Prevention Advocate - Outreach for Harm Reduction Program

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  JOB DUTIES
  

Venice Family Clinic is a leader in providing comprehensive, high-quality primary health care to people in need with compassion, dignity and respect. In November 2021, Venice Family Clinic merged with South Bay Family Health Care, uniting more than a century of experience helping patients regardless of their income, insurance or immigration status. The organization now has more than 500 staff who serve 45,000 people from the Santa Monica Mountains through the South Bay. We have 17 locations plus two mobile clinics and an expansive street medicine program for people experiencing homelessness. Read more about us at: venicefamilyclinic.org Make a difference in the community at our Venice Family Clinic. As a Prevention Advocate for our Common Ground’s Syringe Services Program (SSP), you will play a vital role in helping reduce the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C in our community. Our program follows the Harm Reduction model which calls for the non-judgmental, non-coercive provision of services and resources to people who use drugs and the communities in which they live in order to assist them in reducing attendant harm. The Prevention Advocate SSP will: * Participate in syringe exchange on site and out in the community, which includes providing sterile syringes and properly disposing of used ones. * Conduct HIV and Hepatitis C testing and counseling and will educate clients on safer injection practices, overdose prevention and ways to reduce harm to themselves and those around them. * Ensure newly diagnosed HIV+ and/or Hep C+ clients are referred and linked to medical services. * Spend a portion of their time on outreach providing our Syringe Services Program to people experiencing homelessness, which includes creating and maintaining relationships with various “gate keepers” within surrounding communities to provide information regarding our services. * Seek clients and provide referrals to services offered by our Common Ground program. * Support and develop culturally appropriate education and outreach materials and will build and maintain a contact network of agencies and local community members to expand the Syringe Services Program. * Perform other duties, including reviewing and completing data collection forms, compiling data for monthly reports and helping co-workers in any other duties assigned. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are core values of the Venice Family Clinic. We believe the professional and clinical environments are enhanced when diverse groups of people with diverse ideas come together. Salary Range: $29.64 – $39.13 Hourly

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  JOB QUALIFICATIONS
  

Required: * Bachelor’s degree in Social Work PLUS one year of experience OR an equivalent combination of education and experience. * Skill in providing individualized HIV health education, HIV testing and Counseling and Hepatitis C testing. * Knowledge of HIV/AIDS and antibody testing, PrEP and PEP, community resources, Hepatitis C and STD knowledge, harm reduction, and syringe exchange. * Skill in database management, maintenance, queries, and data entry. * Ability to complete required program documentation. * Public speaking and leadership ability. * Ability to work independently and as part of a group, and maintain cooperative working relationships. * Ability to work effectively with people of diverse cultural and educational backgrounds, and discuss sensitive matters in a non-judgmental manner.