Description

About SoHum Health: At SoHum Health, our mission is to provide high-quality local medical services and engage community members in education and lifestyle opportunities to promote optimal health and wellness. As the sole provider of emergency, acute, radiology, skilled nursing, pharmacy, and various other health services in our expansive rural region, we play a unique role as a hub and trusted partner for the patients we serve. Guided by our core values of caring, quality, teamwork, and positivity, we strive daily to improve the health of our underserved community.

Position Overview: 

Southern Humboldt Community Health District (SHCHD) in Garberville, CA, seeks a substance use navigator (SUN) who helps patients access evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders with a focus on low-threshold access to MAT (medication for addiction treatment) and harm reduction. SUNs conduct outreach and identification of patients, conduct initial brief assessments, introduce patients to MAT programs and services, facilitate appointments at outpatient MAT clinics, serve as a resource and coach for their clients, and advocate for culture change in the hospital. They also assist with access to other services such as financial counseling, primary care, mental health services, social services, and residential treatment facilities.

Key Responsibilities and Core Competencies 

Individuals with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions listed below.

 Patient Engagement in Treatment 

•  Facilitate initiation of MAT with on-site clinician, when applicable, or with an outpatient provider. 
• Use motivational interviewing techniques to communicate with patients in a respectful, culturally appropriate, non-judgmental manner. 
• Maintain up-to-date information about the effects of various substances, withdrawal symptoms, and treatment options in order to effectively educate and counsel patients. 
• Promote harm-reduction strategies based on patients’ goals, preferences, and life circumstances. Follow Up Care Navigation 
• Assist with navigating barriers to patients obtaining buprenorphine prescription from pharmacy (insurance status, copay expense, cost differences between formulations, etc.) 
• Develop connections with a comprehensive array of community service providers to address the needs of people with SUD or co-occurring mental health disorders. 
• Schedule appointments at MAT-capable clinics for ongoing treatment and address access barriers by assisting with transportation, retrieving medical records, providing cell phones or minutes, or other supports as determined by patient needs and community resources. 
• Provide patients referrals to other services such as shelter, primary care, mental health services, social services, and residential treatment facilities. 
• Establish a relationship with patients and communicate via telephone, texting, and/or email to remind patients of appointments, help navigate obstacles to follow up treatment, and provide encouragement. 
• Work with hospital staff to set up a robust system for ensuring patient referral and follow-up outside of the SUN’s regular hours. 
• Develop expertise in insurance benefits and exclusions related to treatment. 
• Assist out-of-county patients access MAT and other services in their home county.

Documentation 

• Enter encounter data into the electronic medical record or other data collection system, as determined by hospital protocols. 
• If required for program reporting, aggregate monthly or quarterly counts of targeted metrics such as, number of patients served, buprenorphine administrations, prescriptions, referrals to care, etc.

Culture Change 

• Advocate for a harm-reduction approach to patients who use drugs within the hospital and community to reinforce evidence-based, non-judgmental approaches so that patients who use drugs get the same care as patients who do not use drugs. 
• Promote the use of non-stigmatizing language by hospital staff when talking about people who use drugs.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Nonjudgmental, energetic, positive, harm-reduction approach to assisting patients with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) 
• Understanding of SUD as a medical condition and the role of MAT in treatment and harm reduction. Adherence to an abstinence-based social model that is unsupportive of MAT is not aligned with the goals of this position. 
• Ability to use computer information systems, computer literacy, and knowledge of word processing 
• Interest/proficiency in working with individuals recently released from incarceration, homeless individuals, and other marginalized populations. 
• Ability to interact with patients in a culturally relatable manner. Any additional ability to communicate in languages spoken in the local community such as Spanish, Tagalog, Hmong, etc. is helpful. 
• Preference for applicants with connections to, and reflecting the diversity of, the local community. 
• Respect for patient confidentiality and privacy. 
• Ability to communicate clearly verbally and in writing. 
• There is no specific degree, certification, or training requirement.