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Bilingual English Spanish Speaking Liaison

Posted 2/13/24

Bilingual English Spanish Speaking Liaison

The Northeast Indiana Positive Resource Connection (PRC) is looking to fill a full-time (40 hours/week) position for a Bilingual English Spanish Community Liaison. The Liaison will provide high-quality, coordinated, strengths-based services to clients that is consistent with the PRC’s mission and strategic focus. The Liaison will work directly with people at-risk for HIV and Hepatitis C and provide viral screening, referrals, and prevention services.

Scope of Work

The  Liaison will work with staff and management of the Positive Resource Connection (PRC) in providing high-quality, coordinated, strength-based services consistent with PRC’s mission and strategic focus. The position will be part of the Outreach Services Department. The incumbent will conduct HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) testing and harm reduction counseling, in accordance with the Indiana Department of Health’s (IDOH) HIV testing guidelines, work with/focus on, but are not limited to, Spanish speaking populations heavily impacted by new HIV and/or HCV and identify persons who are aware of their HIV positive status and not in care and/or treatment and engage them back into care including Non-Medical Case Management.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the Liaison’s position includes, conducting rapid and/or venipuncture HIV testing; performing confirmatory testing on all reactive HIV rapid tests and linking all confirmed HIV positive individuals into Non-Medical Case Management services of PRC; providing individualized counseling to gauge risk prior to testing; conducting other testing including HCV testing; provide staff in-service educations at businesses and organizations who serve HIV/HCV at-risk communities as well as provide outreach services to their clients; and providing referrals to internal and external community resources for continuum of care for HIV negative and HIV positive individuals. These job responsibilities will primarily but not exclusively be conducted within the Hispanic community and for Spanish speaking individuals. The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring all program requirements are met as determined by the Positive Resource Connection, Indiana Department of Health and Allen County Department of Health.

Other Requirements

The incumbent will be required to travel throughout Allen County; work evenings and some weekends; have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and dependable transportation; and successfully complete the Indiana Department of Health’s HIV Prevention Counseling training course, HIV/STD Basic Training (HIV 101), Viral Hepatitis training, cultural competency training, Universal Precautions, and other trainings deemed necessary by the Positive Resource Connection, Indiana Department of Health and the Allen County Department of Health.

Job Responsibilities HIV and Hepatitis C Testing

  • Initiate/maintain relationships with community organizations/agencies serving key populations for HIV and HCV testing.
  • Perform rapid or venipuncture HIV testing, after gauging risk, and complete all required pre-test counseling forms. Work with individuals on behavior modification when feasible.
  • Deliver HIV tests results for all rapid and venipuncture tests. Follow IDOH and PRC’s HIV Testing Policies and Procedures regarding HIV test results.
  • Conduct a rapid HIV confirmatory test or venipuncture test (lab generated) on all initial reactive tests. Provide individualized counseling to ensure persons who received a venipuncture test return for post-test counseling session for their test result.
  • Submit all HIV tests in Aphirm when utilizing IDOH tests and submit venipuncture test information on Limsnet. Retrieve venipuncture lab results from Limsnet.
  • Complete required paperwork on all confirmatory HIV positive tests including Partner Notification forms, Duty to Inform, Release of Information, and IDOH Case Report (Short Form). Submit these forms to appropriate agencies as outlined in IDOH and PRC’s HIV Testing Policy and Procedure Manual.
  • Perform post-test counseling for all confirmed HIV positive individuals and link them into Non-Medical Case Management services at time of their confirmatory result. Ensure all positive individuals complete “Release of Information Form” and “Contact Form” so a case manager may contact them to enroll in services.
  • Refer at-risk negative individuals to PRC’s PrEP Navigation Services for PrEP or PEP. Refer individuals for STD testing at PRC or the Fort Wayne-Allen County Health Department when needed.  Refer individuals to other community resources including the Syringe Services program.  Follow-up on all referrals to ensure continuum of care.
  • Conduct rapid HCV testing focusing on key populations. Refer all reactive HCV tests for follow-up confirmatory testing to primary care physician or Parkview Infectious Disease Doctors, Viral Hepatitis Case Manager, or Aspin for health insurance navigation.
  • Link individuals who are HIV positive that are not in care and/or treatment into PRC’s Non-Medical Case Management services.
  • Conduct follow-up with case management to ensure HIV positive clients, identified through this program, are engaged in care and treatment for viral load suppression.
  • Meet program objectives and outcomes as outlined in the grant contract between the PRC and the Allen County Department of Health.
  • Develop and implement programming to help eliminate stigma surrounding HIV, Hepatitis and STDs.
  • Initiate and maintain relationships through consistent street outreach to provide HIV & HCV testing, educational materials, community resources, prevention methods and harm reduction tools.
  • Conduct outreach within PRC’s current network of Hispanic organizations along with newly established partners procured by the Spanish Speaking Liaison.
  • Launch and facilitate an HIV positive support group for Hispanic individuals as a means of maintaining communication; building trustful relationships; provide moral and cultural support; and troubleshoot access to medical care issues as they arise.

Other Job Responsibilities

  1. Provide HIV testing referrals targeting key populations heavily impacted by new HIV infection in Region 3. Network with area organizations in Region 3 to refer at-risk individuals for HIV testing at PRC.
  2. Attend and/or coordinate various agency outreach events as required by the Executive Director, board of directors, and/or the Director of Education and Testing.
  3. Attend local and state trainings relevant to essential job requirements as determined by the Positive Resource Connection and the Indiana Department of Health.
  4. Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Education and Testing and/or Executive Director.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree in human/social services field (social work, human services, psychology) or related field – preferred but not required
  • Demonstrated computer proficiency using Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Outlook) and working knowledge of the internet
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Good organizational and time management skills
  • Ability to work independently with accountability
  • Ability to travel throughout the service area on a frequent basis
  • Verbal and written fluency in English and Spanish
  • Ability to work with diverse populations
  • Knowledge of community resources
  • Available to work some evening and some weekends
  • Valid drivers’ license, vehicle insurance, and reliable transportation

Benefits

  • Competitive Salary
  • Accrued paid time off, including sick, personal, and vacation time
  • 11 paid holidays per year
  • Medical, Dental, and Life Insurance
  • Varied work schedule based on a 4.5- day work week alternating with a 4-day work week.
  • Tuition Reimbursement up to $1000 per year
  • Employee Assistance Program

How to Apply

Any interested candidate can apply by sending a cover letter and resume to Charity Storey, Director of Education and Testing, at [email protected].