Position Title: Community Tracing Collaborative Contact Tracer

Reports to: Community Tracing Collaborative Contact Tracing Supervisor

Location: Remote

Position Type: Full-Time, Temporary, includes evenings and weekends

Project Overview:

The current COVID-19 pandemic exceeds the existing Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Local Boards of Health ability to perform contact tracing. As a result, many people are unaware that they are a contact of a person with COVID-19. Contacts may have asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic COVID-19 and can unwittingly spread the virus in the community. To break the chain of transmission, contact tracing and isolation must be scaled-up rapidly.

To support the Department of Public Health (DPH), Partners In Health (PIH) will hire, train and supervise a team of community contact tracing staff across Massachusetts. The aim of this will be to call every person diagnosed with COVID-19, gather their contacts, and proceed to call every contact in Massachusetts. In tandem with Commonwealth-wide effort to increase testing and improving communication and implementation of isolation and quarantine this will fortify efforts to control the pandemic in Massachusetts.

Position Overview

The Contact Tracer will use a web-based client resource management (CRM) platform to call all contacts of anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 to document a symptom check, refer them for testing according to established protocols, and provide them with instructions for quarantine. Contact Tracers are required to follow all scripts, policies and procedures provided by PIH, and comply with Department of Public Health training regarding confidential information related to personal information. Contact Tracers must record all data accurately in the CRM platform. Contact Tracers are prohibited from providing any clinical or medical advice.

Responsibilities

• Call contacts of newly diagnosed patients, communicating in a professional and empathetic manner.
• Follow the script to inform contacts about the importance of quarantine and what to do if symptoms develop. They are not permitted to deviate from the script or provide information that is not included in the script.
• Collect and record information on symptoms into the CRM.
• Provide contacts with approved information about Massachusetts quarantine procedures, and if appropriate, refer them to testing according to protocol and/or to a COVID-19 Care Resource Coordinator for social resources.
• Carry out initial case investigation calls as needed.
• Triage and coordinate next steps for care and isolation for individuals the person has been in contact with.
• Perform other phone calls as needed, including to contacts who have been exposed to COVID-19, to places of business a COVID-19 positive patient has frequented, and to refer patients and their families to different social services.
• Required to use personal telephone, computer and electronic equipment to complete work and must maintain daily contact with supervisor.
• May be tasked with mentoring other staff on proper CRM usage and protocol adherence through one-on-one support or broader training sessions, leveraging a library of approved documentation
• May be tasked with providing feedback on CRM or protocol development and/or escalating issues to other CTC teams for clarification or improvement
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Ability to exhibit a professional, positive attitude and work ethic
• Excellent interpersonal skills required and ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse individuals during a time of crisis and distress
• Ability to show empathy to distressed individuals
• High school diploma, or equivalent required
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Ability to speak, read, and write English
• Second or multiple languages a plus (Spanish or Portuguese fluency a plus)
• Critical thinking and sound judgment required
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism
• Proficiency with computers
• Technology requirements: PC with Windows 10, Antivirus Protection: Windows Defender and Windows Firewall; or Mac with Apple OS X 10.13, Antivirus Protection: Sophos; and personal mobile device to use for this job. A headset is preferred. No tablets or IPads.
• Massachusetts Resident preferred, and familiarity with Massachusetts’ geography; cities/towns/locations required

Organizational Profile

Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health organization relentlessly committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. PIH partners with local governments to build local capacity and works closely with impoverished communities to deliver high-quality health care, address the root causes of illness, train providers, advance research, and advocate for global policy change.

PIH currently has implementation programs in Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Liberia, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Peru, Mexico, Sierra Leone and Navajo Nation. Through our partnership with Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, we support a wide range of programs in dozens of other countries around the world.

Partners In Health (PIH) is committed to the fundamental principle of equal opportunity and equal treatment for every prospective and current employee. It is the policy of PIH not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex and gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law. PIH works in and with?a number of?governments in and outside the U.S., and to the extent applicable, this statement is intended to incorporate the prohibition of any unlawful discrimination covered by applicable laws in such countries, states and municipalities.