests.
Complete morbidity reports for reportable diseases.
Keep current with local, national, and international disease trends and outbreaks.
Engage in various activities to increase The Center’s capacity to promote reduction of stigma campaigns and the distribution of Safer Sex Kits through various distribution outlets.
Attend agency meetings, supervision, and training as required.
Perform other duties as requested.