Community Resource Specialist - SUD Bridge Clinic

40 HOURS/ BOSTON LONGWOOD MEDICAL AREA

About the Bridge Clinic:

• The Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Bridge clinic provides on-site rapid assessment, treatment initiation and stabilization for patients with substance use disorders, with a specific focus on eliminating disparities in access to or retention in treatment by race, ethnicity, or language.

Job Summary:

• The Community Resource Specialist (CRS) will be part of a multi-disciplinary team which includes a physician and a therapist, and may also include a recovery coach, an advanced practice provider, and/or an office-based addiction treatment (OBAT) nurse care manager.
• The CRS is responsible for working with the care team to assist patients in finding community resources related to ongoing SUD treatment, mental health services, and other community resources related to social determinants of health.
• The Resource Specialist researches and identifies resources to meet the needs of the individual patient, and communicates the results to the care team, as well as patient when indicated.
• The position requires a high degree of flexibility, detail orientation, independence, and willingness to provide support to all members of the care team. The position requires strong communication skills and the ability to converse comfortably with patients and their caregivers, practice and program staff, and community agencies

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Research resources available for adult patients with substance use disorder and/or behavioral health treatment needs
• Research community resources available for adult patients with social determinant of health or other needs, including but not limited to housing resources, food banks, shelters, community-based self-help meetings, recovery centers, and transportation assistance
• Provide timely turnaround of resources to their care teams and promote correct use of resource finding for providers needing support (e.g., who to reach out to centrally)
• Upload's referral sources to, and maintains, resource database
• Work collaboratively with Bridge clinic physicians, clinical therapists, and recovery coaches. This may include but is not limited to:
• Identify accessible providers for patients, considering insurance coverage, geography, availability to accept new patients, specialty areas, etc.
• Coordination of referrals to internal and external resources.
  Triage services requests and forward them to other program services as necessary.
• Communicate effectively with care teams across the Mass General Brigham network, mental health providers in the community, and Bridge clinic patients
• Develop strong relationships with community-based mental health providers
• Support resource coordination around other patient service needs beyond behavioral health
• Track and document encounters, resources provided, and case-related communications in the respective electronic health record(s)
• Assist in maintaining patient tracking database
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree and/or comparable experience in social work, psychology, public health (or related field)

Skills/Abilities/Competencies Required:

• 2 years' work experience, preferably in the substance use disorder field
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Flexibility to adapt to program evolution and shifts in prioritization
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as part of a cohesive team
• Demonstrated organizational and time management skills
• Ability to learn new technology systems to communicate and document patient cases

Brigham and Women's Hospital is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.