Health Access Treatment Connections Navigator

At SFAF we show up for our community with expertise, empathy, and a commitment to creating space where everyone can show up fully. If you want to make a meaningful impact in an environment that’s as affirming as it is effective, we’d love to meet you. 

Who are we?  

San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) envisions a future where health justice is achieved for all people living with or at risk for HIV. Our mission is to promote health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV through sexual health and substance use services, advocacy, and partnership. We need passionate advocates for social change that embody our five key values: Justice, Dignity, Courage, Leadership, and Excellence. 

What is the position? 

The newly created Health Access Treatment Connections Navigator (HATCN) role is a key tool in the front line effort to improve health outcomes for People Who Use Drugs.  This role provides treatment connections, syringe access and disposal, overdose prevention education, naloxone distribution, and linkage to care and treatment for substance use disorder. HATCNs will build relationships with program participants at all sites to better provide client centered treatment connections grounded in a proactive relational counseling approach that utilizes motivational interviewing to connect individuals to the care they need.  Collaboration with programs both internal to SFAF and externally across the city will be key to success.  

What are the main responsibilities? 

• Connecting participants to internal and external substance use and medical services.  

• Ensuring connection and safe hand off to treatment and care.  

• Provide substance use and primary medical care navigation including direct connections to internal and external services.  

• Provide client centered, relational proactive counseling, motivational interviewing style substance use treatment readiness coaching, risk reduction counseling, and substance use treatment adherence counseling.  

• Creating a warm and welcoming environment for participants, facilitating support groups, and emphasizing compassionate care.  

• Documenting and entering all program data according to contract protocols in an accurate and timely manner.  

 
Who are we looking for? 

• Minimum 3 years experience working with people who use drugs, marginalized communities, or people experiencing homelessness.  

• Knowledge of substance use and health concerns of People Who Use Drugs.  

• Knowledge of health, substance use treatment, and social services throughout San Francisco.  

• Experience using motivational interviewing and care navigation required.  

• Ability to implement de-escalation techniques, follow safety protocols, and use sound judgement in independent decision making.  

• Good organizational skills, data entry skills, and ability to use Microsoft and Google suites.  

• Valid California driver’s license preferred.  

• Bi-lingual in Spanish and English highly regarded.  

 
What are the physical requirements? 

This position is primarily located at 940 Howard, San Francisco, however it may occasionally require traveling to other office locations or off-site meetings as required by the job. Role may include evening and weekend coverage. 
 
Skill in operating office equipment such as a personal computer, copy machine and telephone system. Ability to perform routine bending, stooping, twisting, and reaching. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must be comfortable standing on feet for extended periods of time, often at least 6 hours.   

Schedule: Monday through Friday, either 12:00pm to 8:30pm or 10:00am to 6:30pm 

 
What we offer? 

Salary/Hourly Rate : $32.96 

Benefits : SFAF is proud to offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for our full-time employees. We offer combined PTO/Sick Time Off of 24 days for the first two years of employment, 29 days after two years of employment. For retirement we offer a 403(b) Plan and SFAF matches employee contributes (1 to 1) up to 3% of Salary.  
 
This position will have access to protected health information (PHI) and may only access, use or disclose the minimum information necessary to perform their designated role on behalf of San Francisco AIDS Foundation, regardless of the extent of access provided. 

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for personnel so classified.  

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation is an Equal Opportunity employer. We actively seek applications from people living with HIV/AIDS, people with disabilities, women, LGBTQ individuals and people of color. 
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.