Job
Opportunity:
Prevention
Point
Pittsburgh
8/5/05
Prevention Point Pittsburgh is dedicated to reducing transmission rates of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other blood borne infectious diseases associated with injection drug use. PPP provides clean injection equipment and related services to injection drug users. By both practicing and advocating for harm reduction, PPP works to improve the lives of injection drug users by changing public health policy at local, state, and national levels. Prevention Point Pittsburgh is currently hiring a Crisis Interventionist/Cross Systems Specialist (CI/CSS) to provide risk reduction and crisis management services to injection drug users enrolled in the needle exchange program. The CI/CSS will assist participants in accessing other needed social services such as health/mental health care, drug treatment, housing, legal assistance, etc. Target population includes active injection drug users who may also have HIV, Hepatitis C, and mental illness, may be homeless, and require assistance in multiple areas of their lives. The CI/CSS will screen and assess at-risk program participants in need of CI/CSS services; provide individualized crisis management and support, deliver appropriate referrals to participants, and provide assistance in accessing other necessary social services (HIV, Hepatitis, substance use, healthcare, housing, legal, other related services); conduct client centered HIV/HCV prevention, safer injection, and risk reduction interventions for injection drug users and other high-risk populations; develop relationships with local social service providers to maintain comprehensive referral system; administer the Pennsylvania Client Placement Criteria (PCPC) instrument; provide overdose prevention education and response trainings to populations at-risk; provide advocacy on behalf of clients; provide training to volunteers on recognizing client crisis situations and triaging to CI/CSS; coordinate with needle exchange staff and volunteers; coordinate with staff of other agencies; and carry out other related duties as assigned. Minimum Requirements include one year experience in case management, risk reduction, or other related field; strong commitment to harm reduction philosophy; ability to provide individualized and client centered risk reduction outreach with open minded and nonjudgmental approach; thorough knowledge of issues related to injection drug use, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, safer injection, sexually transmitted diseases, human sexuality, and transgender issues; experience in HIV/Hepatitis C risk reduction; experience with injection drug users, ability to relate to active drug users, and understanding of issues related to drug use and addiction; ability to develop and maintain trust with program participants; ability to maintain confidentiality; ability to work independently with minimal supervision; familiarity with local resources in mental health, drug and alcohol treatment, homeless services, and other service providers; strong organizational, writing, reporting, and communication skills; valid PA Driver's License and access to reliable transportation; excellent documentation, record keeping, and computer skills. The CI/CSS will be expected to have flexibility in work hours as they will be required to work at the needle exchange site during hours of operation. All Sundays and some evenings are required. Salary for full time position $25,000; send resume and cover letter to 907 West St. 5th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15221 or e-mail to [email protected].
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