Social Support Specialist

Job Type Full-time Description

General Responsibilities

Hyacinth AIDS Foundation’s mission is to help people live with HIV, stop the spread of the epidemic, and serve as a critical voice in the public debate surrounding AIDS in New Jersey. The following foundational behaviors are expected as an employee of Hyacinth:

Service/Customer Services

Consistently demonstrates respect, responsiveness, and professionalism towards others while providing superior service for our customers

· Treats each customer as a priority

· Respects each customer’s right to quality service, confidentiality, and dignity.

· Works with co-workers to ensure integration of services

· Displays a welcoming, helpful attitude to customers

· Establishes and maintains personal boundaries in clinical supervision with customers or co-workers

Community/Teamwork

Actively cooperates within the region and/or program and participates in the constructive resolution of conflict.

· Focuses on improving communication and collaboration

· Tries to understand the other person’s point of view when there is a challenge

· Works with all regional staff to provide a full continuum of services to customers.

· Understands local community resources and can make appropriate referrals.

· Is clear and tactful when collaborating and working with others.

Leadership

Assuming responsibility for one’s own self in the workplace and exhibiting commitment to the customer and agency.

· Takes pride in his/her/their work

· Advances Hyacinth’s reputation for excellence.

· Incorporates boundaries and ethical guidelines into decision making.

Employees of the Agency may learn certain facts about individuals being served by the Agency that are of a highly personal and confidential nature. Examples of such information are medical conditions, sexual orientation, relations with family members and other individuals. All such information must be treated as completely confidential. All staff are required to conform to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) guidelines which require the protection of personal health information.

Position Summary

· Under the supervision of the Regional Services Manager, performs assigned duties relating to the implementation and provision of non-medical case management and PrEP counseling and referral services.

· Engage customers in a sex-positive, non-judgmental, manner encouraging education on HIV and STI related matters.

· Distribute needed supportive services through referrals and linkages.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

Approximate Percentage of Time

Tasks/Duties/Responsibilities

70%

§ Conduct outreach and recruit individuals to engage in PrEP and other supportive services.

§ Refer and connect 100% of newly diagnosed PLWH and out of care customers to medical care and social support services.

§ Provide HIV status-neutral services and engage customers in dialogue pertaining to risk behaviors, risk reduction and testing options for HIV and STIs.

§ Assess needs of customers, prepare appropriate individual service plans and maintain records. Assist customers in implementing the service plan by networking and referral, internally and/or to other community resources.

§ Work collaboratively with other local service providers to develop and maintain the continuum of services available to customers.

§ Provide follow-up services to ensure customer is engaged in medical care, has received the necessary prescriptions and receives required medical care follow up.

§ Assist customer with pharmaceutical assistance programs, as necessary.

§ Assist customer with benefits counseling or refer to appropriate source, as appropriate to ensure medical insurance coverage.

§ Assess customer needs and create service delivery plan. Assist customers with implementation of plan by ensuring appropriate referrals, both internally and externally.

§ Follow-up on referrals from Linkage to Care Navigators a Community Health Educators

§ Refer and connect 100% of customers to medical and supportive services.

§ Prepare monthly reports in accordance with agency policies and procedures and grant requirements

§ Provide PrEP counseling and linkage to medical care.

15%

Reporting /Monitoring

§ Oversee that customer case records using approved agency forms and procedures are maintained and updated. Ensure confidentiality of all records.

§ Track on-line activities such as likes, shares, new page