Community Health Worker

The Community Health Worker (CHW) serves as an integral member of the CICOA team including a Supervisor, Behavioral Health Clinician, Care Managers (CM), and Care Coordinators (CC) working together to provide additional services and supports to individuals with a serious mental illness (SMI) diagnosis that CICOA serves. The Behavioral Health CHW’s primary responsibility will be assisting individuals with a SMI dx’s within the team by providing on-going support and education to support overall health and aging in place. The CHW will collaborate directly with the individual, family, Care Coordinators, Care Managers, and providers to improve health outcomes for individuals served by CICOA.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Customer Service

• Serve as an ambassador for CICOA’s Mission, Vision and Values when representing CICOA internally and externally.
• Role model CICOA’s commitment to ICARE values of Integrity, Courage, Accountability, Respect, Excellence.
• Focus on the exceptional experience and positive health and customer service.
• Respond to individual, members of their circle of support, health care professionals and other team members needs and requests.
• Display positive beliefs and feelings regarding older adults and those of any age with a disability
• Display a strong level of comfort with collaborating and conducting home visits with older adults, individuals with disabilities and the communities where they live.

Teamwork and Communication

• Demonstrate CICOA’s communication expectations when interacting with others on CICOA’s behalf, including health care staff, social service staff and others involved.
• Communicate and interact regularly with all members of the team to assure care coordination.
• Maintain knowledge of public health terminology, program evaluation and quality improvement principles.
• Provide consistent reports to team Supervisor, Assistant Director, CHW team and other data collection sources.
• Participate in team coordination/case conferences for assigned participants.
• Attend workshops, team and Departmental Meetings, General Staff meetings and trainings as directed by team supervisor.
• Complete accurate, timely, comprehensive documentation.

Care Delivery

• Strategize and implement ways to reduce barriers to health care access and improved health overall to the population served.
• Implement educational programs and empower individuals to increase health knowledge and healthy behaviors.
• Collaborate with team members (Behavioral Health Clinicians, Care Managers, Care Coordinators, Supervisors) to perform needs assessments, program evaluation and data collection activities for assigned individuals, including detailed record keeping, conducting surveys and other forms of data collection in communities.
• Identify and address individual and community need around health education and access to healthcare resources.
• Provide informal counseling and social support in one-on-one and group meetings with those involved in programming.
• Implement a health risk assessment to identify appropriate next steps of care for individuals
• Facilitate context-appropriate health education for clients and stakeholders.
• Build consumer/client capacity by increasing self-sufficiency through motivational interviewing and client-centered planning.
• Conduct home or phone visits to provide diligent care coordination, support, encouragement, and guidance.
• Remain composed and effective when faced with unexpected and uncomfortable situations.
• Obtain needed medical and assessment information.
• Provide community resource referrals, participant advocacy, support, outreach, and follow-up.
• Demonstrate good judgement and critical thinking skills in identifying client’s needs and escalating to the care team as required by departmental protocols.
• Commit to an exceptional level of time management and organizational skills with the intention of obtaining desired outcomes.

Technology

Manage data entry into the document management system as well as documents appropriate information as required.

• Acquire and maintains competence in use of program hardware and software applications.
• Utilize technology as part of care delivery.
• Utilize and receives referrals through software for tracking purposes.
• Maintain confidentiality of information according to HIPAA.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential duties listed. 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 or equivalent required; computer experience (Microsoft Office Suite, internet, email) required. Must have CHW certification or agree to complete CHW training and achieve certification within first six months of hire. Two years relevant experience in a medical, care management, community health work, community-based organizations or Medicaid/Medicare setting preferred. Bachelors or Associates Degree in Human Services, Psychology, Nursing, Behavioral Health or related field, relatable experience working with older adults, state agencies and/or with Medicaid approval process preferred.