HIV/Early Intervention Outreach Worker (Spanish)

Neighborhood Health•Alexandria, VA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The HIV/STD Outreach Worker provides testing, linkage, and support to local high-risk, low-income immigrant populations. This role involves going into the community to find, educate, test, link to care, and retain in care populations most at-risk for HIV infection. The worker will engage with at-risk populations, including low-income and uninsured new immigrants and people of color (particularly African and Latinx) in the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, and Fairfax County. This position requires working non-traditional hours to meet clients in various community locations such as night clubs, faith communities, housing developments, laundromats, and hair salons/barbershops. The role also involves assisting clients who test positive for HIV to seek medical care, treatment, and case management services, and connecting those who test negative but are at risk, or who have tested positive for STDs, to healthcare and other services.

Requirements

Minimum high school diploma or GED required; bachelor’s degree preferred.
Demonstrated understanding of and experience working comfortably with diverse communities.
At least one-year documented community-based experience.
Bilingual (English/Spanish or English/Amharic) required.
Comfort with discussing sexually sensitive topics.
Demonstrated cultural competence with diverse beliefs and norms.
Experience providing health education (knowledge of HIV/STD/Hep B and C a plus).
Knowledge of disease transmission.
Demonstrated success with community outreach strategies.
Knowledge about the health beliefs of immigrant populations and demonstrated verbal and written skills that are adaptable to diverse audiences.
Familiarity with Northern Virginia areas, and valid driver's license.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree preferred.
Knowledge of HIV/STD/Hep B and C a plus.

Responsibilities

Serves as one of Neighborhood Health’s Spanish-speaking outreach workers that goes into the community to find, teach, test, link to care and retain in care the populations most at-risk for HIV infection.
Reaches at-risk populations for HIV and STDs, such as low-income and uninsured new immigrants, people of color (particularly African and Latinx) in the City of Alexandria, Arlington County and Fairfax County who are at-risk for HIV, who may have HIV without knowing it, or who have fallen out of care.
Works non-traditional hours to meet potential clients where they meet, in such locations as night clubs, faith communities, housing developments, laundromats, hair salons/barbershops, etc.
Helps any clients who test positive for HIV to seek medical care treatment and case management services through the Neighborhood Health Ryan White program if desired.
Connects those who test negative for HIV, but who are at risk for HIV and STDs (or who have tested positive for STDs) to Neighborhood Health’s status neutral Regional Early Intervention Services program for linkages to health care and other services.
With the EIS team, implement regular targeted testing events.
Conduct CLIA-waived HIV testing using established procedures at community partner sites and Neighborhood Health clinics.
Report and document all waived testing results in electronic medical record and/or testing database.
Work with local agencies such as health departments, churches, community centers, homeless shelters, detention center, other CBOs, businesses, etc. to educate and heighten awareness of HIV testing opportunities and HIV prevention, and the importance of getting targeted populations tested and linked to care.
In association with Neighborhood Health’s Regional EIS team, implement one-on-one, group, and community education activities for targeted at-risk populations.
Assess and refer individuals who receive testing and those in need of additional health and/or HIV-related services, such as initiation of care for treatment of STDs and linkage to HIV treatment.
Participate in team strategy sessions, event planning and materials development.
Accurately track and document activities and interventions and report to the Program Manager in a timely fashion.
Link clients to NH eligibility and enrollment specialist if client eligible for health insurance.
Tally and enter data to track individuals tested; training provided, but comfort with and knowledge of spreadsheets a plus.
Ability and willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed.
Collaborate with current and new community partners to identify opportunities where there is high probability of reaching at-risk focus populations who need testing or linkage/re-engagement.
Educate community partners about the importance of identifying at-risk populations to avoid new infections to get buy-in, active participation, and referral for at-risk individuals/groups.
Work with community agencies to identify, locate & create supportive relationships with Latinix and African immigrant populations that may have high risk factors and aren’t connected to services.
Target significant hubs and meet-up sites for focus population (clubs, faith communities, laundromats, hair salons/barbershops, housing developments, etc.).
Identify potential clients who may benefit from testing and prevention services.
Work with local venues that attract youth and young adults to identify and target members.
Reach into immigrant communities that may not understand or acknowledge HIV risk behaviors to educate and gain trust.
Use Neighborhood Health-developed traditional messaging and social media campaigns.
Conduct social media and use in-person campaign marketing material to engage populations of focus and others in conversations about the importance of regular testing.
Distribute campaign materials in both real and virtual venues.
With all team members, create and implement engaging curriculum on HIV prevention and other related topics (STIs, Hep C, U=U, etc.) for the populations of focus.
Outreach and engage individuals within populations of focus in conversation about combination HIV prevention, especially risk/harm reduction & PrEP, and HIV topics, including existing NH patients.
Perform outreach, screening, and assessment of populations of focus to ensure appropriate testing modalities and locations.
Perform testing activities, working with community partner agencies during non-traditional (evening & weekend) work hours, including late-night club outreach.
Accompany clients to nearest NH or other testing location if community partner tester not available.
For HIV-negative clients with positive Hep C/STI test and/or who are high-risk, fast track Neighborhood Health financial eligibility determination for entry into medical care.
Conduct an intake and assessment on clients who are candidates for medical care, including Hep C/ STI treatment and PrEP/nPEP or those who need a medical home.
Link clients to NH enrollment specialist if client eligible for health insurance.
Link HIV-negative clients with EIS Social Worker for needed non-medical services.
Facilitate first medical appointment within 7 days of diagnosis for STI/Hep C treatment, and/or for PrEP prescription (or nPEP within 2 days), as applicable.
Facilitate access to transportation to attend medical appointment; attend appointment with patient, if applicable, to ensure timely access.
Conduct phone & in-person follow up with high-risk HIV-negative clients appropriate to risk level, and maintain supportive relationship.
Link HIV-positive clients to the Neighborhood Health Ryan White program within one business day.
Follow high-risk patients receiving medical care to ensure engagement in care and adherence.
Work with non-compliant patients (e.g., if someone is a No-Show or is not following treatment advice) to encourage return to care.
Identify patient barriers to care, and help clients troubleshoot and overcome barriers.
Link client to EIS Social Worker for assistance, as needed.
Collaborate with other EIS providers in region to share strategies and best practices.
Enter data in CAREWare (the program database) & eClinicalWorks (EHR); training provided.
Track client-level interactions for documentation purposes.
Document, code, and enter data for program reporting, analysis and quality improvement.
Submit all necessary documentation and data reports in a timely fashion.