Harm Reduction Medical Director

LA County Department of Health Service is seeking a Harm Reduction Medical Director (Physician Specialist) to oversee the delivery of harm reduction services at DHS’s Harm Reduction Health Hubs, a project for Housing for Health (HFH) and the Office of Diversion and Reentry (ODR) Harm Reduction Division (HRD). Working in collaboration with HFH, ODR, and HRD program staff and Medical Directors, the Harm Reduction Medical Director (Physician Specialist) will oversee delivery of care at DHS Harm Reduction Health Hubs in Skid Row and provide a range of direct patient services, including examining, evaluating, diagnosing and treating patient illnesses in HFH and HRD DHS facilities (i.e., Star Clinic) with a focus on providing health care services to people who use drugs, engage in sex work, experiencing homelessness, have justice system involvement, and are at risk of communicable diseases and traffic accidents. The Harm Reduction Medical Director (Physician Specialist) will also provide input on the design, implementation, and evaluation of clinical harm reduction initiatives at (ie, the Harm Reduction Health Hubs, with a particular emphasis on interventions to reduce overdose and other drug-related harms, sexually transmitted and other communicable diseases, harm related to interpersonal violence, mental health crises and self-harm and accidental injury – all factors leading to disparate morbidity and morality rates among persons experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable community members served by HFH and HRD.

The Harm Reduction Medical Director (Physician Specialist) position will report to the HFH Senior Physician with a secondary report to the HRD Director. The position will work collaboratively with programatic, behavioral health, and occupational therapy staff to achieve enhanced health outcomes, reduce harm, and reductions in excess morbidity and morality experienced by persons experiencing homelessness.

Essential Functions:

• Medical Direction:
  • Oversee the delivery of medical services provided at DHS Skid Row Harm Reduction Health Hubs.
  • Provide direct medical services to patients at DHS Skid Row Harm Reduction Health Hubs and/or STAR Clinic.
  • Develop clinical treatment plans focusing on reducing further risks related to drug use, communicable diseases, sex work, and traffic accidents.
  • Provide clinical consultation to HRD staff regarding the development of clinically oriented programming and to HFH clinical staff to address the myriad of patient needs, including the provision of post-overdose reversal support, safer consumption services, abscess/wound care, STD screening, medications for addiction treatment and productive planning and health services.
  • Provide clinical feedback regarding contracted clinical partners’ ability to provide high quality services at the Harm Reduction Health Hubs in a manner consistent with DHS standards and Harm Reduction best practices.
• Support the coordination of significant intra- and inter-agency initiates that deliver harm reduction services to highly vulnerable PEH and other community residents (e.g. ex workers, transgender community members, substance users, and victims of violence.) Includes coordination of services between DHS, Office of Diversion and Reentry, Correctional Health Services, Department of Mental Health, Department of Public Health, Department of Public Social Services, city of LA and other city jurisdictions, Los Angeles Homelessness Services  Authority, community health centers and hospitals and hundreds of homeless service agencies.
• Participate in the scale-up of harm reduction initiatives across Los Angeles County to address the drivers of morality among PEH, including methamphetamine/Fentanyl overdose, suicide/homicide, and traffic fatalities.
• Providing training and technical assistance to community partners on harm reduction and the care of patients at risk for drug-related (and other) harm.
• Participates in the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data to determine the impact and efficiency of harm reduction services being provided to HRD and HFH patients.
• Leads quality improvement initiatives to enhance the quality of practice, manage risks, gain efficiencies and maximize reimbursement.

Selection Requirements

Completion of a residency approved by an American Specialty Board in one or more designated specialties* or equivalent training**, Curriculum Vitae and Statement of Career Goals ****

Preferred Experience: Experiencing in addiction medicine, harm reduction, street medicine, and/or care of people experiencing homelessness or incarceration.

Prior leadership in clinical services delivery and/or quality improvement

Community and stakeholder engagement.

LICENSE:
California State Physician and Surgeon’s Certificate authorized by the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of California.

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

PHYSICAL CLASS:
3 – Moderate.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Information Pertaining to the Completion of Residency Program: 

*Applicants who successfully complete their medical residency program approved by an American Speciality Board within 6 months of filing may compete in this examination. However, their names will be withheld from the certification list. Applicants MUST submit a copy of their recommendation letter from the Residency Program Director confirming good standing and anticipated successful completion date, at the time of filing or email the analyst within fifteen (15) calendar days of filing online. The recommendation letter must be on a legible letterhead from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization. In the event candidates do not successful complete their residency program, their names will be removed from the certification list. A copy of the completion of residency program certificate must be submitted before final appointment.

Applicants who do not possess a California State Physician and Surgeon’s Certificate at the time of filing may compete in this examination. However, their names will be witheld from the certification list pending receipt of the required California State Physician and Surgeon’s Certificate authorized by the Board Examiners of the State of California.

Applicants who have completed a residency training program approved by the American Speciality Board MUSt attach a legible copy of their certificate of completion to the application at the time of filing or email the analyst with fifteen (15) calendar days of filing online.

Special Requirement Information:

**Certification must be in the following specialities: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Addiction Medicine

*** Equivalent training is defined as the training which the appropriate American Certifying Board formally recognizes in writing as being equivalent.

**** The Statement of Career Goal is a narrative that serves as an effective way of assessing current career achievements and the means one should take for accomplishing such career objectives. The career statement is a short and clear essay that presents the career vision of a professional for making an effective career plan.

Information Pertaining to the Required California State Physician and Surgeon’s Certificate

*****Applicants who have the required California State Physician and Surgeon’s Certificate authorized by the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of California must attach a legible copy of their certificate to the application at the time of filing or email the analyst within 15 calendar days of filing online.

The required license and/or certificate MUST be current and unrestricted; conditional, provisional, probationary or restricted licenses and/or certificate will NOT be accepted.