Psychosocial Coordinator

The Psychosocial Coordinator takes a lead role in supporting the national response to the HIV epidemic by developing recommendations for national standards and guidelines for the provision of psychosocial care, designing evidence-based behavioral interventions, training and supervising psychosocial staff, and leading rigorous monitoring and evaluation of the psychosocial component of the national response.

The Psychosocial Coordinator will work collaboratively with stakeholders in the public health system and civil society to provide training, supervision and mentorship.

Location: Ministry of Health - Treatment, Care and Support Unit, HIV/STI/Tb Unit

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in counseling, clinical, Health psychology, or social work (clinical emphasis)
• Licensed/Qualified to supervise psychologists and/or social workers
• Minimum 7 years experience for MSc and 5 years experience for PhD
• Experience in training and supervising psychologists and/or social worker
• Specialized training and experience working with PLHIV
• Specialized training and experience working with sexual minorities

Scope of Work

Training and Supervision

• Coordinate a training programme to develop skills for psychologists and social workers employed to the national HIV response to support improved well-being among key population groups, adopting HIV prevention behaviors, coping with HIV disease, treatment adherence and retention in care.
• Supervise psychologists, social workers, peer navigators, adherence counselors, case managers involved in psychosocial care of PLHIV
• Provide training in motivational interviewing to health care workers and monitor utilization of MI principles.
• Provide psychosocial training to agencies involved in implementing the HIV prevention and treatment response.
• Facilitate regular supervision meetings for different categories of psychosocial staff

Intervention development

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary team to develop behavior change strategies for prevention and treatment that appropriately address the dynamics of the epidemic in Jamaica
• Develop  HIV preventive interventions and interdisciplinary HIV prevention resources and communication mechanisms to rapidly translate research findings to community and public policy arenas
• Utilise psychosocial care to provide innovative solutions to cascade gaps
• Propose research to increase understanding of and develop solutions to the problems associated with initiating and maintaining behavior change

Develop national standards and guidelines

• Develop national standards for the provision of psychosocial care
• Develop guidelines for role of psychologists employed to the National HIV response
• Develop guidelines for integrating psychosocial care into other chronic disease clinics

Monitoring & Evaluation and Research

• Develop M & E framework for all components of Psychosocial programme
• Monitor implementation of psychosocial programme
• Evaluate the implementation of case management guidelines
• Evaluate implementation of peer navigation services
• Support outcomes research to inform the development of psychosocial interventions to improve HIV treatment and care cascade

Deliverables

• National standards for the provision of psychosocial care
• guidelines for role of psychologists employed to the National HIV response
• guidelines for integrating psychosocial care into other chronic disease clinics
• M&E framework for psychosocial programme

Special Skills

• leadership and team building skills
• Experience working in health care settings

Note

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Contact

Senior Director
Human Resource Management & Administration
Ministry of Health
10a Chelsea Avenue,

Kingston 5

Base Salary: Undisclosed