Harm Reduction Specialist

Description NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center is seeking a Harm Reduction Specialist. This position will support participants engaged in the Harm Reduction & Testing Services program. This role operates from an educational, non-judgmental, and person-centered framework, ensuring all individuals receive services grounded in dignity, compassion, and respect. The Harm Reduction Specialist will be responsible for providing education on safer injection and smoking practices, guidance on the use of testing strips, naloxone training, and overdose response education. The position also includes conducting community outreach and connecting participants with additional resources and referrals as needed. Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into an open competitive position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus. For more information visit employee referral program. Find us here at upcoming career fairs! While the full salary range for this position is listed above, the maximum starting salary for this grant-funded position will not exceed $55,000 per year and will depend on the candidate's qualifications. Location and hours: This position will be performed on-site at the main clinic at NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center at 2220 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411, at the Harm Reduction & Testing Services site at 710 West Broadway Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411, and out in the Hennepin County community providing outreach. Work hours will be Monday through Friday, with typical hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Employee Orientation (NEO) for all new benefit-earning employees is in-person in downtown Minneapolis. Details about NEO will be provided upon hire. About this position type: This is a grant funded, limited duration (temporary), full-time benefit earning position expected to last up to 2 years. This position is internally classified as a Community Health Worker, Senior. Click here to view the job classification specification. In this position, you will: * Provide intakes for participants, assess needs, educate, provide referrals, and input data. * Exchange syringes and supplies, counsel participants on safer injection practices, educate participants and distribute testing strips, and provide naloxone education, overdose awareness, and correct administration. * Assist in packing safer sex kits, cotton baggies, cookers, alcohol pads, period products, etc. * Conduct outreach in the community to identify individuals in need of services, focusing on underserved populations. * Collaborate with local organizations, faith-based groups, and community leaders to raise awareness of available services. * Represent the program at community events and forums to promote harm reduction and available services. * Provide education to participants and families on harm reduction and available resources. * Advocate for participants by helping them navigate healthcare systems and address systemic barriers. * Collect and report data on outreach and service outcomes to inform program improvements. Need to have: * One of the following: * Completion of two years or more of college in social/behavioral sciences or another field related to the area. * Two years or more of experience working in a community outreach or public health setting. * A valid driver's license and daily access to reliable transportation sufficient to visit community sites throughout Hennepin County. Nice to have: * Two or more years of experience in harm reduction or related programming, providing education and understanding barriers impacting people who use. * Experience performing face-to-face education and/or outreach within diverse communities. * Experience working in a syringe services program, chemical health program, or other behavioral health program. * Strong connection to and/or familiarity with the North Minneapolis community. * Familiarity with Microsoft Office. * Knowledge of health care systems and local resources for relevant referrals. * Ability to: * Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, community agencies, and culturally/socioeconomically diverse clients. * Communicate information to people with different levels of understanding and diverse backgrounds. * Execute outreach plans, collect data, and prepare monthly reports. * Effective verbal, written, and group communication skills. Candidates with fluency in another language(s) in addition to English are encouraged to apply. Bilingual candidates who pass a language assessment may qualify for additional bilingual pay and duties. About the department: NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center is a multi-specialty medical, dental and mental health center and human service agency located in North Minneapolis. NorthPoint strives to improve the physical and socio-economic health of the North Minneapolis community through an integrated model of health and human services. About Hennepin County: Hennepin is the largest county government organization in Minnesota. Our employees work every day to improve the health, safety and quality of life for our residents and communities. All of our jobs align with our mission to serve residents through transformative services that eliminate disparities, eliminate inequities, and create opportunity for all and our vision of a community where all people are healthy, all people are valued, and all people thrive. Our employees receive a combination of competitive benefits and positive workplace culture not found at other organizations. This includes meaningful work that impacts our community, competitive pay, work-life balance, a variety of benefits and opportunities to grow. Learn more at The Bridge(login as Guest). Hennepin County envisions an organization where our commitment to diversity and the elimination of disparities is fundamental in providing excellent service to our community. Your future. Made here. This posting may be used to fill current and future vacancies. Watch this video for application best practices and tips. These positions will have access to systems or other documentation that contains HIPAA data. Invitations to interview will be based upon an assessment of education and experience. Final candidates may be required to complete a drug test that may include testing for cannabis, a driver's license check, and/or a criminal background check. If you have any questions, please contact: Rebecca Maddaus Why work here? Hennepin County embraces the Total Rewards philosophy. We want our employees to succeed - not only at work but as they move through life and its milestones. We offer advantages and opportunities others can't - including: * Meaningful work * Public service * Competitive pay * Work-life balance * Generous benefits * Opportunities to grow * Commitment to your success By working in public service, we are a part of something larger than ourselves. Together, we support those in need. We help people access information and services. We empower vibrant and diverse communities. We serve residents. Employee Benefits Summary Visit our benefits page to learn more: bridge.hennepin.us/eligibility. If you are a current Hennepin County employee please be aware that any change in job classification may affect your current benefits (such as a conversion from Vacation/Sick Leave to Paid Time Off and/or enrollment in a Health Care Saving Plan.) Information about the impact of job changes on benefits can be found here. 01 This position is a grant-funded, limited duration (temporary), benefit earning position expected to last up to 2 years. Are you willing and able to accept these conditions? * Yes * No 02 This position will be performed on-site at the main clinic at NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center at 2220 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411, at the Harm Reduction & Testing Services site at 710 West Broadway Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411, and out in the Hennepin County community providing outreach. Work hours will be Monday through Friday, with typical hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Employee Orientation (NEO) for all new benefit-earning employees is in-person in downtown Minneapolis. Details about NEO will be provided upon hire. A valid driver's license and daily access to reliable transportation sufficient to visit community sites throughout Hennepin County. Are you willing and able to meet these requirements? * Yes * No 03 What is the highest level of education you have completed in social/behavioral sciences or another related field? * I do not have any related post-high school education * Less than 30 semester (45 quarter) credits * 30 semester (45 quarter) - 59 semester (89 quarter) credits * 60 semester (90 quarter) credits or more 04 List any related post-high school education you have completed. Indicate the school(s) you attended, your major area(s) of specialization, and any degree(s) received. If you do not have any related education, type "None" in the space provided. 05 How many full-time equivalent years of experience do you have working in a community outreach or public health setting? * I do not have this experience * Less than 2 years * 2 years or more 06 Describe your experience working in a community outreach or public health setting, referencing job(s) listed on your application/resume. If you do not have this experience, type "None" in the space provided. 07 How many full-time equivalent years of experience do you have in harm reduction or related programming, providing education and understanding barriers impacting people who use? * I do not have this experience * Less than 2 years * 2 years or more 08 Describe your experience working in harm reduction or related programming, providing education and understanding barriers impacting people who use, referencing job(s) listed on your application/resume. If you do not have this experience, type "None" in the space provided. 09 How many full-time equivalent years of experience do you have performing face-to-face education and/or outreach within diverse communities? * I do not have this experience * Less than one year * 1 year or more, but less than 2 years * 2 years or more, but less than 3 years * 3 years or more, but less than 4 years * 4 years or more 10 Describe your experience performing face-to-face education and/or outreach within diverse communities, referencing job(s) listed on your application/resume. If you do not have this experience, type "None" in the space provided. 11 Do you have experience working in a syringe services program, chemical health program, or other behavioral health program? * Yes * No 12 Describe your experience working in a syringe services program, chemical health program, or other behavioral health program, referencing job(s) listed on your application/resume. If you do not have this experience, type "None" in the space provided. 13 In addition to English, identify the language(s) in which you consider yourself fluent: * American Sign Language * Amharic * Arabic * Bosnian * Cantonese * Croatian * Hmong * Khmer * Lakota/Dakota/Nakota * Lao * Mandarin * Ojibwe * Oromo * Russian * Spanish * Somali * Vietnamese * Other American Indian language(s) * Other * None of the above 14 If you selected "Other" in the previous question, please indicate which language you are fluent in. 15 Please choose the one recruitment source that best describes how you first learned about this job opening. Please review all possible choices before making your selection. Your response to this question helps us evaluate the effectiveness of our recruitment methods. * College or university (job board, career services, or instructor) * Community or nonprofit organization (counselor, job board, etc.) * Employee or recruiter of Hennepin County (supervisor/manager, colleague, or Human Resources) * Friend or family member that is not a Hennepin County employee * Hennepin County job notification emails * * Job fair or networking event * LinkedIn * Print advertisement (flyer, postcard, billboard, transit ad, etc.) * Professional association (ASCE, APWA, ISACA, etc.) * Social media (Handshake, Facebook, X, Instagram, etc.) * hennepin.jobs or 16 For the recruitment source selected above, please provide the specific name of the person, website, or media source. Required Question Employer Hennepin County Address Hennepin County Government Center 300 South Sixth Street Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55487 Phone 612-348-7855 Website

Created: 2026-04-15