Community Health Worker

Overview

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Community Health Worker (CHW) provides culturally appropriate health education, information, outreach and navigation services to patients with chronic health conditions including substance use disorder (SUD). The CHW assists patients with access to services specific to the funded project as well as other resources as applicable and available.  The CHW supports providers through an integrated, team-based practice approach and provides social support and informal counseling, while advocating for individuals and community health needs The CHW possesses a thorough understanding of community resources and culture to address the barriers to care, and to better tailor health messages. 

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Serves as a liaison between the provider and community resources, including those that are the focus of the specific funded project, and the patient's community, family, and social context to facilitate connections across systems of care.
• Engages with patients identified and referred by UMass Chan.
• Meets with patients per the project’s timeline and facilitate patient access to next step in treatment. Conducts initial needs assessment, reviews the patient's history, and identifies the patient's goals and expectations together with clinical staff, facilitate referrals to appropriate disposition options for individual patients. 
• Works collaboratively with treatment team to implement evidence-based services to patients.
• Helps patients navigate the healthcare system and social service system; accompany patients to appointments and meetings as needed.
• Educates patients about treatment and utilizes motivational enhancement techniques to promote treatment.
• Provides peer counseling and support patients in establishing and achieving treatment goals.
• Addresses barriers to successful treatment and serves as advocate.
• Conducts active outreach efforts to encourage attendance and participation in treatment.
• Assists with access to treatment, creating systems and procedures to rapidly identify treatment needs and determine appropriate level of care.
• Assists with data collection for quality assurance, program evaluation and grant reporting.
• Develops a treatment plan with patients and care team.
• Monitors patients' progress and evaluate outcome, using a patient tracking system.
• Clearly and effectively facilitates communication between the patient, PCP, and any external providers maintaining appropriate confidentiality procedures and boundaries.
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date records and standardized data on all patients. Systematically reviews the caseload with the supervisor each week, focusing on new patients and patients who are having difficulties.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Current Certification as a Community Health Worker or Peer Specialist or equivalent experience or education.
• Minimum of 3 years working in a community agency or health care setting.
• Experience with the PT1 system.
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a multidisciplinary health care team.
• Strong advocacy skills along with knowledge of community based services and resources.
• Comfort with multiple pathways to treatment and willingness to embrace a patient-centered approach that recognizes an individual's preferences and autonomy.
• Comfort in working in both medical and social service settings.
• Clinical skills in motivational enhancement strategies.
• Ability to provide accurate feedback without judgment or discomfort.
• Flexibility to adapt to unforeseen needs or circumstances.
• Excels at problem solving and multi-tasking, organized, efficient and goal directed. Ability to maintain effective working relationships with patients/families and staff.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Effective use of the Internet and Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Ability to handle confidential information.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bilingual – Spanish and English