Title: Community Health Worker

Department: Primary Care

Shift: 8:30AM - 5:00PM CST / M-F

Location: Chicago - City Wide/ Shelter Base

Heartland Alliance Health’s (HAH) mission is to transform healthcare for the most vulnerable – particularly people experiencing homelessness, mental illness or addictions, or struggling with multiple chronic illnesses – improving health for all and the well-being of our community.

Join us! to assist individuals who are experiencing homelessness in shelters and other outreach locations including those, living with HIV/AIDs, have a serious mental illness, substance use disorder or are refugees with obtaining access to health care and social services in the community. Utilizes and discusses personal experiences regarding his or her recovery from mental illness, homelessness and/or substance use, or experiences as a refugee when providing services to participants as determined appropriate with his or her supervisor. The CHW engages individuals who are not in care, are seeking care in emergency departments or other facilities, are referred for care and met through outreach. The CHW provides on-going peer support and case management to obtain access to health care and achievement of collaboratively developed health goals proportionate to the individual’s readiness.

The CHW is expected to have an understanding of mental illness and substance use and be willing to engage individuals who are experiencing these. The CHW has life experience similar to that of members of the population with which he or she is assigned to work. The CHW is aware of his or her life experience and its impact on his or her participation in healthcare and is willing and able to share this experience with the participants served in an effort to:

• Engage the individual in service delivery
• Assist individuals in understanding his or her service needs
• Promote understanding of the individual's needs within the care delivery team
• Help the individual served integrate care recommendations into his or her daily life
• Advocate for the individual and help reduce barriers to change

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct outreach and case-finding to identify individuals in need of healthcare and social services, incorporating education efforts to increase awareness.
• Assist in planning and strategizing with a collaborative team to improve referrals and transitions within care systems for participants.
• Support participants in accessing healthcare and supportive services, and navigate health and social service systems. This includes arranging for public transportation and accompanying participants to appointments as necessary.
• Facilitate participants' adherence to health goals through peer support, frequent follow-ups, and a harm reduction approach.
• Perform grant intake interviews and ensure accurate report completion, including daily encounter logs, monthly data submissions, and case management summaries for medical records.
• Engage in assigned meetings, conferences, and committees, contributing to the broader health and social service community discussions.
• Provide advocacy, assessment, planning, and casework services to individuals, demonstrating competence and sensitivity to their diverse backgrounds and needs.
• Work collaboratively with community health providers, social services, and partner agencies to address service gaps and barriers.
• Maintain a caseload as required by grant conditions and provide comprehensive support across all designated sites, including migrant shelters and unhoused populations.
• Ensure reliable transportation is available to cover service areas effectively.
• Emphasize engagement and trust-building with participants to facilitate access to services.
• Understand the Community Health Worker (CHW) role thoroughly, acknowledging its impact on community health and the specifics of its scope and responsibilities.
• Adapt to varying schedules and locations, maintaining consistent support across different sites and demonstrating strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Navigate and access community resources for participants, offer health education tailored to population needs, and advocate within the healthcare system and social services.
• Show cultural sensitivity and competency, offer crisis intervention strategies, and refer to mental health services when necessary.
• Collect community feedback to enhance services, develop outreach programs to increase service participation, and build partnerships with local organizations for better service delivery.
• Gather data on health outcomes and service utilization for program improvement and fulfill reporting requirements, with knowledge of Electronic Health Records.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Education and/or experience: High School Diploma (Associates Degree preferred – Health and Human Services related field). Demonstrated experience with and appreciation of the health and human service needs of vulnerable populations. Ability to work with vulnerable populations in a non-judgmental manner and has the ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team. Proficiency in a specific language may be required. Lived experience of homelessness or substance use disorder.
• Skills/Abilities: Ability to communicate effectively both orally and written, and have basic computer skills. Must be able to multi-task, have initiative, and be self-directed. Ability to endure periods of heavy workload or stress. Ability to work with frequent interruptions and respond appropriately to unexpected situations. Ability to transport self to and from off-site locations. Ability to work with other members of the healthcare team and community to provide quality health care services.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequently retired to stand, sit, walk, and commute.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Significant amount of time spent in outreach and at off-site locations as a representative of Heartland Health Outreach.

Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $35,000.00 - $42,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Loan forgiveness
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Medical specialties:

• Primary Care

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Work Location: In person