Community Outreach Liaison

The Department of Health, Behavior & Society is seeking a Community Outreach Liaison (COL) for a mobile harm reduction intervention (Check It). Check It is an innovative, low-barrier mobile overdose- and HIV-prevention intervention that provides mobile point-of-care drug checking, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), wound care, syringes and other safer drug use supplies, and other harm reduction services to people who use drugs in Baltimore and neighboring counties. Check It staff must operate within the principles of harm reduction.  The COL will be part of a mobile team comprised of staff including nurses, drug checking technicians, a supervisor, and outreach workers. Will provide specialized support, referrals, and harm reduction services to clients who visit the study’s mobile van, will lead efforts to build and maintain relationships with community members and other organizations/service providers, will maintain a referral network, and will collect data related to service delivery and distribution of supplies.  The COL will also provide HIV testing and counseling, make healthcare and social service referrals, distribute safer drug use supplies, and distribute naloxone and train clients and community members on its use. Other responsibilities may be required as project services evolve and/or expand. All study services will be client-centered and take a harm reduction approach. Will undergo extensive training regarding harm reduction, PrEP, HIV testing and counseling, trauma informed care, structural barriers for service access, naloxone administration, and other areas as needed.  This role will interact clients, including people experiencing homelessness and people who use drugs, and the leadership and staff at partnering community-based organizations. This role will require community-based work at least 90% of the time. The person who fills this position is expected to take independent initiative to complete tasks and be able to make independent decisions about the direction and conduct of the work.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Support client engagement in services through needs assessments, counseling, referral/insurance navigation, planning, and ongoing communication to provide logistical support as needed.
• Document client interactions and service/supply provision.
• Provide case management services and assist clients in applying for/accessing things such as government benefits, vital documents, ID, recovery housing, case planning and the use of outside resources.
• Make referrals to medical, social, treatment, and other support services, including warm hand-offs as appropriate.
• Engage in harm reduction-based street outreach, promoting the program’s services, distributing promotional items, and providing harm reduction education.
• Build rapport with community members, including people who use drugs, through outreach, and attendance at community association meetings.
• Develop referral networks and maintain relationships with service providers and pharmacies in intervention areas.
• Distribute naloxone and train community members on its use and benefits.
• Distribute syringes and other safer drug use supplies, as well as other harm reduction supplies.
• Organize and track inventory of project supplies on van.
• Maintain computerized records and all program documentation.
• Engage in other harm reduction service delivery-related tasks on mobile van and/or in partnership with local harm reduction service providers, including packing and distributing supplies, including drug checking tools, safer use supplies, condoms, resource lists, hygiene items, clothes, snacks and seasonal items, conducting community outreach activities in and around Baltimore (may expand to other areas of Maryland over time), conducting overdose response trainings, HIV/STI testing, and harm reduction education. All necessary training will be provided prior to engagement in these activities.

• Communicate regularly with Supervisor, senior staff, and other team members. to provide updates and feedback.
• Participate in and attend team meetings, trainings, etc.
• Excellent organizational, communication and writing skills.

• Willingness to work occasional evenings or weekends with prior agreement.

• Other duties as assigned.

• High School Diploma or graduation equivalent, with some college courses preferred.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond HS Diploma/Graduation Equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Prior experience working in a syringe services or other harm reduction program.
• Prior experience conducting outreach with people who use drugs and other marginalized populations.
• Familiarity and experience with harm reduction principles.
• Prior experience working in field or mobile care settings.

Classified Title: Research Program Assistant 
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Community Outreach Liaison   
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/02/CB  
Starting Salary Range: $15.40 - $23.25 HRLY (Commensurate w/exp.) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday to Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm 
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt 
Location: School of Public Health  
Department name: HBS-Research Projects   
Personnel area: School of Public Health