Position: Community Health Worker

Department: Administration  

Reports to: Clinical Director

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt (Full Time 40 hours per week).

Position Summary:

The Community Health Worker (CHW) supports community integration efforts related to care for participants in the community in partnership with healthcare providers. The CHW focuses on individuals with complex medical, physiological, and social needs. The CHW, working in concert with the participant and health care providers, assesses, plans, arranges, and evaluates health and social needs supporting a person-centered approach to chronic disease self-management.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Supports transitional care management needs for participant cases by coordinating with discharge planners, primary care staff, and other health care providers to support successful transitions and avoid re-hospitalization, considering psycho-social barriers and self-management support.
• Conducts in-person assessment of participant needs and motivation, barriers, physical environment, and available resources, and develops plans of care to support the accomplishment of participant and provider self-management goals.
• Assesses psycho-social barriers to effective disease management and self-care, identifying resources needed and supporting participant activation to obtain needed services and supports or identify methods for reducing identifying barriers.  
• Actively participates with health care and care management systems to support transitions of care, effective goal accomplishment, and participant compliance.
• Work as the liaison between participants, health care providers, and community-based agencies to increase access to community services and support and provide ongoing communication with providers and other relevant community organizations.
• Coach participants to foster a healthy lifestyle and behavioral changes regarding nutrition, exercise, medication adherence, and chronic condition self-management to reduce the risk of disease exacerbation and hospitalization.
• Supports achievement of Agency mission, vision, and reflects its values in work behavior.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

    
Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or GED required.
• CHW Certification obtained within one year of employment. CareWell Services to cover cost of certification. 
• Associate degree in human services preferred. 
• Experience in serving a diverse population in urban or rural environments with the familiarity of resource networks preferred. 

License and/or certification:

• Community Health Worker Certification is required within one year of hire.
• CareWell Services will cover the cost of the CHW Certification.
• Equivalent training and experience preferred. 
• Current CPR Certification preferred. CareWell Services will cover the cost of training.
• Licensed LPN, CMA, CNA desirable. 

Required Skills: 

• Personality and demeanor to deal with the public and assist participants.
• Flexible and adaptable in various situations and when interacting with many different personalities.
• Basic office skills.
• Detail-oriented and professional.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and related software.
• Ability to analyze and diagnose problems and work independently to solve them.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to operate general office equipment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidential information.

    
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:    

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. In addition, reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at a time.
• Must be able to travel to offsite assignments.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Listening, hearing, and speaking abilities required by this job include communicating and exchanging information adequate for conversation, information gathering, and telephone communication.
• May be required to perform repetitive motions of the hands, fingers, and wrists to do data entry.
• The employee may be required to negotiate to enter and exit various properties/locations (including properties with stairs and without accessible entrances/exits).
• Must be able to negotiate uneven terrain, stairs, and interiors of homes in various environments; the employee must travel in all kinds of weather and have reliable transportation.