HTS Counselor at AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)

• HTS Counselor will be responsible for providing HIV Testing Services to patients and clients using provider-initiated testing & counseling, voluntary counseling and testing, targeted family and partner testing/partner notification services, line listing of high-risk patients, already in care clients and other novel HTS approaches.
• HTS counselor will promote the provision of psychosocial counseling, adherence to care & treatment, encouraging family testing and facilitating effective referral of clients to access other preventive health services.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create awareness and offer knowledge on HIV and provide education about HIV testing services.
• Lead in the mobilization of clients for HIV testing.
• Provides pre and post-test HIV counseling to all patients willing to have the HIV test done ensuring clients understand prevention methods and other relevant issues.
• Provide confidential HIV testing to clients as per the national HTS guidelines.
• Encourages and supports patients that test positive; helping them to cope with the new diagnosis.
• Provide ongoing counseling and make relevant referrals for ongoing support.
• Documenting the appropriate MOH tools for HTS and maintaining accurate HTS records including referrals and reports on referral outcomes.
• compile and submit HTS reports monthly and correctly document generated data in the approved data tools as required by NASCOP and AHF Kenya program.
• Participates in Mass HIV testing initiatives and campaigns.
• Acts as (by facilitating) a linkage between HIV diagnosis, care, support, and treatment.
• Understands and implements operating policies and procedures.
• Timely request for all necessary consumables for undertaking HTS activities.
• Participates in HTS QA activities like proficiency testing, counseling supervision, and quality control measures like batch testing of rapid test kits.
• Attend continuous professional development (CPD) sessions for professional growth and development.
• Ensures HTS optimization in the facility.
• Provide assisted Partner Notifications Services to partners of the people living with HIV while protecting their rights and observing professional ethics.
• Attend GBV and trauma counseling to clients in need. Conduct HIV tests to them and does appropriate referrals.
• Screening and identifying clients eligible for PrEP, and offering appropriate referrals
• Work as a team in supporting fellow counselors through peer support supervision.
• Refer and link negative clients to preventive services and positive clients to care and treatment services.
• Ensure there are appropriate IEC materials, job aids, and SOPs necessary for HTS in the testing sites.
• Identify facility-specific strategies to meet agreed on facility targets.
• Carry out scheduled home visits when carrying out index testing and do a follow-up on unlinked positive clients.
• Carry out adherence counseling to clients.
• Identify resources and promote the program; serve as liaison to the community by conducting presentations on all program activities.
• Participates in community activities such as Integrated Outreach Camps.
• Support case management duties through collaborative coordination with other health service providers to ensure optimal service delivery to clients and client retention to care
• Ensure the maintenance of appropriate, accurate, and clear documentation of all outreaches, education, case management, and group activities – report writing.
• Actively participate in training, ongoing skills enhancement training, and network meetings.
• Supervises and mentors’ outreach/supported testing sites counselors
• Maintains collaborative linkages with health centers, NGO’s, CBOs, Civic leaders, National AIDS control program (county level), and other relevant institutions