Incarceration/Reentry Harm Reduction Outreach Worker

POSITION OVERVIEW : Texas Harm Reduction Alliance (THRA) seeks an Incarceration/Reentry Outreach Worker to join our team. Applicants should align with the organization’s core values, including racial justice, anti-racism and an understanding and commitment to the principles of harm reduction. 

This job is a time-limited (1 year) position meant to focus on overdose education outreach for justice-involved persons who use drugs.  The Incarceration/Reentry Outreach Worker will connect with currently incarcerated individuals and people leaving jail and prison to offer peer support and education on the risks associated with various drug use, including hepatitis, HIV and overdose.  They will also provide justice-involved individuals with peer support and  resource navigation, including linkage to healthcare, case management and basic needs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 

Assist in the development of completely new programming connecting with people who use drugs and have been incarcerated  
Build relationships with and pathways through the public defender’s office, jail, transitional centers, halfway houses, and reentry services/advocacy groups around Austin as sites for harm reduction and overdose education outreach
Participate in community organizing around justice-involved individuals, taking care to prioritize people who use drugs and/or are in recovery
Distribute harm reduction supplies and education materials 
Provide preventive health education around substance use and safer sex practices  
Perform manual duties such as preparing educational materials, and stocking vehicles and supplies as needed 
Perform data upkeep of supplies given out and of participants needs
Attend staff meetings, trainings, and conferences as assigned 

JOB QUALIFICATIONS: 

A minimum of two (2) years of professional or volunteer experience in HIV prevention, harm reduction, outreach or community organizing  
Must have ability to actively and compassionately seek out and engage people affected by drug use in  informational, non-judgmental discussions about overdose, HIV, hepatitis and related health issues 
Knowledge or experience with drug use or extensive knowledge of issues facing drug users 
Knowledge of experience with incarceration or extensive knowledge of issues facing justice-involved persons
Must be passionate about changing policies and laws, and have an understanding of the systems of oppression that contribute to drug use and overdose, houselessness, arrest and incarceration.
Excellent verbal and written communication and listening skills including the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences
Must maintain strong confidentiality and appropriate boundaries 
Ability to work in a stressful, fast-paced environment as part of a team 
Must be able to complete data entry in a timely manner
Must be streetwise and be able to solve practical problems
Must have an active driver’s license

Strong Applicants also have: 

Bilingual: Spanish/English 
Experience or training in community organizing for system level change  
Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS) certificate, Reentry Peer Specialist certificate or equivalent 

More About the job: 

This full-time, salaried position will be located in our Austin, Texas, office. Salary range for this position is $45,000 – $50,000 per year, based on experience, with benefits including health, dental,  vision, vacation, sick leave and holidays. This position reports to the Director of Services.   

More about the organization: 

The Texas Harm Reduction Alliance (THRA) emerged in early 2019 in response to unprecedented opioid  overdose rates and apparent statewide need for harm reduction policy advocacy, education, and capacity building for direct services with people impacted by substance use, overdose, HIV, hepatitis, and sex work.  THRA is a resource for all community sectors and organizations seeking evidence-informed pathways to  improvement of conditions and outcomes related to drug use and related activity. We operate a direct  services program in the Austin area that provides overdose prevention education, naloxone, and linkage to  same-day medicine-based treatment for opioid use disorders. 

Texas Harm Reduction Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and does not to discriminate in employing  staff, or selection of volunteers, on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, age,  disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, justice involvement or conviction, veteran status,  financial status or HIV status.  

How to Apply: 

Please send an email to awhite@harmreductiontx.org with Incarceration/Reentry Outreach Worker in subject line, in  (.doc) or (.pdf) format: 

● Letter of introduction including commitment to core harm reduction values listed above (this part is important!)

● Current resume

● Contact information for three professional references