Community Health Specialist

Job Description

Community Health Specialist I, II or III DOQ
Salary $55,978.32 – $86,997.36 Annually

Program Specifications: 

This position is responsible for conducting harm reduction outreach in a variety of settings with a small interdisciplinary team, with a goal to reduce risks associated with drug use and behavioral health challenges, including drug overdose and the spread of infectious disease, and to improve overall physical, mental and societal health by providing risk reduction strategies. Strategies include infectious disease testing and linkages to care, overdose prevention training and naloxone distribution, and referrals/care coordination and follow up related to drug use, substance use disorder and mental health treatment, and recovery supports.

This position will assist with program development and implementation, overdose surveillance, data collection and analysis, dissemination of information and participation in local stakeholder meetings and the broader county-wide behavioral health system. This position will coordinate aspects of the competitive grant writing and award process for fund sources that include local sales and use tax revenues and local, state, and federal grants, as well as manage the associated contracts and/or subcontracts.

Outreach activities include street-level and encampment outreach, home-based and fixed-site mobile services throughout Mason County, and supporting office-based and clinical services through the syringe service program.  Responsibilities include conducting operations for outreach programming, like ordering and stocking supplies; providing harm reduction education and supplies throughout the county (safer injection supplies, naloxone, and hygiene and wound care supplies); care coordination for a variety of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services; and conducting and/or supporting HIV/STI/HCV testing and treatment programming. Additional activities include providing overdose prevention and response training to agencies and the community and participating in collaborative meetings with local providers.

General Description:
This position is primarily responsible for leading systemic countywide planning and strategic collaborations and implementing effective population-based policy, systems and environment change strategies to address the environmental, economic and social determinants of health and health inequities. Work assignments require individuals to work independently as each grant/program is broad in nature. Work involves coordination with many local individuals, community agencies and resources, as well as regional, state or national partners.

Minimum Qualifications

Community Health Specialist I – Entry-level position within Community Health. Bachelor’s Degree is preferred.

Community Health Specialist II – Senior level position based on level of experience and the ability to work independently. Bachelor’s Degree –is preferred, and three or more years of public health experience in one or more programs. A Bachelor’s Degree may be substituted for four additional (7 years in total) years of experience.

Community Health Specialist III – Senior level position based on level of experience and the ability to work independently. Master’s Degree preferred and has three or more years of public health experience in one or more programs. A Master’s Degree may be substituted for two additional (9 years in total) years of experience.

I, II, III: Valid Washington State Driver’s License.