Center for Health & Justice Transformation
Miriam Hospital
Full-time
Bilingual Spanish Preferred
Summary:
The Community Health Worker (CHW) provides navigational case management and home/community-based services to members of the community.
A Community Health Worker is �a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the CHW to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. A CHW also builds individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach community education informal counseling social support and advocacy.� (APHA CHW Section)
Specifically the role of the community health worker is to:
- Operate in a supportive role within an interdisciplinary health care team utilizing an integrated care and treatment model.
- Provide peer outreach case management and navigational services to members of the community who may not be cared for by traditional medical institutions.
- Collaborate with the medical home- primary care (PCP) behavioral health and social work providers to deliver interventions that will maximize patient health outcomes.
Responsibilities:
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
- Under general supervision the CHW is responsible for performing the following essential job functions:
- Recruits patients by conducting outreach activities in the community.
- Builds trust with patients and community members in order to provide support empowerment education and case management services.
- Advises patients and others regarding health care and other community services available to them; assists patients in utilizing services; makes follow-up contacts when required.
- Conducts periodic assessments of health behaviors such as patient�s physical activity dietary habits cigarette smoking habits; social factors such as housing and employment status; and social and economic resources.
- Educates clients with chronic illness about evidence-based standards of care and self-management of their chronic illness.
- Educates patients about the health care system appropriate sites of care and self-navigation all in an effort to help the patient build skills to become self-sufficient and manage their health independently.
- Documents work with patients through appropriate record keeping that follows the clinic�s policies and procedures; assists with gathering data relevant to program evaluation as appropriate.
- Operates effectively in a multi-disciplinary clinical setting which may include participating regularly in clinic program meetings and attending patient medical visits upon request.
- Participates in team meetings and assists as needed in any activities related to the clinic or the Lifespan Community Health Institute.
- Serves as liaison between the professional staff and the community; including developing relationships with various stakeholders in the community.
- May transport ambulatory patients between their homes and clinics hospitals or other social agencies and meet with patients at home in the hospital or in community settings.
- Attends ongoing training for community health workers.
- Practices clear effective consistent communication with clients and colleagues.
- Demonstrate privacy and confidentiality meeting all related training and practice requirements of the Lifespan system.
- Works nights and weekends as required.
- Other duties as assigned.
Other information:
QUALIFICATIONS – EXPERIENCE:
Two (2) years of verifiable experience providing information education intervention and/or referral services to culturally diverse populations. Recent experience (last 5 years) working as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a health care setting preferred.
Community Health Worker certification in Rhode Island preferred.
Experience with motivational interviewing advising/counseling clients and/or participating in health promotion and health education activities.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent organization thorough record-keeping follow through and ability to juggle multiple priorities in fast-paced environment with multiple collaborators.
Demonstrated excellent attendance and reliability.
Prior experience using an electronic health record preferred.
Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.