Health Navigator

Borinquen Medical Centers is based in Miami, FL and is seeking to hire a Full-Time Health Navigator to join our team! The Health Navigator will work closely with the Outreach Coordinator to ensure proper continuation and expansion of HIV and PrEP patient navigation and adherence counseling program at Borinquen Medical Centers (BMC). In addition to primary care services, the navigator will ensure access to behavioral health services including mental health counseling and services, outpatient substance use treatment services, SSPs, and social services including transportation to appointments. The Health Navigator will link with local agencies for assistance with housing, food banks, SNAP, and for inpatient substance abuse services. The Health Navigator is the key liaison for cluster response with the Outreach Specialist and will work directly with patients eligible for Test and Treat and seeking consistent access and coverage for PrEP medications. The Health Navigator will ensure that participating clients receive relevant HIV/STI-related education and services, sexual health information, and navigation to health insurance if eligible. These services will be geared towards persons newly diagnosed with HIV and at-risk for HIV within the Miami-Dade County, including but not limited to cisgender/transgender women who have sex with men, and cisgender/transgender men who have sex with men, and any other persons at-risk for acquiring HIV (High Risk Individuals)

The Health Navigator is responsible for ensuring HIV ( ) patients are provided access to care, navigate in the continuum of care and ensure they receive their medication and appointments. For those HIV negative clients, he/she will ensure patients to be linked in care for PrEP and retained in care all within our Rapid Access program. Once in care, the health navigator will help to ensure these clients are engaging with the HIV healthcare system to improve their healthcare outcomes and overall quality of life. For those clients receiving PrEP the navigator will encourage and facilitate treatment compliance as well as education encouraging risk reduction practices. Navigator is responsible for assisting in the intake process to the agency of patient choice by gathering documentation and by providing support in order to expedite service delivery.  

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Coordination and Linkage:

1. Facilitates a welcome into the agency of patient choice and either provides or facilitates orientation/education regarding the agency and its services.
2. Person in charge to coordinate the continuum of care across the agency
3. Refers patients for tracking and follow up by the Medication Adherence Case Manager
4. Coordinates with Outreach Specialist for cluster responses in the community
5. Coordinates with Medication Adherence Case Manager, Outreach Specialist and the care team to implement activities in the community to educate patients and community members in response to clusters or areas of high prevalence. 
6. Provides patient education and Facilitates Rapid Access (Test & Treat) and PrEP treatment.
7. Facilitates registration into BHCC services including but not limited to Rapid Access and PrEP care coordination.
8. Provides navigation services (including case management) on a regular basis (according to schedule) and for up to 12 months.
9. Assist in the continued implementation of PrEP services and appointment scheduling in primary care for PrEP, while also ensuring that uninsured and under-insured PrEP clients receive education about coverage programs.
10. Meet with patients, at least quarterly and/or as needed to assist them in filling out PrEP medication coverage applications and ensure appointments are kept with Medication Adherence Case Manager.
11. Provide individual- and relationship-based HIV and STI counseling primarily within BMC’s Electronic Health Records System (EHRS).
12. Provide education about Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and other effective biomedical and prevention interventions; refer and coordinate for primary care to all clients to primary care medical services at BMC or the organization of their choice to further discuss PEP and other preventive care with a medical provider.
13. Coordinate collaborative relationships related to PrEP implementation and service delivery, focusing on agencies located in and around Miami-Dade.
14. Accurately complete all statistical data forms for PrEP, primarily within the Electronic Health Records System, ensuring complete and correct reimbursement for services rendered, when applicable
15. Review and maintain up-to-date and accurate knowledge of emerging scientific research regarding biomedical HIV/STI prevention strategies, including PrEP, PEP and related interventions.
16. Maintain highest level of client confidentiality; follow HIPAA regulations.
17. Attend departmental meetings and trainings.
18. Identifies patients need navigation to get into PrEP care
19. Coordinates client’s appointments (hard linkage) to medical, medical case management, mental health, substance abuse treatment, education, or social service appointments to improve client’s well-being.
20. Contact clients to evaluate medication adherence and follows up at least once a month, including verification and/or reminds them of appointments with other departments or other agencies.
21. Communicates with clients one to three days before a foreseen hurricane/natural disaster according to emergency plan procedure.

Health Education and Navigation:

1. Provides information and emotional support to patients through shared experiences using encouragement, reinforcement of healthful behaviors and helps to decrease client isolation. 
2. Provides emotional and educational support to patients who have mental health, substance abuse and homelessness issues. 
3. Serves as mentor regarding interaction with medical providers, helping patients prepare for visits and then debriefing what happened, depending on patient need. 
4. Provides educational support to clients to enhance their knowledge and understanding of medication protocols, side effects and adherence.  
5. Walks clients through appointments for medical care or other social services in order to ensure that clients have a clear understanding of initial steps that need to be taken to obtain appropriate services and will follow up at least once a month and provide on-going support and guidance.  
6. Keeps track of patient’s adherence and data points (as outlined in process) through approved documentation.
7. Educates new clients on the care process and what to expect from the continuum of care
8. Participates in staff training sessions and other meetings as required by the agency and/or the funding sources. 

Collaboration:

1. Provides culturally competent patient navigation services in a variety of community settings.
2. Acts as support staff in the implementation and facilitation of group sessions provided by the BHCC and/or external providers in conjunction with the HIV-PrEP educator and any other team member.  

Documentation, Compliance and Quality Assurance:

1. Maintains Timely, Accurate, Legible and Clear chart documentation according to agency and funder requirements.
2. Maintains record keeping requirements and assists with chart reviews for Q/A purposes as requested. 
3. Provides supervisor with information needed for end of month reporting and/or participates in program evaluation as requested. 
4. Assists in collecting client satisfaction survey data from assigned patients as requested. 

REQUIREMENTS

1. Bachelor’s in science or at least 5 years working in healthcare setting.
2. 2-4 years of experience working in HIV/STI prevention or other community health programs preferred.
3. Outreach engagement and community education experience.
4. Successful strategies in reaching hard to reach populations.
5. Must attend required trainings HIV 104; 500; 501, Patient Training (5 days), Motivational Interviewing (2 days) within assigned timeframes.
6. Receive TWIST, PROMISE and TRANSFORM trainings by the CDC
7. Proper driver license and clean driving record are required.
8. Bilingual (English Spanish/English Creole) highly preferred. 
9. Own transportation is required.

BENEFITS 

1. Medical/Dental/Vision/Short Term Disability
2. Company paid long term disability
3. Life insurance
4. 401K Plan
5. Standard Paid Holiday's
6. Vacation and Sick Time
7. Amazing Team & Atmosphere