The Linkage Coordinator (LC) will be responsible for participant outreach, enrollment, data collection and review, and linkage to resources for the Antiretroviral Improvement among Medicaid Enrollees (AIMS) research study, which will evaluate approaches for supporting individuals, and their providers, at early risk of falling out of HIV care. The LC will use strengths-based and motivational interviewing techniques to identify participant barriers to filling antiretroviral treatment prescriptions, will assist participants in linking directly to supportive resources and may provide health education to participants. The LC will contact Virginia residents eligible for the study, obtain informed consent to participate, and administer a study-specific telephone-based questionnaire. The LC will document and manage participant information, as well as engage with participants, using two online platform(s): REDCap and PositiveLinks, a mobile app program for adherence support. The LC will receive training in use and functionalities of both platforms, as well as in health education. The LC will also, when appropriate, contact, obtain informed consent and provide information to medical providers eligible for the study. The position is ideal for those interested in team-based, multi-disciplinary research and acquiring research-related experience in the public health sector. The position is granted-funded, lasting approximately two years.
The LC will play a central role in the research and will join the large, multi-disciplinary research team which is conducting the AIMS study. The AIMS study represents a collaboration between VCU and multiple research partners. The LC will receive training and support for their work from the research team, and the LC will be an active collaborator in research team meetings.
The ideal candidate will have:
• Assets and traits such as flexibility and patience, the ability to solve problems creatively, genuine interest in the well-being of the participants, and ability to identify participant progression toward goals;
• Cultural competency and comfort with diverse populations and lifestyles;
• Excellent time management and organizational skills;
• Professional work experience in motivational interviewing, person-centered interventions, and documentation (e.g., as in the Department of Social Services or medical case management);
• At least 3 years of experience working with HIV or other chronic condition; and
• Bachelor’s degree (Master’s degree preferred).
LC responsibilities will include:
• Telephone-based participant enrollment, including participant informed consent
• Telephone-based survey administration to determine treatment adherence barriers
• Data entry to capture survey responses, including brief open-ended questions
• Linkage to protocol-specified support resources
• Written, tele-communicative and mobile app-based engagement with participants
• Use of strengths-based and motivational interviewing techniques to engage with participants
• Documentation of participant information
• Follow-up with participants according to the study protocol
• Maintaining the study’s resource databases
• Answering participant questions with accurate information in a timely manner
• Documentation of technical or other study implementation issues
• Communication with the VCU implementation team for trouble-shooting
• Following all study protocols and procedures
• Protecting participant privacy
• Active participation in team-based meetings
