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PWUD Health Access Navigator - $31-33 per hour

San Francisco, California

Organizational Summary  

San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) envisions a future where health justice is achieved for all people living with or at risk for HIV. Ultimately, we strive for a day when race is not a barrier to health and wellness, substance use is not stigmatized, HIV status does not determine quality of life, and HIV transmission is eliminated. 

Our mission is to promote health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV through sexual health and substance use services, advocacy, and partnership. 

Our strategic plan includes an articulation of its five key values, which are the foundation for its work and its employees: Justice, Dignity, Courage, Leadership and Excellence. We need passionate agents of social change, vanguards of public health, and practitioners of racial justice to join our fight. 

 

Position Overview:  

SFAF’s Syringe Access and Health Services for People Who Use Drugs is one of largest syringe access and disposal, overdose prevention, and health engagement programs in the State of California. Our program provides evidence-based interventions to improve health outcomes for people who use drugs (PWUD) including decreasing accidental death due to overdose; reducing HIV, STI, and HCV infection and transmission rates, improving engagement in care, and linkage to treatment for Substance Use Disorder(SUD), including onsite access to MOUD (Medication for Opioid Use Disorder). Our mobile and stationary sites provide syringe access and disposal, overdose prevention education and naloxone distribution, linkage to care including treatment for substance use disorder, basic medical care, and other community and health improvement-focused services.  

The PWUD (People Who Use Drugs) Health Access Navigator works under the supervision of the Director of  Health Access. Responsibilities include: building relationships with program participants at both our mobile sites and 6th St Center which includes providing syringe access & safe disposal services, providing overdose prevention, recognition and response training with naloxone distribution, hosting services in the 6th St. Center lounge, linking participants to SFAF’s HCV Wellness Program, HIV and HCV testing, providing referrals and linkage to treatment for Substance Use Disorder, health and social services, completing all required documentation data collection per program protocol. 

This position will work closely with Health Educators, Substance Use Treatment Coordinators and HCV Treatment Coordinators to engage and link people to internal and external substance use and medical care services, MOUD with buprenorphine, methadone and other in-patient or outpatient programs that treat substance use disorder(SUD).   Engagement includes substance use treatment readiness coaching and enrollment; risk reduction counseling; substance use treatment adherence counseling. Linkage includes connecting, escorting and follow-up with participants to ensure that they are receiving effective and culturally competent care. 

 

Essential Duties:  
 

  • Responsible for providing on site treatment connections including referral and linkage to substance use disorder treatment, medical care, HIV, HCV and STI testing,vaccinations and other health and social services at 6th St Center, mobile sites and street outreach.  
  • Provide substance use and primary medical care navigation including direct linkage of  people and provide warm handoff  to internal and external substance use and medical care services, MOUD with buprenorphine, other in-patient or outpatient programs that treat substance use disorder(SUD) and mental health services.    
  • Provide substance use treatment readiness coaching; risk reduction counseling; substance use treatment adherence counseling.  
  • Escorting and follow-up with participants to ensure that they are receiving effective and culturally competent care in both the HCV Wellness program, Hepatitis B Project and Substance Use Treatment Support Program. 
  • Creating warm and welcoming environments for people who use drugs, with an emphasis on excellent customer service and compassionate care  
  • Provide on-site health education and substance use treatment awareness counseling at both mobile sites and 6th St Center  
  • Provide health coaching focused on overdose prevention, HIV and HCV prevention, and other health improvement activities 
  • Provide overdose prevention, recognition and response trainings with naloxone distribution 
  • Program staff provide de-escalation, conflict resolution, and crisis interventions. 
  • Provide street and van based outreach and engagement, 

  

Other Responsibilities: 

  • Data Coordination and Collection 
  • Maintain a sufficient stock of forms, office supplies, and other related materials necessary to ensure the smooth operation of data collection and data entry at Mobile Sites and the 6th St Center. 
  • Document and enter all site data and referral data according to program protocols 

 

Essential Qualifications: 
 

SFAF’s 6th St Center and mobile syringe and health access sites welcomes diverse groups of people who use drugs, are experiencing homelessness or are marginally housed, have untreated mental health concerns, histories that often include trauma, incarceration and violence.  

  • Bi-lingual in Spanish and English preferred. 
  • Knowledge of substance use and health concerns of people who use drugs (PWUD). 
  • Knowledge of health and social services throughout the city of San Francisco. 
  • Awareness and sensitivity to diverse and marginalized populations. 
  • Ability to speak candidly and knowledgeably about drug use, substance use treatment options and sexual risk. 
  • Ability to implement de-escalation techniques, follow safely protocols, and use sound judgment in making independent decisions.  
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced, public facing, high impact environments. 
  • Good organizational skills, data entry skills, ability to use Microsoft office and the Google suite of programs including Excel, google doc, google sheet, etc 

 

Supervision: N/A
 

Physical Requirements:  

  • Skill in operating office equipment such as a personal computer, copy machine and telephone system. Ability to perform routine bending, stooping, twisting, and reaching. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must be comfortable standing on feet for extended periods of time, often at least 6 hours.  

 

Work Schedule: 

All Syringe Access and PWUD Health Team Member schedules may include providing shift coverage for direct services and logistics/inventory activities to cover vacations, sick days, and special events. The position requires work during evenings, weekends and holidays. All department positions require staff to offer flexibility to meet the needs of the team and handle unexpected changes in their workday or workweek. 

 

Education and Experience:   
 

  • Minimum, three years’ experience working with people who use drugs , highly marginalized, or people experiencing homelessness required. 
  • Experience using motivational interviewing and strong understanding of harm reduction and client centered practices and principles, experience doing health education preferred. 
  • Understanding of overdose prevention recognition and response, HIV/HCV disease prevention and treatment required. 
  • Proof of valid California driver’s license with an excellent driving record and driver’s insurance preferred  
  • Understanding of HIV/HCV disease prevention and treatment. 
  • Certified HCV/HIV/STI test counselor preferred but not required (must be willing to go through the training if hired) 
  • Understanding of Substance Use Disorder and treatment, including MOUD 
  • Understanding of programs and resources throughout S.F. 

 

This position will have access to protected health information (PHI) and may only access, use or disclose the minimum information necessary to perform their designated role on behalf of San Francisco AIDS Foundation, regardless of the extent of access provided. 

 

Work Environment: 

This position is headquartered at 940 Howard Street.  Duties will be performed both at the headquarters 117 6th St, and various mobile sites and street based settings throughout San Francisco. This position may require traveling to other office locations or off-site meetings as required by the job. 
 
The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for personnel so classified. 
  

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: 
  
SFAF is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package for our full-time employees. These include: 
 
Vacation + Leave 
24 days of combined Paid Time Off/Sick Time Off for the first two years of employment 
29 days of Paid Time Off/Sick Time Off after two years of employment 
14 paid holidays per year 
 
Retirement 
403(b) Plan – SFAF matches employee contributions (1 to 1) up to 3% of salary 
 
Health Coverage 
Flexible Spending Account to set aside employee pre-tax dollars for unreimbursed medical and dependent expenses. 
Medical insurance - premium fully/partially paid by SFAF for employee (Kaiser Permanente HMO, Sutter Health Plus HMO) 
Vision insurance – premium fully paid by SFAF for employee (MetLife) 
Dental insurance – premiums fully/partially paid by SFAF for the employee (MetLife Insurance) 
 
Employee Sponsored Care 
Plume - Gender Affirming Care 
Maven – Family Forming benefits 
 
Life Insurance + Disability + Family Leave 
Life Insurance and AD&D insurance – Employer Paid: 100% of salary, up to $100K (MetLife) 
Long term disability insurance (MetLife) 
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA), Pregnancy-Related Disability Leave (PDL), as applicable 
  
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: 

 

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation is an Equal Opportunity employer. We actively seek applications from people living with HIV/AIDS, people with disabilities, women, LGBTQ individuals and people of color. 

 

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.  

 

Application Process: 

Please visit our careers page at:  

http://www.sfaf.org/about-us/careers/  

POSITION OPEN UNTIL FILLED 

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE 

 

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