Position Summary

The Playsure Peer Worker will collaborate closely with the Lead Navigator and Outreach Specialist for the PlaySure Network 2.0 program in conducting outreach, providing accompaniment to appointments, conducting follow-up and ensuring that participants experience a “one-stop shop” model of care in receiving all services in the program, including those provided through outreach in the community, on-site at OnPoint NYC, via telehealth, and through partner agencies.

Reports to: Director of Clinical and Holistic Health
Direct Reports: N/A
Indirect Reports: N/A
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Pay Rate: Hourly Rate: $21.97 – $24.73
Annual Salary: $40,000 – $45,000
Position Type: Full Time
Hours Per Week: 35 hours a week/Weekdays

Benefits: Yes
Remote: No
Hybrid: No

Responsibilities

• Support the Lead Navigator in performing outreach activities around HIV prevention to engage individuals from the priority populations in Upper Manhattan, especially Black and Latina/Hispanic women who use drugs and/or are sex workers.
• Conduct HIV and HCV rapid testing, counseling and facilitate linkage to preventative services, treatment and follow up care.
• Connect agency participants and community members to HIV treatment and supportive services through the OnPoint NYC Health HUB Clinic. Assist participants in achieving an “undetectable” viral load by encouraging medication adherence.
• Assist with health insurance enrollment, changes and support.
• Keep accurate, consistent, complete and intelligible records and data on all the project activities and participants served.
• Assist with documentation and participant tracking efforts.
• In a manner consistent with harm reduction principles, discuss sexual health with participants within the context of sexual pleasure and well-being to universalize and normalize HIV prevention conversations and interventions using the GOALS Framework for Sexual History Taking. Discuss HIV and STIs, safe sex practices, PrEP and PEP, overdose prevention and other topics relevant to people who use drugs and sex workers, especially Black and Latina/Hispanic women.
• Solicit and track feedback from participants to ensure that the partner agencies providing services are effective and treat participants with respect and in a manner appropriate to harm reduction programs.
• Maintain a professional working relationship with the health care providers and community-based organizations providing services to participants, including the OnPoint NYC Health HUB Clinic providers on-site.
• Engage in dialogue with participants and other stakeholders to continually improve our services and ensure that OnPoint NYC is providing high-quality services at all times.
• Conduct community outreach, in collaboration with the Outreach Specialist, to foster good community relations in Upper Manhattan and educate them about the program.
• Advocate for OnPoint NYC participants and communities, and help empower participants to advocate for themselves as well to receive the services that they need to be healthy.
• Perform other related tasks and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Must be an organized, self-motivated, team-player, with strong interpersonal and communication skills, basic computer skills and the ability and willingness to engage in hands-on work and solve problems as they arise.
• Must be a compassionate individual with an active interest in harm reduction, HIV & HCV prevention and treatment, Buprenorphine treatment and education. 
• Familiarity with HIV and STI testing and providing linkages to HIV prevention and care services preferred.
• Significant life experience in the areas of drug use, sex work, HIV and STI prevention preferred.
• Strong ability to promote navigation services and connect participants to other services, including mental health, substance use treatment, and other supportive services.
• Familiarity with the full array of supportive services available to individuals in the priority populations, especially Black and Latina/Hispanic women.
• Must be familiar with and believe in a harm reduction philosophy. 
• Must be willing to work outdoors and at street sites (sometimes in inclement weather).  Hours may include nights and weekends.
• Familiarity with local drug use and sex work patterns and nuances between demographics is an asset.