Harm Reduction Coordinator

 

Description:

Striving for excellence in client-centred programming and community-based education, you will work as part of a

team of harm reduction coordinators, overdose prevention support workers, and client support workers, within a

harm reduction framework, and in alignment with the vision and values of PQWCHC. In so doing, you will be

accountable for ensuring outreach services follow healthcare legislation as well as PQWCHC policies and

procedures. This position is an outreach position, which entails working in community settings such as shelters,

respites, and sheltering hotels. This job will require flexibility to work across the city, depending on where harm

reduction services are needed. This position may also require flexibility to work late evenings and weekends, as

required by the covid isolation support function of the job.

General Responsibilities: Reporting to the Manager, Urban Health - Harm Reduction Services, and using a harm

reduction and trauma informed approach, you will plan and execute harm reduction curriculum and education across

the homelessness services sector, for both social services staff and service users. You will also collaborate with

other services and partners within sheltering sites to coordinate person-centred care for people who use drugs

(PWUD), who are accessing or residing in shelter and respite spaces. Additionally, when needed, you will support

other team members in client de-escalation and direct client care, when it is relevant to quality assurance and

overall program rollout. The focus of your work is to reduce overdose events and increase uptake of harm reduction

practices, and provide skill-building opportunities and education through a variety of strategies including: shelter in-

reach, resource development & distribution, linkages to clinical and community care and safe supply programs,

crisis intervention, advocacy, community education, support to embedded overdose prevention sites, partnership

development with site operators, harm reduction programming and collaborating with our project partners.

 

The role of harm reduction coordinator also includes planning and execution of in situ harm reduction support for

shelter residents self-isolating as per directions from Toronto Public Health, to prevent COVID transmission within

the shelter system. In this capacity, the coordinator oversees provision of a managed alcohol program (MAP), and

coordinates reconciliation of shelter residents’ medications, to prevent acute withdrawal. Coordinators will be

required to mobilize around COVID response should the need to uplift a new fixed isolation site(s) emerge.

Qualifications:

• Significant experience working in a harm reduction program and/or a community setting, working with

homeless and marginalized populations, including people who inject illicit drugs .

• Substantial knowledge of drug use, specifically injection drug use, acquired through a combination of work

experience, lived experience and/or education or training

• Experience with overdose prevention and response, and training in/experience with naloxone

administration.

• Ability to assert and maintain strong boundaries.

• Familiar with community services and resources.

• Respect and value the diversity of communities and individuals.

• Proficiency in one or more languages other than English would be an asset

• Experience in the following areas also an asset: working in a supervised consumption or overdose

prevention service; providing overdose training, including naloxone administration; and working with people
who use drugs, racialized populations, Indigenous peoples, people who engage in sex work, prisoners/ex-
prisoners, people with mental health challenges, and people who have experienced trauma.

Compensation: $54,254 to $66,102 per annum (to be pro-rated to 0.8 FTE) plus HOOPP (Healthcare of Ontario