HIV PrEP Navigator - LifeLong Medical Care

Come join a dynamic care team at LifeLong Medical Care. We are looking for an HIV PrEP Navigator at our West Berkeley Family Practice. The HIV PrEP Navigator provides quality and comprehensive HIV/STI Health Education, HIV counseling and testing, and facilitates the initiation of PrEP and retention in services. Strong attention to detail as well as above-average interpersonal and organizational skills are necessary for the position. The position will require travel to sites in Alameda and Contra Costa County.

This is a full time, grant funded, benefit eligible position. 

This position is represented by SEIU-UHW. Salaries and benefits are set by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), and an employee in this position must remain a member in good standing of SEIU-UHW, as defined in the CBA.

LifeLong Medical Care is a large, multi-site, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with a rich history of providing innovative healthcare and social services to a wonderfully diverse patient community. Our patient-centered health home is a dynamic place to work, practice, and grow. We have over 15 primary care health centers and deliver integrated services including psychosocial, referrals, chronic disease management, dental, health education, home visits, and much, much more. LifeLong Medical Care is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition.

Benefits

Compensation: $22 - $24/hour. We offer excellent benefits including: medical, dental, vision (including dependent and domestic partner coverage), generous leave benefits including nine paid holidays, Flexible Spending Accounts, 403(b) retirement savings plan.

COVID-19 Vaccine Policy

In accordance with LifeLong Medical Care's commitment to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards, we have adopted a Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccine Policy to safeguard the health of our employees and their families; our patients and visitors; and the community at large from infectious diseases, that vaccinations may reduce. This policy will comply with all applicable laws and is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Order of the California State Public Health Officer. Unless a reasonable medical or religious accommodation is approved, all employees must receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

• PrEP Navigation and Case Management
  • Provide information and education on risk reduction and safer sex to patients seeking STI testing and/or with positive STI results.
  • Work with HIV Prevention Team to identify potential PrEP patients and those in need of PrEP/PEP navigation services.
  • Complete screenings to identify readiness for PrEP and other barriers to care. Work with client to identify position solutions.
  • Make referrals and warm handoffs to external services needed to support PrEP care including, but not limited to housing, behavioral health, food and follow-up to ensure service delivery.
  • Conduct rapid HIV testing and provide pre-test HIV counseling as needed and assist with linkage to HIV care for patients who test positive for HIV.
  • Provide in person or phone PrEP/PEP adherence counseling.
  • Assess benefits and insurance, and if needed, provide assistance to access payor programs or enroll uninsured patients on PrEP-AP as appropriate.
  • Assist with PrEP prescriptions (appeals/PAs/paperwork) for all LifeLong Medical Care sites.
  • Provide in-clinic case management and administrative support to PrEP providers across all LifeLong Medical Care clinics, remotely or in person.
  • Surveil active PrEP patients to ensure they are obtaining timely follow-up, labs and refills.

• PrEP Outreach
  • Provide outreach to relevant communities with a focus on Black/African American (Black/AA) and Latinx transgender women, young bi-sexual and same gender loving men and high risk cis-gender women.
  • Promote HIV Prevention Team activities through in-service presentation to Lifelong staff and other partnering agencies.
  • Establish working relationships and partnerships with appropriate community resources in the area, including those providing mental health and social services to the priority population.

• Program Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Improvement
  • Keeps Electronic Health Record up to date as needed (LEO, ARIES, Epic, other databases).
  • Accurately complete required documentation for HIV Prevention programs including HIV counseling and testing forms, client satisfaction surveys, incentive logs, program forms, and others as determined by HIV Program Manager.
  • Participate in regular internal audits to ensure program documentation, charts, and reports are accurate and complete.
  • Review and maintain up-to-date and accurate knowledge of emerging scientific research regarding biomedical HIV prevention strategies, including PrEP, PEP and related interventions.
  • Attend HIV/STD conferences and trainings offered locally, to stay up to date and familiar with new guidelines and promising practices.

• Perform other duties and projects as needed or assigned by the HIV Program Manager to help meet the goals and objectives of the HIV Prevention Team and organization.

• Commitment to the provision of services for the underserved with demonstrated ability and sensitivity in working with a variety of people from low-income populations, with diverse educational, lifestyle, ethnic, and cultural origins.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to handle sensitive issues in a confidential, positive, and professional manner.
• Strong organizational, administrative, multi-tasking, prioritization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to seek direction/approval on essential matters, yet work independently with little onsite supervision, using professional judgment and diplomacy.
• Work in a team-oriented environment with a number of professionals with different work styles and support needs.
• Conduct oneself in internal and external settings in a way that reflects positively on LifeLong Medical Care as an organization of professional, confident, and sensitive staff.
• Ability to see how one’s work intersects with that of other departments of LifeLong Medical Care and that of other partner organizations.
• Be creative and mature with a “can do,” proactive attitude and an ability to continuously “scan” the environment, identifying and taking advantage of opportunities for improvement.

Job Requirements          

• Prior experience in counseling patients, either in person or by phone
• Proficient in MS Office/Excel
• Strong customer service approach to problem solving and conflict resolution
• Valid CA driver’s license

Job Preferences              

• Experience with diverse employee populations and multi-location organizations a plus.
• Ideal candidate will have competence in cultural differences, HIV/AIDS, minority health, sexual practices, and a demonstrated competence in working with the substance abuse community, Black/AA, Indigenous and other people of color, LGBT, and youth communities.
• Previous professional or volunteer experience working in HIV/STI/HCV prevention or care and/or delivering sexual health education.
• Previous experience with Motivational Interviewing.
• HIV testing and fingerstick certification required before providing CLIA Waived testing. Certification is preferred upon being hired, but employee must obtain certification within 12 months if not.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.