Community Engagement & PSS Officer

Job Details

The Community Engagement & PSS Officer will provide technical and program oversight for strengthening community engagement and mobilization under the Local Partner Health Services – North & Southwest Activity implemented by JCRC. The activity supports continuation of technical assistance for a district-based, integrated package of quality HIV/AIDS and TB services in nine districts in the Acholi sub-region, with the goal of increasing availability, accessibility and utilization of quality integrated HIV and TB services. The officer will work with community resource persons, community leaders, CBOs, CSOs, PLHIV and other community groups, and coordinate with District Health Educators and Community Development Offices. This is a full-time position based in Uganda (Acholi sub-region cluster) under the LPHS North & Southwest Activity.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Support facility teams to line-list and map eligible clients for APN and ICT (newly identified HIV clients, clients on ART and clients with non-suppressed viral load) and ensure site teams include CHWs and health workers with trained and lay HIV testers
• Facilitate and oversee HIV case finding using high-yield modalities (OPD, IPD, YCC screening, APN/ICT, SNS, HIV self-testing/caregiver testing) and linkages
• Track, mobilize and supervise all community activities as planned by site teams to ensure implementation with fidelity
• Support site teams to generate lists of clients completing 3 months on ART, HIV/TB co-infected completing treatment and PMTCT 3 months post-natal and attach them to CHWs for TPT initiation
• Support presumptive TB patients to access GeneXpert and HIV testing and ensure contacts including under-5 contacts meeting eligibility are initiated on TPT
• List PBCs (initial contact, 2 months, 5 months, 6 months) with their contacts, map and arrange home visits through LC1 and VHT structures after consent for TB contact tracing
• Mobilize households for contact tracing and community TB screening and ensure TB screening for all clients during community activities including CAST+ activities
• Support use of PMTCT/EID audit tool to track mother-baby pairs and EID testing for all HEIs in care
• Link and refer mothers of malnourished infants to economic strengthening and livelihood programs for improved food security
• Plan and implement integrated community outreaches for case finding and support ANC screening for PrEP eligibility and timely initiation
• Support updating of ART cards, contact forms, HMIS tools and audit tools, and track appointments, treatment continuity, MMD, DSDM and client literacy
• Support meaningful client attachment to peers/CHWs for community contact, follow-up and return to care, evidenced in audit tools, contact forms and client files
• Coordinate to minimize treatment interruption, track clients to be initiated on 3rd-line ART, VIA-positive clients not linked to treatment and clients with suspected cancer for referral, and support integrated bi-directional referral system
• Provide technical support for facility and community viral load access, IAC for failing clients, CAGDOTS and peer support groups
• Support home-based PSS and caregiver support to improve treatment literacy among caregivers, adolescents and PLHIV
• Institutionalize patient-centered matrix (PCM) at facility level: generate monthly line lists of non-suppressed clients, conduct PCM interviews and follow up on intervention matrix
• Optimize CHW attachment and contact model to ensure clients access all eligible services
• Ensure advanced HIV disease screening and management for non-suppressed PLHIV in ART and PMTCT clinics
• Using audit tools, line-list eligible clients for viral load bleeding and support facility and community VL sample collection and referral to POC and CPHL
• Support timely documentation in primary tools (NSVL register, APN, PEP, Contact Tracing register, SNS, PSS section of ART card, facility community register etc.)
• Support pre-clinic preparations and ensure service checklists are updated to ascertain due services before clinic day
• Document all services offered and referrals for PEP and ensure weekly/monthly/quarterly and annual reports are submitted, including QI documentation
• Strengthen performance management and capacity building for community resource persons and peer group structures and support service layering to minimize missed opportunities
• Work closely with District Health Educators and Community Development Office to strengthen community-based structures to create demand for TB/HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment and as platform for referrals and linkages
• Support site teams, OVC, CSOs and CBOs to hold weekly review meetings for audit tools, develop action points, and support community models including CAGDOTS
• Manage project finances, work plan and supervisory support per project finance guidelines for the assigned district
• Contribute to identification and documentation of promising practices and success stories for integrated health services and community engagement
• Design, monitor and report on key activities related to HIV/AIDS/TB prevention, care and treatment scale-up
• Support mentorship and coaching of HCWs on comprehensive HIV/AIDS/TB prevention, care and treatment, provide distance/call technical assistance for complicated cases, support QA of services and recommend corrective action
• Oversee monitoring and evaluation and Quality Improvement approaches in cluster areas, lead documentation of best practices for sharing at district/cluster/regional/national/international forums, and oversee day-to-day planning and coordination of cluster-level activities
• Mobilize communities to increase uptake of MNCH services including ANC, 1st trimester ANC, PNC, immunization and child health services through outreaches and community events
• Strengthen community-facility linkages through identification, referral and follow-up of pregnant women, newborns and children requiring health services
• Support community health education and behavior change on maternal, newborn and child health including danger signs, nutrition, breastfeeding and immunization
• Support community-level MNCH data collection, reporting, follow-up of referrals and coordination with VHTs, health facilities and district health teams
• Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor

Qualifications, Skills and Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Community Development, Community Health or Nursing
• Postgraduate qualification in Public Health, Sociology or Community Health is an added advantage
• At least 3 years’ experience in PEPFAR HIV/TB projects community work with experience gained through serving within a government institution or NGO with proven ability to coordinate activities of different stakeholders at district and/or sub-national level
• 3 years’ experience training community health workers and/or CBOs in MNCH, FP, HIV and TB interventions
• Skills in at least two or more of: strengthening service delivery programs, supporting referrals and linkages between and among communities and health facilities, performance and quality improvement, psychosocial support, and integrating health service delivery into community structures
• Proven ability to coach, mentor and develop technical capacity in national programs and technical staff
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills