Peer Navigator, Street Medicine (Riverside)

Healthcare in Action•Riverside, CA

About The Position

Healthcare in Action provides street medicine to people experiencing homelessness, using medically equipped vans to deliver care in locations such as parking lots, encampments, and parks. The Peer Navigator supports members who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness in the Riverside, California area, helping them manage their health through education, peer support, housing and resource navigation, and shared experiences. This is a patient-facing role that involves regular outreach, accompaniment to appointments, and coordination with Navigation Center staff and Healthcare in Action team members. The position works under the supervision of a Social Worker to support escalation and coordination of care. Travel is 50% or more, and employees may be eligible for differential pay. The role also supports Healthcare in Action’s vision and goals, particularly housing placement for unsheltered members, and requires curiosity about how AI can improve operations and member services.

Requirements

G.E.D. or high school education and at least 3 years of relevant work experience; or an associate degree and at least 2 years of relevant experience. A comparable combination of education, experience, and/or training may be considered equivalent.
Relevant experience may include direct work, lived experience, training, or volunteer work with people experiencing homelessness or people with active mental health and substance use conditions. Similar community-setting experience, including work with other disadvantaged groups or outreach, may also be considered.
Ability to work in a dynamic outdoor environment.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Ability to organize effectively and prioritize multiple competing tasks.
Effective communication skills, including the ability to articulate relevant personal experiences; excellent oral communication and strong interpersonal skills.
Reliable transportation.
Proficiency operating a computer and navigating multiple systems, including online timekeeping and call center software.
For travel of 50% or more: valid driver’s license, clean driving record, automobile insurance, and reliable transportation.
If selected, provide proof of tuberculosis screening upon hire or proof of a negative screening within the last year; reasonable accommodations may be evaluated through an interactive process.
A background check is required.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree.
Experience with HMIS or the Coordinated Entry System.

Responsibilities

Build rapport with members by sharing relevant personal experiences to encourage positive behavior changes.
Coach members in creating and implementing strategies to reduce risks associated with identified health conditions and behaviors.
Connect members with programs that address barriers to care and support compliance.
Link members to local, county, and state services and resources.
Follow up with members, advocate for them, and deliver medications and other supplies as needed.
Conduct regular outreach to onsite patients at the Navigation Center and to offsite patients as needed.
Accompany and support patients at medical, dental, and other appointments.
Collaborate with Navigation Center staff and Healthcare in Action team members on patient care management.
Introduce tools that promote self-management and self-efficacy.
Complete organization- and health-plan-specific documentation promptly, including patient touchpoints, encounter notes, health-risk information, and Plan of Care updates in the electronic health record.
Document required information in the care management system during member phone calls.
Complete and submit Monthly Audit Checklist assessments and individual care plans, and update member profiles in the Coordinated Entry System/HMIS.
Schedule encounters according to member acuity using the Healthcare in Action electronic health record system.
Work under Social Worker supervision to ensure appropriate case escalation and care coordination.
Support Healthcare in Action’s vision and goals, particularly housing placement for unsheltered members.
Perform other duties as assigned.