HIV Educator

Position summary:

Provides HIV education, testing, counseling, and referral services to ABHS clients in a 10-county service area. Maintains and assures HIV-EIS policy and procedures are up-to-date. Updates presentations with current research and program findings. Uses technological support to provide education when available. Maintains and orders adequate testing supplies. Submits reports of testing efforts and findings to required agency, county, regional, and state entities for HIV. Assures confidentiality for individuals throughout process of HIV education, testing, counseling, and referral. Provides confidential, safe and comfortable environment individuals being tested for HIV. This educator will also provide counseling

Job Responsibilities & Performance Standards:

• Collaborates with health specialists and civic groups to ascertain community health needs, determine availability of services, and to develop goals
  • Obtains health-related data about social and cultural environments, growth and development factors, needs and interests by selecting valid sources of information, including computerized sources of health related information.
  • Develops appropriate data-gathering instruments and applies effective survey techniques to acquire health data.
  • Identify behaviors that promote or compromise health. Investigates the factors that influence these behaviors.
  • Analyzes the needs assessment data accurately.
  • Determines priority areas of need for health education.

• Develops and maintains cooperation between public, civic, professional, and voluntary agencies
  • Serves as the contact person for program requests and acts as a technical advisor to other staff members. Serves the community through the presentation of educational programs.
  • Presents effective educational programs to the community
  • Employs a wide range of educational methods and techniques (i.e. role play, lecture, case study, etc.).
  • Utilizes instruction equipment and other instructional media effectively (e.g. slide projector, video machine, camera, overhead, etc.)
  • Selects methods and media best suited to implement program plans for the specific audience.
  • Develops plans to assess achievement of program goals.
  • Develops an inventory of existing valid and reliable tests and survey instruments.
  • Evaluates the worth and applicability of resource materials for given audiences.
  • Monitors educational programs through evaluations, adjusting objectives and activities as necessary.
  • Compares different methods for distributing educational materials.

• Prepares and disseminates educational and informational materials
  • Develops and maintains a working relationship with the media (e.g. radio, television, newspaper etc.). Serves as the primary media contact.
  • Designs and prepares brochures, bulletins and news releases.
  • Plans and prepares exhibit materials for special projects in the community placing emphasis on those areas of highest need.
  • Selects, writes, illustrates, edits, compiles and/or supplies a wide spectrum of current health education materials for use by organizations and individuals (e.g. film library, resource center, current statistics, etc.)
  • Assembles visual aids, writes scripts, takes photographs and prepares materials for health education tape/slide presentations.
  • Complies with requests from the community for health education materials, audiovisuals and specific speaking engagements.

• Promotes health discussions in jails, schools, industry, and community agencies
  • Formulates practical modes of collaboration among health agencies and organizations including the school systems.
  • Suggests approaches for integrating communicable disease education within existing health education programs.
  • Organizes in-service training programs for teachers, volunteers and other interested personnel.

• Provides information to the public regarding health concerns and resources
  • Analyzes requests for health information.
  • Matches an information need with appropriate retrieval system.
  • Utilizes computerized health information retrieval systems effectively.
  • Serves as a consultant on public health concerns to staff, community, professional, church, training and civic groups.

• Maintains knowledge of current trends and developments in the field by reading appropriate books, journals and other literature and attending related seminars and conferences. Applies pertinent new knowledge to performance of other responsibilities.
  • Attends internal and external educational programs and professional meetings as available for continuing professional education.
  • Attends regular meetings of available and applicable professional organizations.
  • Reads and evaluates professional literature on continual basis; translates complex or technical information into a format that can be understood by others and distributes as needed.
  • Incorporates knowledge of pertinent new trends and developments into section policies and procedures and makes recommendations for any related organizational changes.

• Provides direct service to behavioral health patients.
  • Conducts HIV pre- and post-test counseling to public health clients who request to be screened for HI infection.
  • Performs venipuncture to obtain laboratory specimens for the detection of disease.
  • Facilitates a weekly support group for individuals who are infected or affected by HIV disease.
  • Maintains strict adherence to the standard of patient confidentiality and professional conduct dealing with sensitive material and information at all times
  • Adheres to the policies and procedures of the Division of Public Health as it relates to HIV disease.
  • Consistently treats patients with sensitivity in a non-judgmental manner (i.e. sex history, lifestyle, etc.).

• Creates and maintains a high performance environment characterized by positive leadership and a strong team orientation.
  • Defines goals and/or required results at beginning of performance period and gains acceptance of ideas by creating a shared vision.
  • Communicates regularly with staff on progress toward defined goals and/or required results; providing specific feedback and initiating corrective action when defined goals and/or required results are not met.
  • Confers regularly with staff to review employee relations climate, specific problem areas and actions necessary for improvement.
  • Evaluates employees as scheduled intervals; obtains and considers all relevant information in evaluations and supports staff by giving praise and constructive criticism.
  • Recognizes contributions and celebrates accomplishments.
  • Motivates staff to improve quantity and quality of work performed and provides training and development opportunities as appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in a social services related field from an accredited college or university OR High school diploma or GED AND Two years of experience in social services related position OR One year of experience at the lower level Social Svcs Tech 1 (SST010) or position equivalent.

Preferred Qualifications: Masters Degree in human/social services field (social work, public or community health, psychology) or related field or 3 years experience working in a human services setting, and at least two years of experience providing HIV prevention education or sexuality education to youth audiences or any combination which indicates the ability to meet the qualifications for the position. Previous successful experience working with high-risk ethnic and sexual minority youth populations. Demonstrated competency in working with culturally diverse, low income or no income clients Strong verbal and written communication skills. Successful experience and demonstrated ability in general office skills and proficiency in Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office programs, internet use and data entry skills. Previous experience conducing HIV counseling and testing.