Outreach and Prevention Specialist

Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago (PHIMC) seeks two Outreach and Prevention Specialists to support the RSUPIC Program. This position will work directly with youth serving agencies and community based organizations to provide training and technical assistance on integrating substance use prevention strategies into existing programs. The Outreach and Prevention Specialist role is a grant funded, full-time position that reports to the Program Manager – RSUPIC, Youth Substance Use Prevention and will work in collaboration with the RSUPICs team. 

About Regional Substance Use Prevention Integrated Centers (RSUPIC)  

The Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery’s Bureau of Prevention Services has collaborated with the Division of Family and Community Services’ Office of Community and Positive Youth Development to launch the RSUPIC program. Through this new program, PHIMC is the lead organization for the City of Chicago. PHIMC seeks to increase the capacity of institutions, organizations, and providers to address substance use and misuse with adolescents. PHIMC’s program will add to and build on existing substance use prevention strategies and apply these strategies locally through collaboration, training, and support of integration activities which improve the overall health and wellbeing of young people. 

Position Summary 

Under the supervision of the RSUPIC Program Manager, the two Outreach and Prevention Specialists will be responsible for providing substance use prevention technical assistance and capacity building, as well as fostering community relationships with organizations that provide services to youth and adolescents in Chicago, with an emphasis on the south and west sides. The Outreach and Prevention Specialists will work with community partners and other PHIMC staff through a variety of capacities, including but not limited to facilitation of substance use prevention education, integration of and technical assistance on Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) strategies, engagement within Chicago schools, community organizations, and other settings. The two Outreach and Prevention Specialist will primarily focus on community engagement and will travel throughout their assigned region of Chicago. Some activities, such as attending community partner meetings, events, hosting trainings, will take place in community partner spaces. Outreach and Prevention Specialists will travel locally as needed. The Outreach and Prevention Specialist will develop and/or sustain relationships with RSUPIC community partners as it pertains to meeting the scopes for the project. They will engage in proactive, creative problem-solving sessions/meetings to address barriers and challenges to strengthen the RSUPICs program and PHIMC’s technical assistance services. The Outreach and Prevention Specialist will also help with recruitment of community partners who could potentially join the Community Advisory Board (CAB). 

Responsibilities and Key Activities  

Content Knowledge and Program Specific Responsibilities   

• Contribute knowledge of prevention services, substance use prevention, youth development and leadership, and/or training development to support the development and implementation of the program  

• Maintain high level of knowledge on best practices related to trauma-informed care and harm reduction as it relates to youth and substance use 

• Co-design training and technical assistance tools and resources to integrate Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) strategies within existing youth-based programs 

• Support the launch and implementation of the developed training and technical assistance tools and refine, as needed, based on partner feedback and best practices  

• Assist the Program Manager and staff with activities, including assessing capacity and training needs of community partners and observing existing youth programs  

• Employ strong organizational skills to coordinate all program activities, partner relationships, and grant deliverables  

• Complete all required training and data collection and entry to track progress on grant deliverables and program goals 

• Engage in proactive, creative problem solving to address barriers and challenges to strengthen PHIMC’s technical assistance services   

Community Engagement/Partnership Cultivation  

• Develop and cultivate meaningful and productive partnerships with a diverse range of organizations in Chicago 

• Schedule, plan, and coordinate, community health education trainings and events related to substance use awareness, and other matters of public health importance  

• Attend and participate in community partner events, meetings, and coalitions as it relates to the project scopes 

• Conduct train-the-trainer sessions with community partners and other PHIMC staff in all areas related to substance use  

• Actively network to build and maintain positive relationships with community members, providers, agency representatives, supervisors 

• Assess the needs of community organizations, youth and families and ensuring the proper referrals for advocacy, school enrollment, counseling, substance abuse services 

• Collaborate with community partners to identify opportunities for outreach, information dissemination, and events  

• Identify potential community partners for the Community Advisory Board and support the CAB convenings  

Communications  

• Maintain relationships with RSUPIC community partners as well as other regional lead organizations, volunteers, and other nonprofits as they pertain to meeting the scopes for the project 

• Center equity and inclusion in all communications and relationship building 

• Prepare and send verbal & written communication internally and externally, as needed 

• Support project meetings inside and outside of PHIMC aligned to meet project deliverables  

• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills, and experience in developing and sustaining relationships with diverse community partners. 

• Support RSUPIC Program Manager with relationship management with RSUPIC community partners. 

• Provide consistent updates to Program Manager on progress, milestones, escalations, and critical decisions.  

Leadership  

• Centers equity and inclusion in the program  

• Balances multiple commitments and deliverables effectively  

• Works collaboratively with staff within PHIMC’s Department of Adolescent and School health and other PHIMC departments 

 • Effectively and quickly pivots to adapt to changing circumstances and needs of different community programs  

Other Duties as Assigned  

Preferred Candidate Qualifications: 

• Candidates who have lived or live on the South and Westside of Chicago and/or have experience engaging with community organizations on the South and West sides of Chicago is preferred but not required. 

• Candidates with CADC certification, or 2-5 years substance use prevention experience • Community outreach and engagement experience  

Education:   

• Associate’s or higher degree in related field (public health, health education, social work, psychology, sociology, communications, education, etc.), OR 

• CADC certification, OR  

• Equivalent experience in addition to the required experience below (e.g., at least 7 years of work experience if your highest level of education is a high school diploma or GED).

 Experience: 

Minimum 5 years’ experience in any of the following (or combination thereof), with at least 2 years of substance use prevention experience: community organizing, coalition building, community outreach, youth services, other prevention fields (e.g., violence, sexual abuse, teen pregnancy, etc.), case management/treatment, program development, interviewing/assessment, and/or presenting/facilitating trainings.  Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status. PHIMC encourages applications from women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-confirming individuals. We are committed to building teams that reflect the diversity of our candidates, and to building equitable and inclusive environments that fully leverage the skills, potential, and unique perspectives of our employees. PHIMC requires all staff to show proof that they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or to request a medical or religious exemption.  

Compensation: Salary Range $55,000-$60,000, commensurate with experience. PHIMC offers a competitive benefits package. 

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please include how you learned about the position and what interests you in the role, along with what you have to offer and how your skills and qualifications align. Address cover letters to Hiring Committee and email with a resume to jobs@phimc.org with “Outreach and Prevention Specialist – RSUPIC” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled. No phone inquiries will be accepted.