Quality - Community Health Worker

Job Summary

The Community Health Worker (CHW) visits clients and their families in their home or preferred location while they receive community support services and learn new skills to improve their health and their lives. Enhanced Care Management (ECM) requires a coordinated team effort between Care Managers, Social Navigators, and Community Health Worker.

Duties/Responsibilities:

The following reflects management's definition of essential functions for this job but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time with reasonable accommodation.

• Conduct outreach and engage community members in assigned service areas.
• Provide education and information on health topics, including preventive care, chronic disease management, and health lifestyles.
• Assist individuals and families in accessing medical, behavioral, and social support services.
• Help clients navigate healthcare and social service systems.
• Conduct home visits, follow-up calls, and community site visits as needed.
• Document activities, client needs within healthcare and social service systems.
• Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate health education and nurture change behavior.
• Help the client to reduce barriers they may have in arranging transportation, filling out forms, making appointments, translation, or finding childcare.
• Advocate for the client's needs within healthcare and social service systems.
• Accompany clients to appointments as needed.
• Perform in-person and telephone visits to engage potential ECM clients in service.
• Collaborate with healthcare providers, social services agencies, and community organizations.
• Participate in all UCHC staff meetings and Enhanced Care Management meetings.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA regulations.

Non-Essential Functions

• As directed by the clinic manager or ECM Team members, performs other related and/or necessary tasks to achieve organizational and programmatic goals and objectives.

Professional Requirements

Adhere to dress code, appearance is neat and clean.Maintain current license, registrations and/or certifications.Maintain patient confidentiality at all times.Demonstrate ability to coach and motivate patients. Demonstrated familiarity with the community of interest and an understanding of the lived experiences of underserved populations. Report to work on time and as scheduled as attendance and punctuality is necessary.Ability to work well with a multidisciplinary team. Ability to problem solve and be self-motivated. Maintain regulatory requirements, including all state, federal and local regulations.Represent the organization in a positive and professional manner at all times. Comply with all organizational policies and standards regarding ethical business practices. Communicate the mission, ethics and goals of the organization.Must have excellent written and oral skills, strong organizational, problem-solving and analytical skills. Expected to have strong interpersonal skills and have the ability to understand and follow written/verbal instructions. Able to work independently with little or no supervision. Ability to conduct behavioral health screenings and understand mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress.Competence in identifying behavioral health crises and understanding crisis management protocols.

• Familiarity with mental health resources and community support programs.

Qualifications

• High school diploma, or GED required.
• Associate or bachelor's degree in health or social services preferred.
• Certificate as a Community Health worker preferred.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience in community outreach, social services, or healthcare preferred.
• Knowledge of local community resources, public health programs, and social services systems.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish required.
• Valid drivers license and reliable transportation required, and proof of insurance required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent people skills, with an ability to partner with a dynamic leadership team.
• Possess personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to corporate mission.
• Flexible and able to multitask; can work within an ambiguous, fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solutions; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities.
• Maintain current knowledge of policies and procedures as they relate to safe work practices.
• Follow all safety procedures and report unsafe conditions.
• Ability to work with a diverse population.
• Willing to work flexible hours, including evenings.
• Must have reliable transportation.
• Must be self-directed and work productively with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated proficiency in using Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, Access, Outlook.
• Knowledge of Electronic Health Records.
• Demonstrate the skills to provide age-appropriate care to the clients of the clinic.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the principals of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to interpret information relative to the patients age related needs.

Physical Requirements and Environmental Conditions

§ Work is performed in the clinic, community centers, schools, shelters and client homes.

§ Role will involve standing or walking for extended periods during outreach events or health fairs.

§ Work environment may occasionally involve exposure to outdoor weather conditions or crowded environments during community engagement.

• Prolonged periods of sitting and working on a computer.
• Pushing and pulling objects up to 25 lbs.
• Frequent wrist, hand, and finger dexterity to perform fine motor function.
• Position requires light to moderate work with 25 lb. maximum weight to lift and carry.
• Full range of body motion requires twisting body, pushing, pulling, reaching, bending, stooping, and handling objects with hands and/or fingers, listening, talking, and/or hearing, and seeing.
• Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Working Conditions

• Non-Ionizing Radiation (microwaves)
• Hazardous Exposure (chemical [E.G. Latex] and infectious)
• Interaction with patients who may present challenging behaviors or emotional distress.

Work Schedule

• You will generally be scheduled to work each day Monday through Friday, with starting times each day varying between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and ending time between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., as required to meet the operational needs of the company. There will be occasional Saturdays as needed. This position is a full-time, non-exempt position, and you will be regularly scheduled to work 40 hours per week hybrid schedule of 2 days in the office and 3 days remote. Flexible availability on some Saturdays for health fairs.
• You will need to travel to other clinic locations as needed for cross coverage support.

Our Mission

The mission of Unicare is to be a community health care organization that treats everyone with dignity, respect and cultural sensitivity to help create an environment in which all can prosper.