Public Health Navigator

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position is a special role designed for the Public Health programs. The Public Health Navigator (PHN) will work across all programs and interventions primarily to link patients from those programs into medical care and other services. The PHN will typically have the primary responsibility of working with patients who have tested positive for HIV/HCV/STIs or are high risk of acquiring HIV/HCV/STIs. They will work with the medical providers, the BMC lab, and program management to ensure that these patients receive appropriate interventions such as disease risk reduction, partner notification services, further testing, needs assessments, MDPH/CDC/BPHC funded interventions, and any other necessary services.

The position will conduct individual HIV/HCV/STI prevention counseling sessions and group level HIV prevention and education sessions at BMC and community sites. The PHN will also conduct pre- and post-HIV, STI and Hepatitis counseling, testing and referral sessions. He/She will also receive referrals from BMC and the community to provide navigation to HIV prevention and other infection prevention services. The PHN provides basic case management and referral services to patients and assists patients accessing Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). Logs systems and patient data for all tests and group sessions provided. Collects data for program evaluation, conducts chart reviews in the EMR, tracks data and follows-up with relevant parties. Performs outreach as mandated by specific contracts. Conducts all activities within the standards and regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and any other funders.

Position: Public Health Navigator        

Department: Infectious Diseases

Schedule: Full Time

Onsite - Boston, MA

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Provides Short Term Health Navigation to patients with HIV/HCV/STIs and/or at high risk for acquiring HIV/HCV/STIs

• Obtain all information from patient during risk reduction counseling session
• Identify patients who require additional navigation during visits
• Determine eligibility for short term navigation based on risk factors & acuity scale
• Communicate effectively, professionally, and in a timely manner with providers and others entities
• Conduct needs assessments and refer patients into care and services including primary care, behavioral health, substance use treatment, and other services as needed
• Write accurate notes in the BMC EMR and in the other tracking systems for a specific contracts and responds to communications in a timely manner
• Follows-up with relevant providers as needed
• Able to conduct chart reviews in the EMR to make decisions about the linkage to care process

Assists in monitoring and basic case management for patients receiving PrEP and PEP for HIV

• Support NP with appropriate navigation based on clinical evaluation 
• Assesses patient needs for easier access to PrEP medication
• Communication with CRI for PrEPDAP approval
• Monitor patient follow up and adherence
• Utilizing hospital wide reporting and receives referrals for PrEP outreach based on recent positive STI and high risk sexual behavior

Conducts HIV/HCV/STI/TB testing, counseling and education sessions

• Performs HIV tests by finger stick & blood draw methods
• Performs HIV, Hepatitis, TB, syphilis test by blood draw
• Performs Chlamydia and Gonorrhea test by urine specimen collection.
• Able to educate patients on self-collection methods for anal, rectal, throat and vaginal swabs
• Provides navigation based on acuity assessment during testing sessions
• Refers all positive patients to care and services
• Works with the Department of Public Health field epidemiologists on cases
• Provides patient education on HIV, STI, and Hepatitis, and TB
• Will utilize any future testing method required by the funder
• All testing session information will be documented in the EMR

• Deliver positive HIV/STI/HCV/TB test results directly to patients

Collects all programmatic data

• Submit surveillance forms to MDPH or any other mandated forms and systems
• Able to input data into computer systems, including the BMC EMR
• Able to think critically and logically when handling patient information, particularly around newly diagnosed HIV

      and HCV positive patients

• Respond in a timely manner to deadlines and program management
• Responsible for following up on any cases until there is a resolution
• Tracks and monitors referral from various client referrals sources.
• Be able to report basic level data to program management

Conducts street, hospital, and community outreach to provide prevention supplies, education, and linkages

• Provides harm reduction education and supplies during outreach to promote HIV prevention
• Completes targeted outreach in the community and other locations to follow up with patients
• Engages patients in risk reduction sessions in the community/street
• Performs follow-up risk reduction/counseling sessions as necessary
• Tailors outreach strategies based on the target population
• Must be able to travel across the BMC campus and throughout the city of Boston to community outreach sites when necessary

Attends all necessary trainings to become proficient in prevention and education methods and for continuing maintenance of proficiency.  Maintains established department standards for prevention and education service delivery Distributes prevention materials (pamphlets, condoms, bleach kits, etc.) to target populations.  Demonstrates safer sex techniques to patients by using anatomy models, when appropriate.  Demonstrates safer injection techniques to patients using syringe models, when appropriate Attends meetings as requested by the program manager to represent BMC as needed.  Attends staff meetings and communicates progress and problems to Program Manager.  Attends clinical supervision staff support group. Participate in regular HIV prevention program implementation team meetings. Participate in CDC/MDPH/BPHC meetings with other grantees if requested. Remains knowledgeable of, and follows, appropriate policies, procedures, and work standards, including but not limited to, those regarding hours of work, absenteeism, and tardiness. Maintains competency in appropriate areas of responsibility to ensure quality of care.  Maintains patient confidentiality; is comfortable handling sensitive personal information.  Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures Utilizes hospital values as basis for decision making and to facilitate BMC missions.  Models the ability to set professional boundaries. Performs other duties as assigned or as necessary.

Must adhere to all of BMC’s RESPECT behavioral standards.

OTHER DUTIES:

Other duties as specified by supervisors

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job.  The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

Minimum of a High School diploma or GED required plus 1 + years of work experience or;

Associates degree (or equivalent, such as completion of medical assistant training) or;

A combination of experience and lived experience will be considered

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

EXPERIENCE:

Experience HIV/HCV/STI prevention medical/social/testing issues, including addiction, homelessness, sexuality, and refugee/immigration issues preferred

Other comparable Human Services, Mental Health, Addiction, or Social Services experience. Experience in HIV Prevention and Education also preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, organizational, and time management skills.
• Ability to help clients with diverse psychosocial needs.
• Motivation and self-direction; ability to prioritize competing responsibilities in fast-paced programmatic setting.
• Computer competency, including the ability to enter and access data, required.
• Ability to work autonomously and as a member of a diverse team.
• Ability to work with other community-based human services organizations
• Sensitivity to populations at increased risk for HIV acquisition (through intravenous drug use, exposure to an intravenous drug user, high-risk sexual activities such as prostitution, street criminal activity, and homelessness)
• Flexibility with client’s priorities, evolving needs, and goals.
• Sensitivity to ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, values, beliefs, and behaviors
• Ability to enter and track data through internal data system
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Bilingual/bicultural candidates preferred.

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