Peer Recovery & Research Assistant
Join our team of people committed to improving the health of people who use drugs. We are seeking an enthusiastic self-starter to work within Frederick County Health Department’s Street Safe Program (SSP). We are seeking a Peer Recovery & Research Assistant who will provide harm reduction services to people who use drugs and coordinate the day-to-day clinical, research, and administrative responsibilities of a social network-based innovation aimed at extending the reach of other evidence-based services, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), HCV, and HIV treatment. This position will be hired and funded by Johns Hopkins University but will function as a part of the existing SSP team with additional duties to support a research project taking place at the SSP.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities
- Providing harm reduction services to people who use drugs.
- Work closely with the Street Safe Program (SSP) team.
- Distribute sterile syringes, other drug use equipment, and drug checking supplies, and collect used syringes in safe disposal containers from SSP participants.
- Provide education on infectious disease, safe injection practices, overdose prevention, drug checking, safe sex practices, and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to SSP participants.
- Conduct rapid HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) testing.
- Provide referrals and linkages to community support for people who use drugs.
- Assist the SSP Peer with any ACCESS telehealth patient needs, including transportation, computer connectivity, appointment reminders, or related support.
- Work towards the full integration of HIV care provided through telemedicine into the routine SSP workflow.
- Order and maintain inventory of HIV self-test kits and other Johns Hopkins-funded supplies.
- Conduct outreach to people who use drugs with the SSP team.
- Participate in supervision, meetings, and training with the SSP staff.
- Coordinating the day-to-day clinical, research, and administrative responsibilities of a social network-based innovation.
- Act as Site Coordinator for the SPRUCE (SSP and Peers in Rural Areas Connecting) Study with support from a study team based at Johns Hopkins University.
- Identify and work with community stakeholders to promote available services and programs at the SSP.
- Schedule and coordinate meetings with stakeholders in service of the research protocol.
- Schedule and coordinate Community Advisory Board (CAB) meetings, in-person and via Zoom.
- Assist with SPRUCE study participants and CAB petty cash or gift card compensation.
- Distribute HIV self-test kits to SPRUCE study participants.
- Provide information about research opportunities and schedule appointments with potential new SPRUCE study participants.
- Share directions, maps, and other SSP-specific information with new SPRUCE study participants.
- Secure space for training sessions for SPRUCE study participants and 6-month refresher courses.
- Train SPRUCE study participants on an intervention to increase uptake of HIV/HCV or opioid use treatment and overdose prevention.
- Execute study needs in accordance with the IRB-approved research protocol.
- Assist provider with updating and gathering information to submit programmatic progress reports.
- Assist with data management needs, such as data entry and updating research charts and participant appointment calendars in the REDCap secure online study database.
- Keep up to date on all required regulatory certifications, including CITI and GCP certifications.
Minimum Qualifications
- High School Diploma or graduation equivalent.
- Two years of related experience.
- Additional education may substitute for required experience, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
- Applicants must possess or obtain certification within two years of employment. Training, volunteer/employment hours, and supervision are required for certification provided through employment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with people who use drugs.
- Peer Recovery Specialist Certification.
- Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point), Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Zoom, and Adobe Acrobat).
- Documented recovery from mental health, substance use, or a co-occurring disorder for a minimum of two years.
Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Motivated, exceptional work ethic.
- Understanding of principles of Harm Reduction.
- Lived experience with HIV, HCV, and/or MOUD.
- Commitment to a positive, collaborative work environment.
Classified Title: Research Program Assistant II
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Peer Recovery & Research Assistant
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/02/CC
Starting Salary Range: Min $15.50 - Max $26.00 HRLY ($50,000 targeted; Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm
Exempt Status: Non-Exempt
Location: School of Medicine - East Baltimore Campus
Department name: 10002813-SOM DOM Infectious Disease
Personnel area: School of Medicine