Position Title: Community Health Navigator

A Community Health Navigator is a vital member of the South Florida community, collaborating with the local healthcare system. Sharing ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status, and life experiences with community members, CHNs provide culturally sensitive health education and information. They connect women to essential care, including primary care and breast and cervical screenings, advocate for health needs, and offer interpretation and translation services. Living within the community they serve, CHNs can effectively deliver information where it's most needed, reaching residents in their daily environments. CHNs are frontline agents of change, working to reduce health disparities in underserved communities.

Main Responsibilities:

The primary role of the Community Health Navigator is to guide women’s health patients through the healthcare system, aiming to reduce deaths due to late-stage breast and cervical cancer by improving access to care, fostering relationships with service providers, and tracking interventions and outcomes.

Patient Navigator Activities Include:

- Culturally appropriate health promotion and education.

- Assistance in accessing medical services and breast and cervical screenings.

- Help in accessing non-medical services to address social determinants of health.

- Interpretation and translation services.

- Mentoring and social support.

- Coordination and/or provision of transportation.

Specific Duties:

- Guide patients through the healthcare system, ensuring timely and prepared attendance at appointments.

- Utilize culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions and strategies.

- Facilitate referrals for mammogram screenings to Promise Fund Women's Health Programs

- Communicate sensitively with patients upon learning of abnormal mammogram, biopsy, or pap smear results.

- Connect patients to community and social support services.

- Assist patients in finding financial resources for breast and cervical healthcare.

- Arrange transportation for patients as needed.

- Facilitate communication between patients and healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, and social services staff.

- Inform Community Health Center practitioners about the navigator role and encourage referrals.

- Provide women’s health education and outreach to individuals and groups.

- Establish community relationships by engaging with churches, synagogues, schools, libraries, etc., and collaborate with community groups to raise health awareness.

- Build relationships with other patient navigators in the Promise Fund Patient Navigator Network and attend bi-monthly meetings.

- Track and document interventions and outcomes.

Outcomes of CHNs' Service:

- Connect women to primary care services to improve health outcomes.

- Improve access to breast and cervical screening services.

- Increase utilization of healthcare services.

- Enhance adherence to health recommendations.

- Reduce the need for emergency services.

- Foster understanding between community members and the health and social service systems.

- Enhance communication between community members and health providers.

Job Requirements:

The ideal candidate will have a background in women’s healthcare, social services, nonprofit management, mental health, or community development, with at least one year of experience in navigation, health education, or care coordination. Bilingual abilities in Spanish or Creole required. Candidates must be self-starters with the ability to identify and engage with community organizations to promote the program. Understanding of cancer and cancer services is preferred.

Basic Knowledge:

- Proficiency with computers and Microsoft Office.

- Excellent oral and written communication skills, able to engage effectively with individuals and large groups.

- Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

- Strong interpersonal skills.

- Knowledge of community resources and healthcare processes and structures.