EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

TITLE: Patient Advocate Transgender Health

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT: Community Health

SITE:   Northwest DC

UNION STATUS:          UNION

JOB SUMMARY:
This position will provide case management and supportive counseling services to Male to Female transgender persons living with HIV/AIDS in the District of Columbia. Working in collaboration with other Transgender Care team members, patient advocate will provide culturally appropriate, client-centered care to clients and determine appropriate referrals to primary care, HIV treatment, hormone replacement therapy, harm reduction education, mental health services, substance abuse counseling, subspecialty referrals, Hepatitis C education and treatment, and STD testing and treatment both within and outside Whitman-Walker Clinic. Patient Advocate will provide outreach services and maintain recruitment quotas for each month. Patient care advocate will provide services as necessary, interacting with other treatment personnel in order to enable each client to reach her maximum level of accomplishment. Experience working with members of the transgender community is required.

PRIMARY DUTIES:

• Serve as an advocate for patient in transgender program with responsibilities for planning, developing, and monitoring referrals.
• Assess each new transgender HIV patient for financial, psycho-social, mental and other needs.
• Develops plan with patient to achieve success in obtaining needed services such as mental health, substance abuse treatment, STDs screening.
• Participates in HIV care team meetings to exchange information, develop care plan, etc.
• Provides assistance in ensuring patients go to needed appointments including medical, benefits, mental health and addressing other barriers.
• May be called on to provide HIV pre and post test counseling.
• Counseling around HIV, STD, hepatitis prevention through education and harm reduction techniques
• Performs thorough intake assessment on each new patient and reassessment every 6 months. Both assessments will be recorded in the electronic medical record.
• Each patient encounter will be documented in the electronic medical record
• Keeps accurate statistics of work done and assists in report preparation.
• Other duties as assigned. Staff member will have the ability to evaluate health, medical data, assess community health needs, program effectiveness, promote health education/prevention programs in the community, and have access to own transportation for travel to and from juvenile hall and off-site meetings.
• Collaborate and coordinate with the HIV/AIDS case managers on way to inform clients of the availability and benefits of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
• Monitor patient progress and referrals through regular scheduled face to fact appointments and telephone call.
• Maintains and enters daily client encounter data in eClinicalWorks.

PRINCIPAL WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

• Reports directly to the Transgender Program coordinator.
• Works as a team member with the clinic staff and volunteers to coordinate the use of clinics, facilities, and resources.
• Deals tactfully and pleasantly with co-workers, patients, and visitors.
• Works closely with volunteers to enhance and assure the quality of their work.

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of ambulatory healthcare or related healthcare practices.
• Ability to provide sensitive care to members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and those infected with HIV/AIDS.
• Ability to make independent decisions.
• Consistently demonstrate ability to respond to changing situations in a flexible manner in order to meet current needs, such as reprioritizing work as necessary.
• Consistently demonstrate ability to take the initiative to make decisions/choices without direct supervision.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in human services field or equivalent working experience is required.
• Knowledge of HIV and related illness is required. Bi-lingual English/Spanish preferred
• A proven sensitivity to the concerns of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.
• Maintains a high level of confidentiality.
• Need to have a broad knowledge of WWC programs, philosophy, policies, and procedures.
• PC knowledge of Word, Excel and E-mail.

TO APPLY:
E-mail cover letter indicating position title and resume to resumes@wwc.org or fax to (202) 797-4431. Qualified minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. EOE/AA