Harm Reduction Specialist

Who We Serve:

Pacific Clinics serves children, transitional age youth, families, adults, and older adults. We offer a full range of mental and behavioral health services, foster care and social services, housing, continuing adult education and early childhood education programs to Medi-Cal eligible individuals and families. Our diverse staff provides culturally and linguistically relevant services in over 22 languages to our region's culturally and ethnically diverse populations. We provide services in 18 counties across California.

Who We Are:

Pacific Clinics is California's largest community-based nonprofit provider of behavioral and mental health services and supports. Its team of more than 2,000 employees speak 22 languages and are dedicated to offering hope and unlocking the full potential of individuals and families through culturally-responsive, trauma-informed, research-based services for individuals and families from birth to older adults. The agency offers services in 18 counties including Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Stockton, Tulare and Ventura.

What We Offer

• The compensation for this position can be up to $24,17 per hour. Compensation will vary based on qualifications, skills, experience, and geographic location. The salary range may also vary if you reside in a different location than the location posted.

• We Offer Medical, Dental & Vision benefits, retirement options, Flex Spending, EAP, and more!

• Employee engagement and advocacy opportunities to advance our justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion agenda across our Agency and throughout the communities we serve.

Program Type: FSP

Population Served: Adults 18-100

JOB SUMMARY

Works within the vision, mission and philosophy of the agency. Under direct supervision, the Harm Reduction Specialist provides Motivational Interviewing and Trauma Informed support and counseling to clients including those residing in Pacific Clinics operated Temporary Housing facilities. The specialist will focus on clients engaging in behaviors that pose safety risks from drug and alcohol use, sexual practices and self-injury. This position will coordinate services, practicing harm reduction and housing first principles, including leading on-site support and recovery groups, consulting with supportive services and housing staff regarding consumers' progress and participation. The position will employ a client-centered approach to services, working to meet clients where they are at in their motivation to change and work respectfully within a harm reduction framework to create safety and assist in movement towards wellness.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

• Adheres to housing first, trauma informed care and harm reduction model of treatment with clients.

• Works in partnership with housing and program staff to identify clients who would benefit from harm reduction substance use services.

• Utilizes a progressive engagement model to build thoughtful and intentional relationships that engage and empower individuals

• Provides harm reduction education to persons who are unhoused and misusing drugs, alcohol and/or engaging in other risky behaviors.

• Supports clients in non-coercive, agenda free conversations and strategies around chaotic substance use, employing motivational interviewing principles, person-centered language, and trauma informed care principles

• Support clients in referral, navigation and linkage to substance use disorder treatment, detox, or other programs when appropriate

• Attend case conferencing meetings to coordinate services with other providers. Provides substance misuse counseling and linkage to related resources where desired and indicated, using a Harm Reduction philosophy as the basis for interventions.

• Utilizes motivational interviewing techniques to communicate with clients in a respectful, culturally appropriate, non-judgmental manner.

• Assists clients in learning social skills and independent living skills that facilitate community integration including budgeting, transportation and grooming and hygiene.

• Supports clients' integration into the community through social and recreational activities.

• Acts as a Substance Use Navigator (SUN) to interact with clients, assess their readiness for treatment and link the client to appropriate care.

• Maintains up-to-date information about the effects of various substances, withdrawal symptoms, and treatment options to effectively educate and counsel clients.

• Establishes relationships with and serves as primary point of contact for clients with potential substance use or co-occurring mental health disorders. This may include initial brief screenings and interventions using standardized tools.

• Supports the establishment of client driven recovery activities and groups within the house using the Harm Reduction and Motivational Interviewing principles.

• Assists clients in linking with resources in the community, primarily recovery services and activities aimed at increasing the resident's knowledge of community resources and ability to use those resources.

AGENCY COMPETENCIES

Continuous Quality Improvement and Continuous Learning

• Focuses on quality of work and accomplishes tasks by considering all of the areas involved.

• Understands the level of quality expected in the job.

• Continuously builds and leverages technical and professional expertise.

• Establishes and adheres to procedures to improve work and skills.

• Innovation and Change Management

• Ethics and Values

• Adheres to the principles of ethical practices and values.

• Acts with integrity and is widely trusted

• Is seen as a direct, truthful individual

• Can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner

• Maintains confidentiality

• Admits mistakes

• Demonstrates the following values: - Innovation - Communication

Service Excellence

These are the principles we adhere to in our work with each other, those we serve, and the communities in which they live

• Strengths-based

• Family Centered

• Individualized

• Community-based

• Team-based

• Culturally Competent

• Collaborative and Integrative

• Natural Supports

• Persistence

• Flexible and Accessible

• Outcomes Driven

• Needs Driven

• Customer Service

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• Associate's degree in a mental health related field and/or one (1) year of related experience with substance using, homeless and mentally ill populations

• At least 1 year of experience working with the spectrum of substance misus

• Be self-identified as having experience with the process of recovery from a mental illness or substance use disorder, either as a consumer of these services or as the parent, caregiver or family member of a consumer and be willing to share this experience.

• Have a strong dedication to recovery.

• Demonstrated experience and ability to relate to a culturally diverse clientele and staff.

• Individuals with lived experience are strongly encouraged to apply

• Demonstrated experience and ability to relate to a culturally diverse clientele and staff.

• A bilingual skill in the appropriate language for the Clinics' clients is highly preferred.

• Must demonstrate ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.

• Must be able to work under minimal supervision.

• Possess strong community outreach skills.

• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

• Strong paperwork and documentation skills.

• Must pass Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), background check.

• Must possess a valid California driver's license and maintain an insurable driving record under the Clinics' liability policy.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Certification as a Substance Use Specialist

• Certification as a Peer Specialist

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop; kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN

May/will have supervised contact with children.

• May/will have unsupervised contact with children.

• Will not have unsupervised contact with children.

• Requires full background check and TB exam.

• Requires physical.

• Current First Aid/CPR Certification.

DRIVING PRIVILEGES

• May be called upon to drive on agency business. Needs acceptable MVR and appropriate insurance coverage.

• Required to drive agency vehicle. Must have clean MVR, appropriate insurance coverage, and attend agency driver training.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We will consider for employment qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories in a manner consistent with ordinance 184652 Sec.189.04 (a) and San Francisco Police Code, Article 49. Section 4905.