Harm Reduction Housing Worker

**HARM REDUCTION HOUSING WORKER**
**Position**: Harm Reduction Housing Worker
**Reports to**: Manager of Supported Housing
**Location**: The Overlook
**Pay Scale**: $23.13 per hour + benefits
**Work term**: casual;
**Hours**:24 hr/7 day operation including evenings and week-ends.
**Deadline**: Open until filled

**About NECHC**
The North End Community Health Centre (NECHC) was established in 1971 in response to an absence of primary health care and other health services in Halifax’s North End. Located on Gottingen Street, we are in the heart of a unique and culturally diverse community. Today, governed by the North End Community Health Association, the NECHC is viewed by area residents as a “beacon of hope” in the community. Much more than a Primary Care Clinic, the NECHC has expanded in response to unmet needs of community members and is highly-valued by its patients and clients and their families. NECHC provides services to those living on the margins of society, through MOSH, Housing First and a wide range of community outreach initiatives.

**Vision**
Strong community - healthy people.
**Mission**
We support health and well-being in our community through quality primary health care, education and advocacy in an environment in which people are treated with respect and dignity and there is equitable access to services and programs.
**Values**
Respect. Community. Compassion. Excellence. Innovation
**Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commitment**
The North End Community Health Centre is committed to being an inclusive organization. We are working to ensure our organization represents the diverse people and communities we serve. Our position postings encourage members from the following communities to apply:

- 2SLGBTQIA++
- African Nova Scotian and/or people of African Descent
- Indigenous
- People with disabilities
- Language minorities
- People of Colour and/or racially visible minorities
- Immigrant and refugee
- Connected to the North End of Halifax

**Job Purpose**
Harm Reduction Housing Workers are accountable for delivering harm reduction programs and services
to tenants /participants to support their health and well being as well as their tenancies as residents of
The Overlook, including:

- Delivering “on-demand” harm reduction supports and programs following a “housing First”
philosophy as part of a collaborative team
- Following prescribed policies and procedures associated with the housing program
- Supporting participants through a person centred approach
- Attending to overdoses and administering naloxone
Harm Reduction Workers work with an interdisciplinary team to support participants of The Overlook - a place based harm reduction, peer supported housing project. Participants of The Overlook experience social and physical harms associated with chronic alcohol use disorder, problematic drug use, chronic health conditions and lengthy homelessness. The team provides “on demand 24/7” harm reduction to
tenants, as well as various housing supports around life skills and social inclusion to ensure participants effectively manage their tenancy.
**Position Responsibilities**
The following duties reflect the broad scope of responsibilities but are not necessarily all-inclusive.
This position will require flexibility, time management, strong communication, and good boundaries to achieve the following responsibilities:

- Supporting participants to develop individualized harm reduction plans to ensure their overall health and well being
- Monitoring participants health and substance use and determining when to provide additional harm reduction supports
- Delivering on demand harm reduction supplies and supports to participants in their home or in the building
- Recognizing, analyzing and responding to potential emergency situations, including overdoses
- Supporting participant inclusion within the Project 52 community, and the community at large
- Providing support for a wide variety of onsite and offsite meetings and activities, based in the individual preferences and goals
- Supporting participants with move in and move out processes to ensure smooth transitions
- Encouraging tenants participants in decision making regarding housing and support
- Supporting participants to enhance/develop life skills such as meal preparation, housekeeping, personal care and personal self management
- Collaborating with community organizations
- Communicating and collaborating with the multidisciplinary team at Project 2 (that incudes physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, occupational therapist, social workers and others to ensure high quality of care and support.
- Facilitating referrals to health and community supports where warranted
- Maintaining regular contact with, and providing back up for team members and other staff as required
- Contributing to advocacy efforts within the large systems such as income assistance, housing and
health
- Completing data collection and maintain reports (such as