About This Role
Making a positive impact in the community by providing health education, disease prevention resources, and harm reduction services is the core of this outreach role. The work involves both office-based tasks and mobile outreach across Snohomish County, promoting safer practices and improving community health. This position suits compassionate individuals passionate about helping diverse populations.
Responsibilities
- Identify and provide outreach services to areas within Snohomish County, such as sanctioned and unsanctioned encampments, shelters, and residential areas where the target population is known to congregate or frequent
- Assemble and distribute harm reduction supplies
- Collect and dispose of used syringes, supplies, and sharps containers through appropriate biohazard protocols
- Provide Naloxone/overdose kits and training
- Collect and document data on distribution and reversed overdoses
- Provide harm reduction information and education
- Assist clients in building a support system, address and/or bridge gaps in services by making appropriate referrals and assisting clients, when possible, in following through with recommendations
- Document client encounters and outreach activities for statistical and program support needs
- Attend meetings and trainings as directed by the Program Manager and/or Executive Director
- Perform miscellaneous other program duties as assigned by the Program Manager and/or Executive Director
Requirements
- Experience working with the populations served and an understanding of harm reduction principles and program goals
- Maintain professional boundaries, uphold ethical standards, and protect client confidentiality at all times
- Ability to communicate respectfully, compassionately, and without judgment with diverse populations, including individuals who may be experiencing substance use, mental health challenges, or agitation
- Understanding of HIV/AIDS, STDs, hepatitis, blood-borne infections, safer use practices, street outreach, and community-based harm reduction resources
- Ability to collaborate with peer navigators and connect clients to local services, healthcare, housing, treatment, and community resources
- Familiar with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Teams, and Excel
- Strong verbal and written communication skills when interacting with supervisors, coworkers, healthcare providers, community partners, and the public
- Ability to work independently while following established protocols and policies, as well as collaborate effectively within a team environment
- Demonstrates dependability by completing assignments accurately, thoroughly, and in a timely manner
- Comfortable working in outdoor and field-based settings, including various terrains, sanctioned and unsanctioned encampments, and changing weather conditions throughout the year