Community Outreach Worker I- (Contractual)

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at University of Maryland is recruiting for a Community Outreach Worker I (COW I). The selected incumbent will become a member of a study team that will conduct a research study aimed at improving engagement in care and treatment outcomes for people with opioid use disorder. The COW I will be exclusively assigned to support recruitment and retention efforts. The COW I is responsible for conducting outreach activities, recruiting potential participants, and providing assistance in ensuring enrolled participants have high rates of retention for research visits. The COW I will perform tasks under the direction of the site Project Director and as planned and approved by the site Project Director and study team leadership.

Primary Duties

• Responsible for conducting outreach, general education, and engagement activities to identify and recruit study participants.
• Responsible for recruiting study participants, providing assistance with tracking and maintaining contact with study participants after enrollment, and providing assistance with maintaining high rates of retention in research follow-up assessments.
• Participates in and successfully completes training requirements.
• Updates database and logs information for outreach, engagement, recruitment, and follow-up activities.
• Participates in outreach, general education, and participant recruitment activities at community and social service agencies, such as food distribution sites, needle and syringe exchange programs, health clinics, hospital emergency departments, and health fairs or other community events.
• Understands and adheres to confidentiality and privacy protections for persons with opioid or other substance use and for study participants and maintains appropriate professional boundaries.
• May be assigned to attend local or national meetings and conferences to discuss peer outreach activities and practices and disseminate research results.
• Meets regularly with study team to assist with tracking community outreach, engagement, recruitment, and follow-up activities and to assist with addressing recruitment and data retention issues.
• Attends all scheduled or required meetings with the site Project Director or other study leadership team.

Qualifications

Education: High-school diploma or GED.

Experience: None. Lived experience with opioid or other substance use disorders is strongly preferred.