Fixed term contract until 30 September 2023
Overview
Psychosocial counsellors: Are skilled professional counsellors who have undergone a formal education, counselling training and experience in providing counselling. They are required to provide high quality psychosocial services and related therapeutic functions to clients living with HIV, their partners, families and caregivers and others affected by HIV infections. It is obligatory that he/she should possess mental health expertise, such as; health promotion, prevention, treatment; peer support and self- help that can support a client living with HIV.
Roles and Responsibilities
Demand Creation for HIV services
• Provide conducive environment, which will aid client’s free expression through application of welcome services model
• Support and facilitate provision of health talks in designated areas (HF) to create demand for HIV testing, viral load uptake, Cervical cancers, TB screening and other services.
• Collaborate and support HTS providers at facility and community level in provision of index case testing and HIV self-testing
Linkage to care and Treatment
• Support clients with referrals, to HIV testing services, ART clinic and reproductive health services within the health facilities
• Work with facility team to facilitate generation of the list of HIV+ clients and Infant with DNA+ not linked to care for follow up and linkage to care
• Collaborate with other professionals to assess client’s other needs and plan their treatments such community support.
Psychosocial support services
• Identify clients who need psychosocial support services in the facility (Low level Viraemia and Viraemia 1000+, New+, missed appointments, status disclosure, and those classified as high risk clients)
• Conduct bookings of clients who need psychosocial counselling basing on booking protocol
“Christ’s Love in word and deed”
• Develop and provide appropriate individualized health services using comprehensive psychosocial case management and document in the Patient support services progress notes, and register.
• Conduct risk stratification to clients and ensure they are assigned to appropriate interventions
• Manage risk stratification model interventions at facility and district level ensuring all data is captured using appropriate tool and shared with district and central office
• Implementation of Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention (PHDP) activities with fidelity thereby improving the dignity and quality of life of people living with HIV.
• Manage and track all new positive and client who interrupted in care (28 days IIT) and are continuing in treatment using case management model
• Manage and follow up all clients enrolled for psychosocial support services, ensuring all clients attend their appointments and commence tracing within 48 hours if booked client misses appointment.
• Refer clients to other services within the facility that are due such as viral load testing, and mental health services
• Assist in running intensive HIV care Clinic (IHCC) through provision of welcome services.
• Proactively identify gaps and communicate with supervisors for interventions/further instructions.
• Collaborate with other professionals to assess clients’ other needs and plan their treatment.
• Regularly evaluate the impact of psychotherapeutic interventions through operational research and other related development that are appropriate and relevant to the client and service needs.
• Provide relevant consultation counselling services to the facility staff whenever necessary
• Discharge clients based on psychosocial support discharge criteria
• Ensure all M&E tools used in psychosocial support are available and well documented.
• Provide relevant feedback to health care providers who referred the clients for Psychosocial support in an appropriate and timely manner
• Regularly represent organisation on matters of psychosocial support.
• Supervise other counsellors such as patient supporters assigned in the facility
• Keep basic records and compile monthly reports
Qualifications:
• A Diploma in psychosocial counselling from a recognized institution.
• Certified HIV testing services providers and those with experience in working with adolescent and children living with HIV will have an added advantage.
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Right to Care is at the vanguard in supporting and delivering prevention, care, and treatment services for HIV and associated diseases. We work with government and communities to find pioneering solutions to build and strengthening public healthcare.
We embrace a strong entrepreneurial culture and focuses on innovation and the use of technology to enhance services, address skills shortages, and deliver quality healthcare outcomes. Our areas of expertise include HIV and TB care and treatment, pharmacy automation, medical male circumcision, and cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment.
