Job Description

Summary

The Community Health Worker (CHW) is an integral member of the Care Management multidisciplinary outreach team. The CHW works in various settings, such as patient homes, medical centers, homeless shelters, and hospitals, to provide patient/family support and facilitate health improvement, health promotion, and disease prevention activities. The CHW serves as a liaison between communities, healthcare agencies, and social services, helping patients access healthcare resources and adopt healthy behaviors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Work with care management team to develop and implement care plans, including tasks such as language/medical translation, scheduling medical appointments, and transportation coordination.
2. Conduct reminder/confirmation phone calls and collect vitals.
3. Manage disease management activities, including symptom tracking and reporting, health education/prevention, and maintenance of patient supplies.
4. Educates community members on the benefits of vaccination of various viral infections.
5. Promotes vaccinations and immunizations to community members.
6. Maintain inventory of appropriate outreach team/medical supplies.
7. Accompany patients to appointments to advocate for clients/patients and ensure healthcare program compliance.
8. Facilitate referrals for appropriate health information and services as recommended by providers and health plans.
9. Act as peer support for enrolled patients, providing advocacy and relationship building.
10. Enter and maintain electronic records, compile reports, and complete program documentation in a timely manner.
11. Assist patients in completing forms and applications for needed services or community resources.
12. Communicate sensitively and culturally competently with diverse populations about health programs.
13. Provide community resources and maintain data and files for patients' records.
14. Provide one-on-one education on diseases and encourage self-management skills.
15. Schedule and deliver health education classes, teach community groups/organizations about healthy lifestyle activities.
16. Assist with health screenings and conduct patient and community health assessments.
17. Act as a health coach, assisting patients in achieving desired health behaviors.
18. Help patients navigate the healthcare system and processes.
19. Perform other job duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Requirements
• High School Diploma or its equivalent.
• Current Community Health Worker certification by the State of Pennsylvania (certification may be obtained within the first six (6) months of employment).
• Two years of health/clinical experience or equivalent health-related education.
• Basic computer skills, including office productivity software, and electronic medical records.
• Knowledge of community resources and experience working with community-based organizations preferred. Has working knowledge and understanding of Community Health Net Strategic Plan and Erie County needs assessment.
• Cultural awareness and competency related to race, sex, gender, language, and religion.
• Experience working with adults who have HIV, a mental illness, substance abuse, a criminal record and/or health concerns preferred.
• De-escalation and crisis management skills.
• Harm reduction philosophy.
• Demonstrated critical thinking, problem-solving, effective communication, and time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary team format.
• Excellent analytical, customer service skills to facilitate care plans and the resolution of case management problems.
• Ability and willingness to provide emotional support, encouragement, and motivation to patients.
• Develop and draft goals to address barriers to healthcare.
• Work with patients to reach goals identified.
• Identify environments potentially requiring notification to authorities (domestic or child abuse).
• Valid PA driver's license with reliable transportation.

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