Executive Director, LACHP
Company: Heluna Health
Location: Los Angeles
Posted on: January 28, 2023
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Job Description:
If hired for this position, you will be required to provide
proof that you are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 prior to your
start date, or have a valid religious or medical reason qualifying
you for an exemption (that may or may not require
accommodation).
SUMMARY
Program Overview and History
Los Angeles Community Health Project (CHPLA) is a program of Heluna
Health. CHPLA's mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of
people affected by substance use in Los Angeles, to increase access
to health care, to empower people to protect themselves, and
educate each other to reduce harm in our communities. CHPLA
combines direct services, advocacy, outreach, education, and
research collaborations to fulfill this mission. Community Health
Project Los Angeles was founded in 1992 and has since grown to
incorporate a range of programs and services delivered to
underserved populations and areas of Los Angeles County. CHPLA is a
quickly growing and impactful agency that is seeking a person
highly qualified in public health and harm reduction interventions
that can lead the organization with commitment, knowledge, and
dedication.
Los Angeles Community Health Project (CHPLA) was originally named
Clean Needles Now (CNN) and had its beginning as a committee within
the militant AIDS activist organization, ACT UP Los Angeles.
Initially coming out of ACT UP Los Angeles' People of Color Caucus,
CNN launched its first street-based exchange on June 28, 1992, the
day that LAPD Chief Daryl Gates left office, disgraced for his
handling of the beating of Rodney King and the subsequent rebellion
that raged across the city of Los Angeles in April of that same
year.
In addition to support from the People of Color Caucus in ACT UP,
CNN attracted numerous artists from within ACT UP. Performance
artists, visual artists, musicians, and club promoters served as
the lifeblood of CNN. Artist-activists, many of whom had experience
as drug users, ensured that the needle exchange would value
creative and innovative responses to the harm facing drug
users.
Coming out of the AIDS activist movement, CNN rejected the
then-prevalent divide between organizing public health services and
direct militant political action. The crises facing drug users, in
particular people living on the streets, meant that organizing harm
reduction inherently involved direct action. CNN activists saw
drug-related harm as driven by the AIDS crisis, but most
dramatically resulting from the devastating war on drug users and
continual state violence against poor people. Harm reduction was
inherently a fight for justice.
Like many syringe exchange programs across the United States, CNN
volunteers in the early years continually risked arrest. On
September 7, 1994, Mayor Richard Riordan declared a state of
emergency allowing needle exchange to proceed in Los Angeles
without LAPD harassment. Within a year, CNN established the Harm
Reduction Center. The storefront in Hollywood offered harm
reduction services and a social center with art programs, support
groups, and a non-sober drop-in space. Like the organization's name
and its outreach vehicle decorated with decals boldly declaring
"clean needles save lives," the Harm Reduction Center grew out of a
strategic vision that harm reduction, like drug use, needed to be
normalized and understood as a fact of life. Fighting stigma begins
by naming the reality of our lives. The Harm Reduction Center was
eventually forced to close its doors in the early '00s due to the
pressures of gentrification. Nevertheless, CNN continued to thrive,
expanding outreach and being the first organization in Los Angeles
to distribute Naloxone before legislators made street distribution
legal.
In 2013, CNN changed its name to Los Angeles Community Health
Project. The name change did not alter the organization's core
values. Retaining the spirit of the early harm reduction movement,
CHPLA acknowledged the fact that drug users themselves and not
public health professionals were the original authors of harm
reduction. It was drug users and poor, often black and brown
communities, who created support systems and safer drug use
practices that empower drug users to defend themselves and their
communities. This understanding guided the organization's ongoing
commitment to peer-led outreach and building an organization that
valued staff and volunteers with lived experience.
Coming out of the struggles of queer liberation, women's health and
communities of color defending themselves through self-organized
health services, CHPLA (like CNN before it) adheres to the basic
principles of harm reduction, embracing our community members where
they're at. A community-centered approach recognizes that recovery
looks different for different people. CHPLA believes in the
importance of bodily autonomy, including the right to use drugs.
CHPLA also retains as a core value that public health and the
necessity of harm reduction take priority over what policy or the
law allows.
The history of CHPLA underscores the value of drug user communities
to constantly innovate new interventions to the crises that impact
our members' lives. The organization learns from and in
relationship with our community members and their own analysis of
our world, proving to us time and again that social change follows
from people taking action, and defending our health even if that
means challenging the very laws, institutions, and power structures
that cause harm in our lives.
Position Summary
The focus of the Executive Director is to provide leadership for
the continued development and implementation of CHPLA's mission,
values, policies, strategic direction, partnerships, and annual
goals and objectives. The Executive Director will be expected to
effectively gain a timely and deep understanding of the agency's
history, culture, progression, current status, populations served,
services offered, collaborating partnerships, governmental support
and restrictions, fiscal agent relationship, funding sources,
contractual requirements, data collection and storage and all other
applicable areas relevant to directing the agency in its entirety.
To learn more about our organization, please visit our website at
http://chpla.org/.
This is a full-time benefitted position. Employment is provided by
Heluna Health.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Organization Direction, Development, and Assessment
--- Oversee, plan, develop, organize and direct all of the
organization's operations
--- Ensure all programmatic services have been designed in a way
that supports health in communities served while practicing CHPLA'S
historical values
--- Collaborate with the Board of Directors, Heluna Health,
directors of programs and collaborative partnerships to identify,
create and implement strategic plans to actualize agency
objectives
--- Identify opportunities within and for the organization to
protect agency interests, stability, growth, and goals
--- Identify vulnerable areas within the organization and develop
and implement a corrective plan to address these areas
--- Participate in the planning and development of new projects,
project expansion, and programs
--- Work closely and regularly with program directors to assist and
support in program planning, development, and implementation
--- Consult with directors of programs to identify and correct
challenged areas of service delivery to ensure the agency is
providing the highest quality and most effective health
interventions to the community
--- Participate in the completion of written funding requests and
grant writing
--- Develop and cultivate strong relationships with key
stakeholders, including fellow nonprofits, financial funders, local
government agencies, and board members
--- Develop the organizational culture and promote collaboration
and achievement throughout the organization
--- Evaluate the quality of programs to ensure the delivery of
compassionate and competent care
--- Dedicate 20% of the work week to field services to ensure a
culture of competent and effective programming
Financial Responsibilities
--- Effectively manage the organization's finances to ensure
budgets across programs are in line with spending expectations and
schedules
--- Make periodic operational adjustments in order to achieve
budgetary objectives and timelines
--- Identify potential sources of funding that support existing
areas of focus and a strategic organizational growth plan
--- Organize and oversee fundraising campaigns and community
involvement activities and events
Legal and Contractual Compliance
--- Monitor program contracts against data and deliverables to
ensure contractual compliance and effective, maximized and
responsible programming
--- Monitor reporting requirements to ensure the timely generation
and submission of required reports for each program
--- Ensure programmatic compliance with all local laws,
regulations, and legal requirements governing services provided
--- Monitor agency operations to ensure employees and service
practices comply with legal requirements
Staff and Workplace Environment Involvement
--- Identify, recruit and train talented employees who can deliver
qualified and compassionate care to at-risk communities
--- Evaluate employee performance and identify strategies for
improvement and growth as needed
--- Ensure staff has a knowledge base of risk factors and behaviors
that contribute to negative health outcomes and evidence-based
interventions that support health improvement and that this
information be effectively verbalized to the community
--- Provide informative, supportive, and empowering leaders for a
diverse and committed team
--- Promote high-performing work practices and invest in all
staff's continued professional development
Advocacy Efforts and Coalition Building
--- Collaborate with community-based organizations and support
local efforts to advance related harm reduction proposals and
activities
--- Strengthen CHPLA's role and participation in advocating for
sound local policy change and increased funding dedicated to harm
reduction work and services
--- Through advocacy efforts, represent the mission and philosophy
of CHPLA to the greater public health, governmental authorities,
and harm reduction community
--- Communicate effectively, with cultural competence and influence
among diverse audiences, groups, and stakeholders
--- Engage diplomatic and productive interactions with CHPLA
employees, Heluna Health, funders, and community partners
--- Identify underserved areas within LA County and build
professional relationships in those areas as a means of expanding
geographic coverage and services offered by CHPLA
Organization Policies and Workplace Safety
--- Understand agency and program policies and procedures, as well
as compliance with applicable regulations (i.e., OSHA, HIPAA)
--- Maintain a safe and inclusive working environment that promotes
health in the workplace and encourages a dedicated and thriving
employee team
--- Participate as needed in staffing and participant issues that
require a formal intervention
NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
This role is a multifaceted position that will present unexpected
challenges, tasks, responsibilities, and duties. The Executive
Director is expected to meet the demands of the position as they
naturally occur.
JOB QUALIFICATIONS
Education/Experience
--- High school diploma required; bachelor's degree preferred
--- People with lived experience are encouraged to apply
--- At least five (5) years working with harm reduction, public
health, or social service programs in action or direct services
--- Ten years of work experience in program management including
staff supervision and financial management
--- Experience managing community-based organizations or nonprofits
that address issues of public health or social justice
--- Experience tracking local, state, and federal government
policies as they gain and lose traction and adapting to policy
change
--- Experience supervising multiple staff and leadership roles
effectively with an inclusive and equitable style
--- Experience developing large scale, service driven programs
--- Experience with grant identification and writing
--- Experience creating reports required by funders
--- Experience managing program or organization finances and
limited financial resources effectively
Certificates/Licenses/Clearances
--- A valid California driver's license, proof of vehicle
insurance, and reliable transportation when needed to carry out
job-related essential functions.
--- Successful background check clearance
---Must be at least 21 years of age and will be required to enroll
in the DMV Pull Notice program
Other Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
--- Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (i.e.
Word, Excel, Outlook)
--- A deep knowledge and understanding of contributing personal and
social issues that contribute to health risk behaviors,
homelessness, and drug use
--- A deep understanding of the effects of trauma history on the
life course, physical and mental health, and behaviors
--- Understanding of harm reduction approaches at the individual,
community, agency, and legislative levels
--- Willing to work in the field or on the floor on a range of
tasks including managing inventory, preparing for field activities,
for training purposes or ensuring a smooth and steady operational
workflow
--- The ability to work effectively with teams, share information,
and work collaboratively to solve problems, make decisions, and
develop programs
--- Strong ability to maintain confidential information
--- Demonstrate sensitivity and speak on issues with the utmost
professionalism and appropriate language when addressing the needs
of underserved and at-risk community members across diverse
communities
--- Excellent speaking, writing, spelling, grammar, and
proofreading skills in English
--- Excellent mathematical and accounting skills
--- Ability to engage in clear, concise, appropriate communication
with a range of individuals from governmental authorities to
program participants
--- Comfortable addressing and presenting information to large
groups and representing agency plans, goals, needs and
challenges
--- Can work independently and in a team, effectively,
diplomatically, and harmoniously
--- Commitment to the overall mission, success, and goals of
CHPLA
--- Comfortable providing quality and compassionate care to people
who use drugs, people who inject drugs, people who engage in sex
work, people without stable housing, low or no income, LGBTQ+,
previously incarcerated, with criminal records and mental health
challenges.
--- Thorough understanding of and experience with data collection,
identifying data trends, data maintenance, and creating reports
that effectively illustrate data from numerical to real-world
value
--- If you know another language, please include this in the
application and at what proficiency level (basic, conversational,
very good but not bilingual, 1st language)
--- If you have experience writing curricula, please include this
in the application.
--- Creative and visionary thinking, imagination, and innovation in
problem-solving and program planning are strong assets to this
position
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Stand Frequently
Walk Frequently
Sit Frequently
Handling / Fingering Occasionally
Reach Outward Occasionally
Reach Above Shoulder Occasionally
Climb, Crawl, Kneel, Bend Occasionally
Lift / Carry Occasionally - Up to 50 lbs
Push/Pull Occasionally - Up to 50 lbs
See Constantly
Taste/ Smell Not Applicable
Not Applicable Not required for essential functions
Occasionally (0 - 2 hrs/day)
Frequently (2 - 5 hrs/day)
Constantly (5+ hrs/day)
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The majority of time will be spent in a general office setting.
Will be necessary to travel throughout the county of LA for
training, staff supervision, and fieldwork participation. Fieldwork
is conducted outdoors under various outdoor conditions and
environments. May be asked to travel occasionally to present on
this program.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Interested candidates must submit a relevant resume and a cover
letter along with a completed application.
Heluna Health is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer
that encourages people of color, women, veterans, and the disabled
to apply.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with
Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner
discriminate against employees or applicants because they have
inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of
another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access
to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as
a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of
other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise
have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is
(a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance
of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an
investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the
contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR
60-1.35(c)
Keywords: Heluna Health, Los Angeles , Executive Director, LACHP, Executive , Los Angeles, California
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