Description

The Community Health Worker (CHW) is responsible for helping patients and their families to navigate and access community services, other resources, and adopt healthy behaviors. The CHW supports providers and the Case Managers through an integrated approach to care management and community outreach. As a priority, activities will promote, maintain, and improve the health of patients and their family. CHW provides social support and informal counseling, utilizes motivational interviewing, advocates for individuals and community health needs, and provides services such as assistance with goal setting, instruction on healthy behaviors, and provides introduction and assistance with accessing resources. 

Essential Functions: 

• Responsible for establishing trusting relationships with patients and their families while providing general support and encouragement. 
• Provide ongoing follow-up, basic motivational interviewing and goal setting with patients/families. 
• Follow-up with patients via phone calls, home visits and visits to other settings where patients can be found. 
• Help patients set personal health related goals and attend appointments. 
• Provide referrals for services to community agencies as appropriate. 
• Help patients connect with transportation resources and provide appointment reminders in special circumstances. 
• Exhibit excellent working relations with patients and staff. 
• Effectively communicate CareLink's mission. 
• Work closely with medical and behavioral health providers to help ensure that patients have comprehensive and coordinated care plans. 
• Work collaboratively with other clinical personnel and supportive teams assigned to the same patient. 
• Knowledgeable about community resources appropriate to needs of patients/families. 
• Responsible for providing consistent communication to the Case Manager to evaluate patient/family status, ensuring that provided information and reports clearly describe progress. 
• Act as a patient advocate and liaison between the patient/family and community service agencies. 
• Record patient care management information in the EMR and other software no later than 24 hours after patient contact. 
• Attend regular staff meetings, trainings and other meetings, as requested. 
• Manage assigned caseload of patients. 
• Performs other duties as assigned 

Performance Skills: 

• Good organizational skills to handle multiple priorities while remaining professional and calm. 
• Ability to work with many diverse people, including individuals with developmental disabilities, behavioral challenges, and other disabilities. 
• Strong level of confidentiality due to the sensitivity of materials and information handled. 
• Ability to make suggestions on workflow or system efficiency and effectiveness. 
• Ability to work independently, be self-directed and flexible. 
• Ability to work at a high-volume level of accuracy. 
• Situation-appropriate sense of urgency, prioritization skills, follow through and sense of task ownership. 
• Ability and willingness to provide emotional support, encouragement and motivation to patients. 
• Good communication skills, such as listening well, and using language appropriately. 
• Ability to read multiple handwriting styles. 
• Ability to use normal desktop and laptop computers. 
• Adherence to all company policies, rules, regulations, laws, and other guidance at all times, including those relating to privacy and confidentiality. 

Requirements

Education/Experience Required: 

• Minimum high school education or equivalent; 
• Fluent speaker, reader, and writer of English. 
• Experience working in a multi-cultural setting. 
• Experience working with older adults. 
• Successful completion of a Community Health Worker training program. 
• Current BLS and/or CPR certification from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross, or willingness to become certified. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Second language fluency preferred; Spanish highly preferred.
• Experience working in a community-based setting. 
• Experience with electronic medical record (EMR) systems. 
• Familiarity with medical terminology. 
• Experience or interest in working with all abilities including the intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) population. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Visual Acuity – average acuity acceptable. Must be able to use visually oriented office/medical equipment. Must be able to read and complete forms. Must be able to visually assess patient status and response to treatment.
• Auditory Acuity – average acuity acceptable. Must be able to communicate person to person and via telephone. 
• Hand and Eye Coordination – average coordination acceptable. Must be able to deliver patient care and adequately manipulate equipment as it relates to job duties. Must be able to perform basic office tasks such as writing and computer equipment. 
• Hand Dexterity – average dexterity acceptable. Must be able to adequately perform hand movements in the categories as follows: fine/gross manipulation, simple/firm grasping. 
• Full Body Mobility – ability to work at a fast pace. Must be able to maneuver upper body adequately to occasionally lift one to twenty-five (25) pounds from floor to waist; and carry up to twenty-five (25) pounds with assistance as needed. Occasional bends and twists, walking, standing, sitting for long periods of time. Must be able to balance on legs. Must know limits to physical strength and secure and direct assistance when needed. Must demonstrate good body mechanics at all times.
• Follow Through – must be able to follow verbal and written instructions. 
• Safety – may not pose a threat to the health or safety of others in the workplace. 
• Works indoors in a temperature-controlled environment on a carpeted and/or tiled work surface.
• May be exposed to occasional slippery floors, objects on floors, chemicals and sharp objects.
• May be exposed to hazardous materials, blood borne pathogens and communicable diseases. 
• May be subjected to stressful situations.