Community-based Drug Checking Provider

Vermont CARES Syringe Service Program is hiring.
Full time in St Johnsbury & Rutland

Who are we?
Vermont CARES is a non-profit organization that provides harm reduction services to people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and substance use disorders. The organization’s mission is to provide compassionate services, meeting people where they are to provide low barrier access to harm reduction services.

What is drug checking?
Drug checking services (DCS) provide ways for people who use drugs to analyze the chemical contents of a drug sample so they can make safer, more informed choices about if or how they may use that drug. The primary goal of drug checking services is to help people who use drugs make better-informed decisions about their drug use and reduce risks of overdose and other health consequences.

Vermont has established community-based drug checking in state law, funded by opioid settlement money, with full support from the Vermont Department of Health.

Vermont CARES is launching drug checking services in early 2025, beginning with our Syringe Service Programs in St. Johnsbury and Rutland with longer term planning to expand to all four of our locations, mobile service areas and community-based pop ups.

Who are we looking for?

We are seeking someone who can comfortably and openly discuss drug use, share drug checking results, and talk through practical safer use strategies. Success in this role requires comfort with technology, strong computer skills, and a willingness to learn new systems.  The ideal candidate will provide compassionate, nonjudgmental, and culturally competent harm reduction services, primarily focusing on community-based drug checking.

We strongly encourage individuals with lived or living experience of drug use to apply. This perspective is vital to our work. We are looking for folks who are passionate about expanding access to lifesaving services and supplies to help prevent fatal overdoses in our communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Staff on-site program consistently.
• Safely perform drug checking for participants, clearly communicate test results, and provide nonjudgmental guidance on safer use practices.
• Safely handle small drug samples submitted by participants to perform drug checking using Ramen Spectrometry.
• Support daily operations of the SSP. Assemble safer use kits, update inventory, do mobile deliveries, support staff coverage and maintain a clean office environment.
• Distribute essential supplies like syringes, naloxone, and safer use kits, while offering compassionate guidance on overdose prevention, safer use strategies, and connecting participants to additional health and social services.
• Collaborate with Syringe service Program Provider to build and maintain a supportive environment for people who use drugs.
• Work with the SSP Manager to support ongoing program growth, while collecting and submitting accurate data on drug checking services and SSP transactions.

Reliable transportation required. Full time position (37.5 hours) based in Saint Johnsbury & Rutland with great benefits (health, dental, vision, generous CTO, mileage reimbursement).  Salary $37,000-$40,000.

Send a letter of interest and resume to Rachel Bolton by email at [email protected] Positions open until filled.

We believe that diversity in experiences, perspectives, knowledge and ideas fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and strive to treat all employees with respect, dignity and sensitivity. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of criminal justice history, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression or identity, age, disability, veteran status, marital status or any other legally protected class. We encourage those with lived experience with drug use to apply.