Harm Reduction Counselor

 

Provide the substance using community the tools to reduce harms associated with high-risk behaviors and activities through education, engagement, and distribution of safer usage kits all through a trauma informed harm reduction lens. Distribution of works to people who use substances such as safer smoking, snorting, and/or injecting equipment and through the harm reduction center and/or the harm reduction van in a safe, culturally educated environment. Education on how to reduce risks suck has safer user practices, safer sex practices, and encouragement to engage in healthcare. Provide Naloxone education and distribution to equip the community the necessary tools to reduce community overdose fatality. Link all patients to necessary resources including, but not limited to, ARCH nurse, HIV STD HCV and pregnancy testing, shelter, food, primary health care, behavior health and substance use treatment. Educate larger communities on overdose prevention, harm reduction, HIV prevention, and health and wellness.

 

• Supports organization’s mission by striving for excellence in all aspects of their job with a focus on positive interpersonal relationship with co-workers.
• Provide community outreach activities on a Mobile Harm Reduction Unit and at the VNA Harm Reduction Center. 
• Provide safer usage equipment including syringes, fentanyl test strips, and naloxone to individuals who are engaged into the syringe access program.
• Educate people who use substance on safer usage practices and overdose prevention to reduce harms to themselves and the community.
• Work with individual patients on risk reduction plans such as overdose prevention, safer usage goals, and safer sex practices.
• Encourage patients to engage in their personal healthcare through other services provided by partners such as primary health care at our community health centers, testing services through PRN, wound care with the ARCH nurse, and SUD treatment with our MAT programs.
• Provide referrals to other support services including shelter, food, housing, and treatment as requested.
• Adheres to the organization’s policy in regards to absenteeism and appearance.
• Maintain, organize, and keep sanitized the mobile harm reduction van.

• High School diploma/GED; Associates or Bachelor’s degree preferred
• 2+ years of office experience
• Knowledge or experience with HIV/AIDS population
• Knowledge of cultural and lifestyle diversity issues

VNA Health Group provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.