"Community Outreach Worker"

The Department of Health, Behavior & Society is seeking a Community Outreach Worker (COW) to provide entry-level administrative support for a research project. Will assist with tasks that may include community outreach, data collection, sample collection, laboratory work, and/or field work. Collects and/or organizes data through implementation of research procedures and understanding of research goals.

The Community Outreach Worker will specifically support Check It, which is an innovative, low-barrier mobile overdose- and HIV-prevention intervention that provides mobile point-of-care drug checking, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), wound care, syringes and other safer drug use supplies, and other harm reduction services to people who use drugs in Baltimore and neighboring counties. As part of a team, Community Outreach Workers will provide specialized support, referrals, and harm reduction services to clients who visit the study's mobile van, lead efforts to build and maintain relationships with community members and other organizations/service providers, maintain a referral network, collect data related to service delivery and distribution of supplies, provide HIV testing and counseling, make healthcare and social service referrals, distribute safer drug use supplies, and distribute naloxone and train clients and community members on its use. Other responsibilities may be required as project services evolve and/or expand.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

• Assist with collection and organization of data per study requirements, e.g. participant interviews, administer questionnaires; conduct background research, etc.
• Assist with setup of tools and procedures for data collection and study processes.
• Enter data into the database.
• Run routine queries of the data.
• Perform basic literature searches.
• Other duties as assigned.

In addition to the duties described above:

• This role will require community-based work at least 90% of the time. Community Outreach Workers are expected to take independent initiative to complete tasks and be able to make independent decisions about the direction and conduct of the work.
• Build rapport with community members, including people who use drugs, through outreach, and attendance at community association meetings.
• Engage in harm reduction-based street outreach, promoting the program's services, distributing promotional items, and providing harm reduction education.
• Develop referral networks and maintain relationships with service providers and pharmacies in intervention areas. Make referrals to medical, social, treatment, and other support services, including warm hand-offs as appropriate.
• Prepare for, engage in, and document client interactions and service/supply provision; organize and track supply inventory.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or graduation equivalent, with some college courses preferred.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond HS Diploma/Graduation Equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working in a syringe services or other harm reduction program.
• Prior experience conducting outreach with people who use drugs and other marginalized populations.
• Familiarity and experience with harm reduction principles.
• Prior experience working in field or mobile care settings.

Technical Skills and Expected Level of Proficiency:

• Analytical Skills: Awareness
• Data Entry: Awareness
• Electronic Office Tools: Awareness
• Information Gathering: Awareness
• Interpersonal Skills: Awareness
• Oral and Written Communications: Awareness
• Organizational Skills: Awareness
• Research and Analytical Skills: Awareness

The core technical skills listed are most essential; additional technical skills may be required based on specific division or department needs.

Classified Title: Research Project Assistant

Job Posting Title (Working Title): Community Outreach Worker

Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/02/CB

Starting Salary Range: $15.40 - $23.25 HRLY (Commensurate w/exp.)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: Monday to Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Location: School of Public Health

Department name: HBS-Research Projects

Personnel area: School of Public Health