Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center is an 881-bed quaternary care academic medical center that is a joint venture between Baylor College of Medicine and CHI St. Luke’s Health. Located in the Texas Medical Center the hospital is the home of the Texas Heart® Institute a cardiovascular research and education institution founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley MD. The hospital was the first facility in Texas and the Southwest designated a Magnet® hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center receiving the award five consecutive times. Baylor St. Luke’s also has three community emergency centers offering adult and pediatric care for the Greater Houston area.

The CommonSpirit Human Trafficking Response Program’s Human Trafficking (HT) Patient Care Navigator will support persons identified as possibly experiencing labor trafficking and/or sex trafficking in the local Houston, TX area. The primary role of the HT Patient Care Navigator will be to assist in the identification of child and adult patients who may be experiencing any type of human trafficking and lead culturally, linguistically, and person-centered appropriate case management services, offer ongoing short and long-term direct service provision, advocate for victims rights and equitable care, and coordinate referrals to additional local and national resources as needed. To ensure a large network of support for clients enrolled in the program, the HT Care Navigator will also assist in establishing a community-wide continuum of care. Support provided by the HT Care Navigator will be expected to help advance health equity for all who are enrolled in the program.

This position is fully remote, but requires travel when responding on-site at CommonSpirit/CHI facilities in the Houston, TX area and other local resource locations to deliver case management services. This role is a 3-year term assignment supported by a U.S. Department of Health & Human Services grant award. This assignment ends on September 29, 2027. 

Essential Key Job Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the HT Patient Care Navigator include, but are not limited to the following:

• Uphold high standards of care through trauma-informed, healing-centered, and culturally humble approaches
• Educate CHI staff on the role of the HT Patient Care Navigator in order to ensure the initiation of ongoing support for patients
• Perform prompt, comprehensive assessments on needs of patients identified as possibly experiencing human trafficking
• Provide comprehensive and ongoing case management to persons identified as potentially experiencing human trafficking
• Develop plans for safe return to the community linking the patient to any available resources that support them in overcoming barriers to social drivers of health (e.g., economic stability, access to food, social inclusion)
• Develop and strengthen the quality of rapport with identified persons
• Screen for program enrollment eligibility for continued services
• Conduct ongoing safety assessments and safety planning
• Ensure short and long-term needs of program participants are met in a timely manner through coordination and referrals (e.g., food, clothing, emergency protective orders, emergency housing, mental health support, transportation, legal advocacy, enrollment in public benefits, employment assistance, and others) 
• Collaborate with CommonSpirit/CHI staff as appropriate 
• Advocate for culturally and linguistically appropriate services and support within CHI facilities and in the community
• Serve as a liaison to community partners to ensure a successful continuum of care (e.g., shelters, legal providers, child welfare, law enforcement, and others)
• Protect confidentiality in accordance to local, state, and federal laws 
• Maintain caseloads in accordance with organizational policies and procedures
• Manage, compile, prepare, submit, and maintain accurate records and documentation
• Attend and participate in regular staff meetings and debriefings 
• Participate in ongoing education on topics related to human trafficking, health equity, and other related subjects
• Facilitate education and meetings for CHI facility staff and/or community partners as needed
• Continuously provide feedback to leadership on service delivery gaps and challenges 
• Adhere to professional and ethical standards of conduct
• Demonstrate behavior that aligns with CommonSpirit Health’s mission, vision and values

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in social work, human development, sociology, psychology, criminal justice, or related fields from an accredited college or university 
• Minimum 2 years of professional experience supporting people who have experienced human trafficking, child abuse and neglect, or individuals experiencing homelessness and/or substance use disorders.
• Minimum 3 years of experience working directly with underserved populations in crisis intervention, case management, or other direct service delivery
• Working knowledge of trauma-informed care principles 
• Persons with lived experience of human trafficking, domestic violence, or other forms of violence who are also at least 2-3 years removed from their personal experience

Required Minimum Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Training

• Ability to engage successfully with populations made to be vulnerable to social issues including poverty, homelessness, mental health concerns, substance use disorders, incarceration, and traumatization of individuals and families.
• Demonstrated mastery of comprehensive case planning.
• Tenacious advocacy on behalf of underserved populations.
• Familiarity with grounding and de-escalation techniques.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• High level of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently under the direction of leadership.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Motivated to grow leadership skills.
• Have a commitment to the ongoing growth of expertise on the topic of human trafficking.
• Maintain a valid Texas driver’s license, reliable transportation, adequate auto insurance as required by State law, and insurability by agency carrier.

Preferences 

• Those who possess a Master’s degree in social work accredited by the Council of Social Work Education or Master’s degree in human development, sociology, psychology, public health, criminal justice, or related fields from an accredited college or university.
• Candidates with multilingual verbal and/or written communication skills.
• Residents of the Houston, TX area.

Disclosure summary:

The job summary and responsibilities listed above are designed to indicate the general nature of the work performed within this job. They are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all job responsibilities required of employees assigned to this job. Employees may be required to perform other duties as assigned.