Trauma Informed Patient Navigator

Acacia Network, the leading Latino integrated care nonprofit in the nation, offers the community, from children to seniors, a pathway to behavioral and primary healthcare, housing, and empowerment. We are visionary leaders transforming the triple aim of high quality, great experience at a lower cost. Acacia champions a collaborative environment to deliver vital health, housing and community building services, work we have been doing since 1969. By hiring talented individuals like you, we've been able to expand quickly, with offices in Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, Orlando, Tennessee, Maryland and Puerto Rico.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Navigator's role is to provide support in implementing Trauma Informed Care (TIC) services and engaging/retaining patients in services. Peers will assist in strengthening the clinics capacity to integrate trauma informed care into the current workflow, culture, environment and delivery of HIV care and supportive services. Peers will assist patients in navigating the medical system to complete a medical evaluation and initiate ART and/or hepatitis C treatment. The Navigator reinforces health promotion education with the patients and provides support to the patient throughout the process. The Navigator attends and schedules clinic visits with the patients and assists the clinical providers with managing the patients and clinic sessions. The Navigator is responsible for assisting with meeting data entry and reporting requirements for grant funding agencies. This position includesno managerial or supervisory responsibilities.

Pays:$15-$20 per hour

KEY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Explains to patients what to expect from medical and other service appointments
• Explains to patients what to expect from TIC screening, Brief education, and psychoeducation
• Advocates to patients the advantages of obtaining full range of appropriate TIC services
• Describes the benefits of the screening and brief education session
• Describe the benefits of psychoeducation classes
• Describes the role of Trauma Informed Care in self-management of chronic conditions
• Educates patients on harm reduction and safer injection principles
• Support the education of patients on laws regarding syringe exchange
• Track Patient progress through TIC services, including follow-up with patients before, between, and after the individual or group psychoeducation classes
• Attends case conferences and reports summaries of their work with the patient to the multi-disciplinary team
• Identify barriers to care and/or to adherence and retention in care, including TIC services; work with the multidisciplinary team to address these barriers
• Assist patients on hepatitis C treatment by providing support for patients while on hepatitis C treatment, by providing assistance in managing side effects or other problems
• Attend and assist in coordinating support group
• Track prescriptions and refills
• Assist and coordinate outreach events
• Identify new individuals for testing and linkage to care and treatment
• Promote services offered within the network such as Mental Health, Health Home, Detox, Rehab, Methadone and additional services.
• Assist with the intake of new clients to program.
• Coordinate with other service providers to ensure that patients are also receiving/being assisted with social services
• Sets appointments, create appointment reminders, and reschedule appointments when needed
• Escorts patients to appointments within the agency, including TIC services
• Escort or accompany patients to referral appointments in the community
• Arrange transportation for patients

REQUIREMENTS:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required
• AI Peer Certification Preferred
• Must initiate peer certification process within 30-45 days of hire
• Must attend TIC related trainings, meetings and TIC projects including the review of P&P, work flows and program implementation and evaluation
• Shared lived experience in HIV, Harm Reduction and/or Hepatitis C
• Experience navigating systems for individuals with chronic illnesses
• Bilingual – Spanish speaking a plus.