Healthcare Programs Associate

About VOCAL-NY

Founded in 1999, Voices Of Community Activists & Leaders (VOCAL-NY) is a statewide grassroots membership organization that builds power among low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, mass incarceration, and homelessness in order to create healthy and just communities. We accomplish this through community organizing, leadership development, advocacy, direct services, participatory research and direct action.

At VOCAL-NY we fight for systemic change rooted in justice, compassion, and love. We approach this work with a firm belief in reducing harm and ending stigma, and the knowledge that the issues impacting our communities are driven by institutional oppression, not personal failings. Our campaigns and services have saved or improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers across the state.

​​Position Description

This position is part of the Harm Reduction Services team, which provides onsite and street-based syringe exchange, overdose prevention, hepatitis C and HIV education, care coordination, drug treatment education, and other services for active and former drug users. Services are provided in a low-threshold, nonjudgmental and culturally relevant manner. This position will work closely with VOCAL’s on site clinic in partnership with Mt. Sinai and with VOCAL staff to provide harm reduction services such as patient navigation, STI testing, and case management for people at risk or living with hepatitis C both onsite at our office and through outreach in Brooklyn.

The position will report to the Managing Director of Harm Reduction Services.

Job Responsibilities

• Patient Navigation: Work closely with participants who have Hep C to access--and complete--treatment & care through internal (VOCAL) or through external treatment if preferred or more appropriate for their needs. Assess whether participants have other, more immediate needs that pose a barrier to them focusing fully on their treatment--lack of insurance, housing or food insecurity, etc.,--and work together with the team to meet participants "where they're at" and resolve those issues first. Escorts may also be required for these appointments. Work together with an multidisciplinary team to develop, and monitor resources and programmatic procedures to enhance patient navigation.
• Low-threshold counseling & crisis support: Where needed, competently support participants via counseling and assertive, person-centered intervention during crises that take on urgency beyond healthcare goals.
• STI Testing: Perform rapid antibody and confirmatory testing for Hep C virus, HIV, or other transmitted infections in accordance with standard operating procedures. Receive training as per grant guidelines.
• Outreach: Where needed, support high-quality outreach targeted at reaching people at risk for or living with Hep C or other STIs per grant deliverables. Work with a team to ensure that high quality provision of services, including Hep C prevention education, Hep C testing, drug treatment education, and provision of referrals is conducted through VOCAL’s mobile unit.
• Data collection: Maintain accurate documentation of program activities. Identify and monitor trends in documentation completeness and accuracy,, and work together with relevant team members to rectify deficiencies.
• Program Operations Support: Support with administrative tasks such as quality assurance of documentation (i.e., participant health records, metrocard logs, gift card incentive logs, documentation of completed staff training). Maintain patient blood samples and keep up-to-date lists of programmatic referral resources such as local patient-friendly pharmacies or partner Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) providers.
• Trainings: Attend trainings as needed to improve skills and knowledge. Attend monthly “Hep C Peer Navigation Team Meetings” organized by the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.
• Other duties, such as supporting operations of the drop-in center, as assigned.

Job Requirements

The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of harm reduction and past experience providing low-threshold services to active drug users and a commitment to building relationships among low-income people who use drugs to fight for social justice.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – including the ability to develop trusting and positive relationships with participants while maintaining professional boundaries and enforcing VOCAL’s expectations of participants; work collaboratively, give & receive feedback, and build working relationships with people from all walks of life.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills, including organizing supplies, maintaining accurate written inventory, anticipating supply ordering needs, and attending meetings and events on time.
• Ability to complete audit-worthy documentation in a timely fashion.
• Compassion for people who use drugs and a deep commitment to harm reduction theory and practice.
• Willingness to attend additional in-house and external trainings.
• Previous experience providing harm reduction services strongly preferred.
• Previous experience providing in-depth case management strongly preferred.
• Strong computer and written communication skills are strongly preferred.
• Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred.
• De-escalation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills.

This is a full-time in-person position, eligible for occasional remote work at the discretion of the Managing Director.

This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific employment terms and conditions are subject to collective bargaining.

Equal Opportunity Statement: VOCAL-NY is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, people of color, people who are LGBTQ and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We are particularly interested in hiring those who have been adversely affected by HIV, drug use, mass incarceration, and/or homelessness.

VOCAL-NY offers a generous benefits package of :

• 20 days of paid vacation
• 15 wellness days, and summer Fridays
• Two-week end-of-year break
• Monthly Commuter benefit
• A company cell phone or $40 cell phone reimbursement
• 100% employer-covered health, dental, and vision insurance plan
• 401(k) retirement plan with 5% match.