Substance Use Navigator (Family Medicine and Community Health) - University of Pennsylvania

University Overview


The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.




Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.




The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.








Posted Job Title

Substance Use Navigator (Family Medicine and Community Health)





Job Profile Title

Clinical Research Coordinator B





Job Description Summary

This full-time, in-person position is for a Substance Use Navigator (SUN) who will be a core member of a collaborative care team focused on providing accessible site-based care services to individuals residing in recovery residences. The interdisciplinary team includes clinical providers, certified recovery specialists, program managers, faculty researchers, and more. The SUN will provide trauma-informed, evidence-based care management to support individuals seeking recovery within the Penn Medicine system and will follow them longitudinally at community-based settings.





Job Description


The SUN will be responsible for managing their own caseload of patients, maintaining contact in-person, by phone, or e-mail with the recovering person. The SUN will conduct thorough assessments to understand patient needs, challenges, and goals related to their care plan. The SUN will assist the recovering person with identifying their personal interests, goals, and strengths regarding recovery and link them to needed resources. The SUN will help patients identify barriers to accessing care to assist in recovery-related activities and develop strategies to overcome those barriers. Daily duties will include developing patients care plans, facilitating appointments for patients needing social support services or medical care; and engaging patients both in person and virtually to navigate them to appropriate resources including communities of recovery, MOUD, education, vocational, and social services.




The SUN will collaborate with team members to connect patients with a comprehensive range of support services and will develop relationships with community groups/agencies in partnership with others in the agency. The SUN will be responsible for updating and expanding resources within Penn and with community practices (communities of recovery, educational, vocational, social, cultural, spiritual resources, mutual self- help groups, professional services, etc.).




The position in contingent upon future funding.




Job Responsibilities



+ Maintain a vast understanding of multiple pathways to wellness including harm reduction and harm reduction resources i.e. syringe exchange, naloxone, fentanyl test strips etc.


+ Provide recovery education for every phase of the recovery journey from pre-recovery engagement, recovery initiation, recovery stabilization, and sustained recovery maintenance.


+ Accurate documentation of encounters in data collection systems and the electronic medical record.


+ Understanding of the Philadelphia treatment system, evidence-based care for opiate use disorder (MOUD/buprenorphine) and navigating a patient through the various barriers and facilitators to care.


+ Virtual support for patient's initial call to engage in substance use care, immediate connection to resources, assessment of patient's needs, support and follow up.


+ Facilitation of appointments for patient's community buprenorphine care.


+ There are opportunities to learn advanced skills including participating in new grant applications and funding proposals that support expanded programming, as well as implementation of new projects.


+ Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.



Qualifications



+ Bachelor's degree and 2 to 3 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Must have prior harm reduction and substance use experience and knowledge of available resources.


+ Ability to work in person in Philadelphia area up to 5 days/week on site.


+ Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively in a team setting


+ Ability to quickly assimilate new information in a fast-paced work environment with enthusiasm


+ Well organized and demonstrates skill in prioritizing competing job duties.


+ Ability to multi-task


+ Ability to utilize computer software (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Canva) and website updates in WordPress


+ Bilingual: English and Spanish preferred


+ Special interest in those who have previous experience working in underserved community-based settings.







Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





Department / School

Perelman School of Medicine





Pay Range

$43,919.00 - $52,661.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.










Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.




Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.




University Benefits

+ Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

+ Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

+ Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

+ Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

+ Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

+ Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

+ Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

+ University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

+ Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

+ Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

+ Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

+ Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.




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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay



The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.