RAIN - Retention Specialist - Ascend Nonprofit Solutions

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Retention Specialist (RS) ensures successful linkage and retention of both new/out-of-care positives and High-risk negative clients. RS works collaboratively with client's healthcare team to decrease barriers to care and treatment, maintain contact with client, and ensure optimal health outcomes. RS coordinates related services between providers of HIV, housing, mental health, substance abuse, Ryan White services, and other supportive services, in the region, in order to enhance care services for people living with and at risk for HIV. Those with identified HIV risk will be provided ongoing support and a curriculum for PrEP uptake that will be followed with program integrity and outcomes documented. RS conducts intake/assessment, coordination of services, monitoring services, care plan development, and referring to essential support services - including but not limited to, medical services, mental health, and substance abuse services.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILTIES:

The Retention Specialist will work under the supervision and administrative guidance of the Director of Outreach while carrying out the following responsibilities:

• All core components of Medical Case Management: referral, intake, assessment, care plan development, resource development, coordination of services, monitoring
• Provide face to face and online education and information on HIV, prevention, safer-sex techniques, HIV testing and ongoing education to clients and their families as well as other organizations, families and individuals as requested
• Build trusting, effective and empowering relationships with the clients/enrolled peers ensuring all quality assurance measures are met
• Work effectively with other community service providers to ensure optimal quality of services offered to participants and to develop new resources to meet the needs of the participant; maintaining the highest level of professionalism and cooperation at all times with other service providers
• Work to ensure screening and enrollment in ACA healthcare plans when eligible
• Track Intervention and Outreach with verification documents

• Maintain visibility in communities and areas of Charlotte disproportionately impacted by HIV
• Assist with promotion and marketing of PrEP
• Provide education and linkage to primary medical care
• Conduct risk assessments
• Provide HIV testing and other testing as needed
• Utilize a status neutral model of HIV testing and linkage
• Build and maintain community relationships;
• Working knowledge of and adherence to HIPAA regulations, attend all required trainings and maintain confidentiality of client's records and information
• Document all contacts with participants or others pertaining to the participants in approved format within time deadlines
• Meet all programmatic and third party deadlines; maintaining and providing all billing records, reports, daily and monthly work records, time sheets, surveys, requests and tracked mileage when due and in approved format
• Participate in continuous quality improvement for the department and the agency
• Be a mentor for the participants
• Participate in "Keeping it 100%" an online outreach tool
• Willingness to utilize personal networks and social media to recruit and retain

MINOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES:

• Participate in trainings, supervision, agency and inter-disciplinary meetings and required agency functions
• Provide crisis intervention as needed
• Participate in continuous quality improvement for the department and the agency

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong interpersonal, conflict resolution and problem solving skills are a must
• Self-starter able to work with limited supervision
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with skill and willingness to train others and have skills in public speaking
• Ability to comfortably and professionally navigate and build working relationships across the agency spectrum; including but not limited to clients and their families, staff colleagues, volunteers, third party providers, donors and members of the Board of Directors
• Expected willingness to remain current on LGBTQ+ cultural issues
• Expected willingness to remain current on HIV and related medical and cultural issues
• HIV lived experience preferred, but not required
• Knowledge of case management model and federal HIV care cascade preferred, but not required
• Two years' work experience in HIV preferred, but not required

KEY COMPENTENCIES:

• Valid driver's license, dependable transportation and vehicle insurance
• Comfort in generally using a computer with proficiency in Word and Excel and aptitude and willingness to learn other job specific programs
• Passing score on HIPAA regulations training, understanding of confidentiality and expected willingness to maintain these standards at all times
• Ability to identify and utilize appropriate community resources
• Ability to demonstrate cultural competency and understanding of the structural barriers impacting health outcomes
• Ability to recognize and maintain personal and professional boundaries as well as practice regular self-care
• Must be willing to be trained and certified as a Certified Application Counselor for the ACA

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned this job classification. They are not to be construed as an all-inclusive list of all duties, skills, and responsibilities of people so assigned. RAIN will engage in an interactive process with employees requesting medical or religious accommodations.

RAIN's policy is to provide equal opportunity in all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, disability or veteran status.