Harm Reduction Support Specialist

Job Title:  Harm Reduction Support Specialist

Schedule:  Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm

Location:  Wellness Center, 345 S. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Dept: Mental Health Services/Harm Reductio

Reports to: Harm Reduction Program Manager

Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt, Non-Management

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement Planning (403b), Employee Assistant Program (EAP), etc.

JOB SUMMARY:

Under the direction and supervision of the Program Manager of Harm Reduction Services, the Harm Reduction Support Specialist will work with both the C3 Skid Row and E6 Multidisciplinary Outreach Teams. As a part of the street based engagement teams, the Harm Reduction Support Specialist will provide education and safer drug use/sexual health supplies to high needs people experiencing homelessness who live on the streets of Skid Row, Downtown LA, Hollywood, and Midtown. The Harm Reduction Support Specialist will manage harm reduction materials and supplies, perform field-based outreach and engagement, mobile syringe exchange services, overdose prevention and response.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Manage supplies, assembly, distribution, and storage of Narcan supplies, safe use kits, and other harm reduction supplies to ensure programs have sufficient harm reduction resources and materials at all times.

2. Provide field based safer drug use supplies, sexual health supplies, and harm reduction education to homeless individuals.

3. Engage the highest need individuals with severe mental illness, severe medical needs, and chaotic substance use disorders through a trauma informed lense.

4. Act as an expert on the Harm Reduction Model by furthering the equity of our participants through harm reduction services by utilizing a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens.

5. Support the street medicine teams with STI testing interventions and education around safer sex work.

6. Provide overdose response and prevention education to community members.

7. Manage outreach teams’ Narcan distribution data and submit per agency and contract requirements.

8. Manage Syringe Exchange Program supplies inventory, and make supplies kits for all C3 and E6 outreach staff.

9. Assist in transportation of harm reduction supplies between sites and storage as needed as determined by supply and service delivery needs.

10. Document and account for time spent with community members in client record in accordance with agency and funder standards.

11. Remain up to date with community needs to provide information to outreach teams about trends and resources available.

12. Attend regular agency and funder meetings as it pertains to harm reductions service delivery.

13. Effectively represent agency at collaborative meetings.

 
QUALIFICATIONS

1. Strong commitment to the rights of People Who Use Drugs, and people involved in sex trade.

2. Lived experience of substance use, homelessness, and/or sex work strongly preferred.

3. Detailed knowledge of ways in which substances are used including: heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, crack, intravenous drug use, alcohol, etc.

4. Detailed knowledge of harm reduction interventions including: Medication Assisted Treatment, clean injection and smoking equipment, overdose prevention, abscess treatment/prevention, fentanyl testing, etc.

5. Knowledge of sexual health and sex work in relation to drug use.

6. Valid CA Driver’s license

7. Proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and database applications

8. Experience working with individuals with multiple barriers including severe mental illness

WORK ENVIRONMENT

1. Combination of field and office environment

2. Regularly required to sit, stand, bend; occasionally lift or carry up to 35 lbs.

3. On occasion walk or drive to different local sites

4. Will necessitate working in busy and loud environments

5. Will be exposed to elements like cold, heat, dust, noise and odor

6. May need to bend, stoop, twist, and sit throughout the day