Health Navigator - Hamilton Urban Safer Supply Program

1.0 FTE (35 hours/week)
Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre (HUCCHC) is a thriving inner city health centre and a leader in the provision of high-quality primary health services and health promotion programs. Our comprehensive health services are delivered through a dynamic team of multidisciplinary, inter-professional health providers. As an inner-city health centre our client populations include individuals and families with chronic and complex health and social conditions, many of which are living in poverty.
General Responsibilities: We are seeking one Health Navigator (HN) to join our Hamilton Urban Safer Supply Program (HUSSP). The program provides clients using street-based drug supply, who are at high risk of overdose in the community and of medical complications due to drug use, a regulated supply of prescription through a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in an effort to reduce overdose and overdose deaths. HUSSP is a multidisciplinary team that provides primary care and wrap around social supports to eligible safe supply clients. The team consists of Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Case Manager, Cultural Ambassador, and Peer Mentor.
The Health Navigator (HN) is a role responsible for short-term task focused client work for individuals who use drugs. In collaboration with the Case Manager, the HN will support the completion of tasks involved in the identified case plan. The HN’s are expected to collaborate with interdisciplinary harm reduction team to facilitate health and social care attachments for people who use drugs through supportive referrals, community connections, education, advocacy, and accompaniments.
Specific Responsibilities

• Demonstrated experience in organizing or facilitating health promoting activities
• Support client transitions to independence by encouraging self-reliance around tasks of daily living
• Excellent communication, problem solving and record keeping skills
• Facilitate attachments to health and social care
• Employ creative problem solving to address client related issues
• Complete administrative tasks in a timely manner
• In collaboration with your team, develop and facilitate client engagement initiatives such as Drop-Ins, One-on-One activities, Surveys etc
• Build professional and trusting relationships with clients and service users who use drugs, provide supportive conversations
• Provide client accompaniment support, as identified (HIV testing, medical, legal, housing etc.)
• Support the development of program structure, evaluation and activities to increase capacity and develop a strong program model
• Facilitate access to service and individual advocacy for clients regarding issues such as housing, income support, food and clothing, health, employment, and legal services.
• Engage and provide supervision to volunteers, graduates, students and/or learners as appropriate and in accordance with the Centre’s standards and commitment to learning
• Practice client advocacy when needed and support clients in being active in their care.
• Use brief assessment, crisis response, and just-listening skills to help meet immediate, basic needs and make appropriate referrals to other health and support services
• Providing educational opportunities for people who use drugs including safer drug use, HIV, Hepatitis C and overdose prevention
• Respond to client crisis and employ de-escalation interventions, respond to overdose
• Collaborate with HUSSP colleagues to identify clients and service users who are seeking access to support and referrals

Qualifications

• Working with people who use drugs, racialized populations, Indigenous peoples, people who engage in sex work, prisoners/ex-prisoners, people with mental health challenges, and people who have experienced trauma
• Demonstrated ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams
• Computer literacy
• Degree from a recognized university or a combination of relevant education and work experience
• Strong understanding of and commitment to harm reduction, trauma-informed, and anti-oppression practices
• Advocacy, crisis intervention and prevention, conflict resolution, and negotiation skills.
• Knowledge of drug use, specifically injection drug use, acquired through a combination of work experience, lived experience and/or education or training, are familiar with community services and resources, and respect and value the diversity of communities and individuals
• A current police record check
• Extensive knowledge of community services and resources
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Confident in asserting and maintaining strong boundaries

Interested individuals should forward a resume and cover letter by Monday June 19, 2023, 12:00pm to:
Hiring Committee – HUSSP Health Navigator
Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre Suite
121-181 Main Street Hamilton, Ontario L8P 4S1
Fax: 905-522-5374
Hamilton Urban Core is committed to equity in employment. While we appreciate every application only those selected for an interview will be contacted.