Harm Reduction Specialist - Chelsea Commons - PSH - LTHR

Harm Reduction Specialist - Chelsea Commons Permanent Supported Housing

Chelsea, MA 02150, USA

Posted Monday, November 3, 2025 at 5:00 AM

Bay Cove Human Services’ mission is to partner with people to overcome challenges and realize personal potential. Bay Cove pursues this mission by providing individualized and compassionate services to people facing the challenges associated with developmental disabilities, mental illness, substance use disorders, and homelessness at more than 175 program sites throughout Greater Boston and southeastern Massachusetts.

Schedule: Tuesday-Saturday, 12p-8p

Job Summary: The Harm Reduction Specialist provides person-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive services to individuals who may be using substances, involved in sex work/survival sex, or experiencing other vulnerabilities. The Harm Reduction Specialist contributes to Bay Cove’s mission by partnering with and supporting residents’ well-being as they define and pursue the life of their choosing.

This is a non-exempt position.

Essential Functions of Position:

• Develop and maintain strong, non-judgmental, therapeutic alliances with residents, respecting their autonomy and readiness for change.
• Provide individualized harm reduction education, tools, resources, and supplies to residents, including safer use supplies, overdose prevention (e.g., naloxone distribution), and sexual health resources.
• Facilitate harm reduction-focused groups and workshops (e.g., overdose prevention, safer use strategies, coping skills), as well as offer community building opportunities such as community nights and on site social activities.
• Conduct wellness checks, crisis de-escalation, and informal check-ins in collaboration with other program staff as needed using de-escalation and trauma-informed approaches.
• Manage the inventory of harm reduction supplies and informational brochures to ensure easy access by team members and program participants.
• Connect with local agencies, community stakeholders, health service providers, members of support networks to improve access to services and support the development of individualized support networks.
• Participate in case conferencing, team meetings, supervision, and training to ensure coordinated, high-quality support for residents.
• Facilitate access to and advocate for residents’ needs within systems of care (e.g., healthcare, legal, benefits) while supporting the development of self-advocacy skills for the residents.
• Maintain accurate documentation of services provided in accordance with program requirements and confidentiality standards.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Requirements for the position:

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in social work, public health, psychology, or related field OR equivalent lived/professional experience (peer support or lived experience of recovery, homelessness, or substance use).
• Deep understanding of harm reduction principles and the challenges faced by individuals who use substances.
• Demonstrated commitment to low-threshold, housing-first, and trauma-informed service delivery.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience working in supportive housing, homelessness services, or substance use settings preferred.
• Familiarity with motivational interviewing, stages of change, and person-centered care preferred.
• Frequent interaction with providers, colleagues, customers, persons served, and visitors requiring the employee to communicate, as well as detect and interpret information, needs, and issues quickly and accurately, occasionally during emergency situations.
• Frequent communication of accurate information, instructions, and ideas so others will understand.
• Frequent phone and computer use for documenting patient care, accessing needed information, etc.
• Bilingual candidates encouraged to apply, pay differential offered for candidates with fluency in certain essential languages - Bilingual Spanish/English preferred.

Bay Cove Human Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, or any other groups as protected by Massachusetts or federal law. All qualified candidates, regardless of background, are encouraged to apply.

Bay Cove Human Services does not offer visa sponsor ships at this time and will require candidates to be authorized to work in the United States.