Prison Linkage Specialist

Philadelphia FIGHT Institute for Community Justice

Prison Linkage Specialist Job Description

Philadelphia FIGHT's Institute for Community Justice (ICJ) works with people returning to the community from prison or jail. We are a community center for individuals impacted by imprisonment, and our programs include a reentry center, local jail 'in-reach' services, educational programming, therapeutic recreation, and comprehensive reentry support. The Prison Linkage Specialist is to respond to referrals from the Philadelphia Prison System and support a case load of clients living with HIV throughout their incarceration and after their release. Responsibilities include discharge planning with an emphasis on HIV continuity of care and linkage and retention to care in the community. The Prison Linkage Specialist will also be responsible for supporting the HepC Prison Linkage Specialist with individuals in the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP). The Prison Linkage Specialist represents Philadelphia FIGHT both on site and in the community, in a courteous, efficient manner that reflects the high level of integrity and customer service mandated by Philadelphia FIGHT.

Qualifications: The Prison Linkage Specialist will have a bachelor's degree, with demonstrated experience working with high-risk populations and excellent communication. The Prison Linkage Specialist will also be knowledgeable of local resources and services, and be sensitive to cultural, economic, gender, and sexual orientation differences.

Responsibilities include:

• Respond to referrals, which are filtered through the Prison Linkages Program Manager, and arrange to visit incarcerated individuals to make linkage with HIV related services and medical care upon release.
• Upon contact with client, perform psychosocial assessment. Develop action plan to address client's needs and barriers to meeting those needs.
• Ensure appropriate access to medical, mental health and other services during a client's incarceration, coordinating with case managers and prison medical and mental health providers to meet clients' needs.
• Responsible for travel in the community in locating clients lost to care.
• Develop discharge plan for incarcerated clients, ensuring their linkage to medical care and case management services and other services and resources as appropriate.
• Coordinate discharge plan with other social service agencies, Public Defenders' Office, the Adult Probation and Parole Office and the courts as necessary.

Record Keeping

• Enter data into CAREWare and Evaluation Web as required by program funders.
• Maintain files for individual clients that meet standards required by program funders.
• Maintain accurate record keeping according to program standards, and maintain internal recordkeeping as developed by ICJ.

Ongoing Requirements

• Attend case conference meetings with case management and linkages staff.
• Meet bi-weekly with Prison Linkages Program Manager for supervision and case review.
• Attend monthly Linkage Team Meeting.
• Attend weekly ICJ all staff meeting.
• Support the efforts of the Prison Reentry and Healthcare Summit, including but not limited to attending meetings, developing content and volunteering at the Summit events.
• Ongoing communication with Lead Prison Linkage Specialist about case load
• Other duties as assigned.

Other: Initial probationary period is three months. Performance of other tasks may be assigned on an as-needed basis.

Salary range: Competitive; Hourly

Travel Requirements: The Prison Linkage Specialist will spend 1-2 days inside the jails and 2-3 days in the office, 1 day in the community.

Work Hours: 40 Hours/Week (M-F 9:00am - 5:00pm)

Philadelphia FIGHT requires proof of completed COVID-19 vaccination series for all new employees hired. Medical and religious exemptions will be honored consistent with EEOC regulation.

FIGHT is an EEO, Affirmative Action, LGBTQ, people living with HIV/AIDS, and protected veterans' institution.

We recognize that an inclusive workforce with a variety of views, perspectives, and backgrounds is an integral part in our organizational success. We encourage and embrace a diverse workforce that provides us with unlimited ideas and innovative solutions. We are dedicated to recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees from many backgrounds.

To apply: https://www.fight.org/careers/