SOMA Rise - Health Worker I

HealthRIGHT 360 gives hope, builds health, and changes lives for people in need by providing comprehensive, integrated, compassionate care that includes primary medical care, mental health services, and substance use disorder treatment.
 
Our crisis programs include 24/7 street crisis response teams, drug sobering centers, Street Violence Intervention Program, crisis residential facilities, and other crisis services. These programs treats all participants with compassion, dignity and, respect in a welcome, trauma-informed, non-judgmental space.

SOMA RISE program participants are 18 and over adults who are under the influence of substances and need short term assistance and support. The team works to engage participants in health resources, however great or small. The program will operate a 24-hour, welcoming, compassionate, trauma-informed, culturally attuned, and user-responsive space that focuses on the principles of harm reduction. Alongside providing a safe, comfortable space for clients, our emphasis is on supporting people at increased risk of substance use-related high-risk behaviors and trauma, homelessness, and death due to overdose. Priority will be given to clients’ safety, and all staff will be trained in OD Prevention, Recognition, Response and Narcan Administration. By recognizing the dignity and humanity of all participants, HR360 aspires:

• To reduce barriers for people who use drugs to access a non-judgmental and participant-centered SOMA RISE Program opportunity to support clients addressing the inter-related harms of homelessness, substance use, and trauma.
• To provide radical hospitality and support to marginalized populations in a welcoming, optimally safe, compassionate, trauma-informed, culturally attuned, and user-responsive space that focuses on the principles of harm reduction.
• To help address and reduce the harmful impacts of substance-related harms in the immediate and surrounding neighborhood, by providing an appropriate space for individuals who are experiencing substance use related crisis/disfunction, including reducing deaths due to overdose and promoting restorative approaches to conflict.
• To create a stigma-free zone for SOMA RISE services that will elicit and incorporate the needs and preferences of persons who use drugs in San Francisco into the program’s mission, policies, practices, and development.
• To continuously monitor the successes and challenges of the Program to learn how to improve the service delivery of this community-based model.
• To collaborate with the community partners, including community-based harm reduction, treatment, and wellness resources to create more sustainable links to resources for individuals during and after their SOMA RISE stay.

Health Workers in Harm Reduction Services provide direct care, engagement, support, and documentation for participants in the HR360 SOMA RISE program. As a part of a collaborative team, along with Safety Monitors, and supervisors, Health Workers will ensure participant safety and comfort while supporting them in adhering to the participant guidelines of the program. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Direct Service Responsibilities:

• Treat program participants with respect and dignity, interacting with them in a caring, non-judgmental manner, utilizing harm reduction and trauma-informed care principles.
• Engage participants in compassionate ways to build motivation toward health initiatives in their own lives.
• Respond to participants’ needs, ensure that SOMA RISE protocols are being addressed, and, to respond to crises (e.g., conflict) and overdose with crisis de-escalation interventions and Narcan.
• Verbally de-escalates tense, high-pressure, and emotionally charged situations.
• Complete SOMA RISE program intakes by welcoming people, informing them of program norms/parameters/resources, and documenting their participation.
• Monitor SOMA RISE safety adherence and general well-being of all participants and call 911 when needed.

Administrative/Compliance Responsibilities:

• Engage with community partners around participant referrals.
• Complete observation logs, document rounds and observations of the milieu, and every 30 minutes for those sleeping.

Training Responsibilities:

• Participate in ongoing trainings on radical hospitality, harm reduction, OD Prevention/Narcan Administration, anti-stigma, crisis response and de-escalation.
• Basic drug knowledge, motivational interviewing, customer service, trauma-informed service provision, team-based care, and other related topics

QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Certification, and Experience

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• First Aid Certified within 30 days of employment.
• CPR Certified within 30 days of employment.
• Experience working successfully with diverse populations specifically with issues of substance abuse, mental health, criminal background, and other potential barriers to economic self-sufficiency.
• Experience working with people who use drugs and people experiencing homelessness.
• We value a lived experience of homelessness, illicit drug use, and alcohol use.
• Proficiency with harm reduction, restorative justice, and trauma-informed care.

Background Clearance

• Satisfactory background check. Must not be on active parole or probation.
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (including booster shot).
• Must be able to pass health screening and TB test.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of trauma informed care/treatment, co-occurring disorders, and harm reduction services.
• Knowledge of substance use and health concerns of people who inject drugs and use substances, and who are experiencing homelessness.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.