Job Summary
Philadelphia FIGHT's Institute for Community Justice (ICJ) works with people returning to the community from prison or jail. We are a community center for individuals impacted by imprisonment, and our programs include a reentry drop-in center, local jail "in-reach" services, educational programming, therapeutic recreation and comprehensive reentry support. The Bilingual Prison Linkage Specialist is to respond to referrals from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and support a case load of primarily Spanish speaking clients living with HIV throughout their incarceration and after their release. Responsibilities include discharge planning with an emphasis on HIV continuity of care and linkage and retention to care in the community. The Bilingual Prison Linkage Specialist will also be responsible for supporting the HepC Prison Linkage Specialist with individuals in the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP). The Bilingual Prison Linkage Specialist represents Philadelphia FIGHT both on site and in the community, in a courteous, efficient manner that reflects the high level of integrity and customer service mandated by Philadelphia FIGHT
Tasks and Responsibilities
1. Respond to referrals, which are filtered through the Prison Linkages Program Manager, and arrange to visit incarcerated individuals to make linkage with HIV related services and medical care upon release.
2. Work with Clincia Bienestar, a FIGHT health center located at Prevention Point Philadelphia, to identify and support incarcerated patients who are primarily Spanish speaking.
3. Upon contact with client, perform psychosocial assessment. Develop action plan to address client?s needs and barriers to meeting those needs.
4. Ensure appropriate access to medical, mental health and other services during a client?s incarceration, coordinating with case managers and prison medical and mental health providers to meet clients? needs.
5. Develop discharge plan for incarcerated clients, ensuring their linkage to medical care and case management services and other services and resources as appropriate.
6. Coordinate discharge plan with other social service agencies, Public Defenders? Office, the Adult Probation and Parole Office and the courts as necessary.
7. Responsible for travel in the community in locating clients lost to care
Record Keeping
1. Enter data into CAREWare and EvaluationWeb as required by program funders.
2. Maintain files for individual clients that meet standards required by program funders.
3. Maintain accurate record keeping according to program standards, and maintain internal recordkeeping as developed by ICJ.
Ongoing Requirements
1. Attend case conference meetings with case management and linkages staff.
2. Meet bi-weekly with Director of ICJ for supervision and case review.
3. Attend monthly Linkage Team Meeting
4. Attend bi-weekly ICJ all staff meeting.
5. Ongoing communication with Lead Prison Linkage Specialist about case load
6. Attend monthly Clinicia Bienestar clinic meeting.
7. Support the efforts of the Prison Reentry and Healthcare Summit, including but not limited to attending meetings, developing content and volunteering at the Summit events.
8. Support the Reentry Center Team with translation when necessary
9. Other duties as assigned
Qualifications
1. Bachelor's degree preferred.
Minimum Requirements
1. Bilingual ability to speak fluently in Spanish and English
2. Experience working with diverse, underserved, and stigmatized populations.
3. Knowledgeable of local resources and services.
4. Proficient in Microsoft Office and essential office computer applications.
5. Sensitive to cultural, economic, gender, and sexual orientation differences.
Demonstrated experience working with high-risk populations; excellent communications, interpersonal skills and collaborative skills; ability to work effectively in a collaborative team setting; flexible, self-motivated, organized, able to work well under pressure; dedicated to social justice; computer literacy required.
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Physical Demands
Occasional lifting of 10-20 lbs. and pushing of 5-20 lbs.
Sitting approximately 80% of the time
Normal accessibility and mobility required
Ability to work at a computer screen for long periods of time
The Bilingual Prison Linkage Specialist will spend 1-2 days inside the jails; 2-3 days in the office and 1 day in the community.
Initial Probationary Period is 90 Days.
Philadelphia FIGHT is an equal opportunity employer.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree preferred.