Job Description

Primary Purpose

Our organization seeks a self-motivating team player to join our Community Health Worker (CHW) program. Community health workers (CHWs) are frontline public health workers who have a close understanding of the community they serve. This trusting relationship enables them to serve as a liaison/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. Under indirect supervision, this individual will work closely with medical providers, primary care teams, and social service agencies to provide care coordination and connection to resources. In addition, they will empower clients to improve their health and general well-being through education and provision of coordination of care and services. This individual should have a passion for sharing knowledge about health education and health promotion and have a keen understanding of the community. They will also build 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.

Essential Functions

Outreach and Partnership Development

• Health system navigation and resource coordination, such as: Helping a patient find providers. Helping a patient make an appointment for a service. Arranging transportation for a medical, dental, and behavioral health appointments. Transporting and attending appointments with the patient for medical, dental, behavioral health, or specialty appointments. Helping a patient find other relevant community resources such as a support group, housing. Assisting patients who are hospitalized with obtaining care within the center. Monitoring patients that are frequently present on our medical loss ratio (MLR) reports and assisting patients with obtaining the care they need within the center and reducing emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Working with health plans to reduce the Medical Loss Ratio for patients and manage rosters of patients not coming into the clinic for primary care. Meet patients where they are, i.e. home visits, hospital, rehabilitation facilities, place of employment to assist with providing services or access to services.
• Health promotion and coaching providing information or education to patients that makes positive contributions to their health status, such as: Cessation of tobacco use, Reduction in the misuse of alcohol or drugs, Improvement in nutrition, Improvement of physical fitness, Family planning, Control of stress, Pregnancy and infant care including prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome
• Health education to teach or promote (content of the education must be consistent with established or recognized healthcare standards) methods and measures that have been proven effective in avoiding illness and/or lessening its effects, such as: Immunizations, Control of high blood pressure, Control of sexual transmittable disease, Prevention and control of diabetes, Control of toxic agents, Occupational safety and health, Accident prevention.
• Coordinating with Outreach to provide education to patients as well as bringing medical services to the patient via the mobile unit.
• Provide culturally appropriate health information and education to patients.
• Attend staff/agency meetings as required.
• Work across multiple departments within the agency to support quality improvement initiatives.
• Will make at least three (3) attempts to contact patients in the attempts of encouraging completing necessary screenings and/or prerequisites for enabling services.
• Completes other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Minimum of an associate’s degree or higher

Completed an approved CHW training program in South Carolina or equivalent.

A minimum of two years’ direct experience preferred but not required

Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable personal transportation

Experience with navigating local medical and social support systems preferred

Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with people of differing cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds

Demonstrate computer skills, including proficiency in MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.)

Pass a thorough background investigation

Electronic Medical Records (EMR) experience preferred.

Excellent communication skills; customer focused; excellent attention to detail; able to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines; strong interpersonal skills; able to work in a team environment.

Basic knowledge of medical terminology.

BLS certification.