Needle Exchange and Safer Inhalation (NESI) Harm Reduction Outreach Worker

Somerset West Community Health Centre•Ottawa, ON

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The NESI program's goals are to work with people who use drugs to reduce the risk of HIV and Hepatitis B and C transmission, and to support overall health and wellness goals of the client through care coordination and system navigation services. This may include client crisis response and support, appointment accompaniment, client advocacy and coordinated follow-ups with clients and partnering agencies, as well as informal client counselling from a harm reduction and trauma informed lens. The NESI Outreach worker must have comprehensive knowledge of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI’s), superior skills in system navigation and care coordination, and a strong understanding of systemic barriers faced by people who use drugs. The daytime NESI outreach program operates in the Somerset West catchment, providing proactive and responsive outreach for people who use drugs (PWUD) in public settings, encampments, and client homes. The NESI program workers distribute harm reduction equipment, such as sterile injection and inhalation equipment, safer sex supplies, naloxone, and are responsible for the safer collection and disposal of bio-hazard bins. The program also provides education and training for clients and community members interested in learning more about safer substance use, harm reduction strategies, and overdose intervention. The NESI program is the distribution hub for safer inhalation products for the Ottawa area. Through organization partnerships the program supports distribution of equipment supplied by the Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program, along with training and education support for partner agencies.

Requirements

Lived experience of substance use, homelessness and/or experience in advocacy for people who use drugs (PWUD)
Three years’ experience and passion for working with high-risk populations and people in active substance use
Experience working with people who use drugs, mental health comorbidities, and living with homelessness
Post-secondary education in a relevant discipline AND three years’ experience working with people who use drugs OR a combination of relevant professional and lived experience with substance use and homelessness
Fluency in English required.
Superior skills in assertive outreach engagement and strong knowledge in trauma informed care, crisis intervention and support and de-escalation
Strong skills in opiate overdose identification and response
Superior knowledge of STBBI and risk reduction strategies and safety practices for injection and inhalation substance use and safer sex
Clinical knowledge of addition and mental health comorbidities and interventions and systemic barriers faced by people who use drugs
Superior knowledge of City of Ottawa healthcare, housing, detox and recovery pathways, etc.
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams
Excellent interpersonal skills and boundaries and conflict management
Strong knowledge on PHIPPA, and provincial mental health and privacy legislations
A strong commitment to working within a Health Equity, Person-Centred and Anti-Oppressive framework
This position requires strong collaboration skills and the ability to make joint decisions with outreach partner in dynamic and sometimes unpredictable situations
This position will require the outreach worker to be able to assess the safety of unknown locations (sometimes at night) to engage with people who may be in crisis

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of French an asset.

Responsibilities

Provide responsive and proactive engagement with people who use drugs
Distribute harm reduction equipment, including injection and inhalation supplies, safer sex supplies, and Naloxone
Provide trauma-informed system navigation and care coordination services including client advocacy, appointment accompaniment and follow-ups, identification of health and wellness goals, crisis support and de-escalation
Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams within the Somerset West CHC organization as well as partnering agencies to support client health and wellness through referrals, system navigation and care coordination for people who use drugs
Support the planning and delivery of client group programs, including the Women’s Breakfast, Client Pet Food Bank, and client education/training sessions and peer programming
Document client interactions within EMR
Consistently enter program data into NEO, and OCHART
Required to lift and carry items (25-30Ibs)
Requires ability to drive, including at night with potential passenger distractions