Community Health Worker (Street Medicine)

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

OUR MISSION

Wellness Equity Alliance is a national multidisciplinary health organization that designs and delivers integrated, community-based care for populations most impacted by health inequities. We do this through mobile and field-based models, providing medical care, behavioral health services, substance use treatment, harm reduction, and care coordination in nontraditional settings such as encampments, schools, reentry sites, and rural communities as well as with sovereign tribal nations. Grounded in trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and data-driven practices, WEA combines clinical expertise, lived experience, and advanced population health analytics to reduce barriers to care, improve continuity, and strengthen local systems. We have partnered with more than 60 public agencies, managed care plans, and community-based organizations across the U.S. to implement scalable, sustainable programs that are advancing health equity and improving outcomes for historically marginalized populations.

We are known as Renegades, Rebels, Disruptors and Dreamers. If that sounds like you, we want you on our team.

Wellness Equity Alliance is actively seeking compassionate and driven individuals for several pivotal roles in our groundbreaking Street Medicine program. Street Medicine is an innovative and compassionate approach to healthcare, designed to meet individuals experiencing homelessness right where they are: on the streets, in shelters, or within underserved communities. Working for WEA is more than a job; it's a calling to serve those who are most in need, directly in their environment.

Purpose of the Position

This position is focused on conducting community outreach among unhoused populations. The Community Health Outreach Worker (CHOW) care coordinator will play a crucial role in identifying individuals with active HIV/HCV and STI cases and ensuring they are connected to appropriate care. This includes verifying that patients have received the correct treatment and follow-up care.

Staff selected for this role will contribute to a vital and sustainable street medicine program designed to serve unhoused communities in the Riverside County area. Often, the most vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness have encountered repeated failures from institutions throughout their lives, leading to a deep mistrust of authorities, institutions, and healthcare providers. This mistrust, while initially a form of self-protection, can become a significant barrier to accessing care and resources that could significantly improve their quality of life.

The street medicine team will work to build trusting relationships with people who are in need of medical services, work to decrease the logistical barriers that block access to health care and provide care directly to the places where unhoused individuals live.

Key Highlights

• Compensation : The compensation range for this role is $25 - $35 per hour, with final compensation determined based on experience, qualifications, and role scope.
• Work Location & Expectations : This role requires daily in-person engagement.
• Professional Development : Opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional leaders across Behavioral Health, Medical, Street Medicine, Public Health, Rural Health, and Tribal Health initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with daily site/program operations, such as mapping team efforts for the day or week.
• Review supplies needed for each patient outreach encounter.
• Evaluate program performance through key performance indicators and monitor for improvement opportunities.
• Conduct outreach activities within a specific health program and/or defined patient populations with the goal of engaging multiple local businesses, schools, and other relevant organizations in our public and community health services.
• Conduct telephonic and/or face-to-face outreach with patients to identify social determinants of health impacting patient's health and overall wellness.
• Utilize coaching, motivational interviewing, and other evidence-based techniques to support patients in achieving their goals.
• Utilize technology and digital resources to monitor ongoing care activities.
• Identify barriers to achieving targeted clinical or social outcomes, and engage the care team to revise the care plan when necessary.
• Documents all participant encounters; completes and submits monthly reports; maintains comprehensive electronic participant files. Documents activities, service plans, and outcomes achieved by study participants in an effective manner.
• Assists participants in accessing health-related services, including but not limited to: overcoming barriers to obtaining needed medical care and /or social services.
• Assists participants in utilizing community services, including scheduling appointments with health resources, and assisting with completion of applications for programs for which they may be eligible.
• Works collaboratively and effectively within a team. Establishes positive, supportive relationships with participants and provides feedback to other members of the team. Builds and maintains positive working relationships with the participant, providers, nurse case managers, agency representatives, research staff, supervisors, and office staff, from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Works to reduce cultural and socio-economic barriers between participants and institutions.
• Provides health coaching, patient navigation, health education and/or health promotion for a diverse patient panel within assigned health program.
• Responsible for coordinating with those individuals and/or entities to ensure a seamless experience for the member and non-duplication of services.
• Oversee provision of Enhanced Care Management (ECM) services and implementation of the care plan.
• Offer services where the member lives, seeks care, or finds most easily accessible and within.
• Connect member to other social services and supports the member may need, including transportation.
• Advocate on behalf of members with health care professionals.
• Use motivational interviewing, trauma- informed care, and harm-reduction approaches.
• Coordinate with hospital staff on discharge plan.
• Accompany member to office visits, as needed and according to Health Net guidelines.
• Monitor treatment adherence (including medication).
• Provide health promotion and self- management training.
• Manage monthly and quarterly report requests from local, state and Federal entities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Business Suite Programs (Google Docs, Sheets, GCalendar, etc).
• Collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs) to articulate complex facets of WEA services offerings.
• Assist with proposal knowledge management and retention of content for future use.
• Manage interns, help supervise and develop associates base on organizational and developmental needs.
• Conduct regular meetings with team members to provide guidance and leadership.

Essential Skills and Qualifications

As these positions represent some of the early roles to help build this program, we are specifically seeking out individuals with experience developing outreach programs and engaging communities and businesses to engage in meaningful health-care programs.

Minimum Qualifications One of the Following

1. CHW Certificate
2. Violence Prevention Professional Certificate
3. Work Experience Pathway

Education Experience

• High School diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) Associates degree in a healthcare, social work, or related field (Preferred).
• Must possess either a minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience or lived experience.
• Ability to work both independently and to collaborate with teams of individuals in diverse settings, using a solution-oriented approach.
• Preference given to candidates with Community Support Worker (CSW) and/or Certified Peer Support Worker (CPSW) credentials/certifications.

Preferred Skills

• Demonstrated history of strong interpersonal skills and ability to understand and follow written/verbal instructions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of local and regional community resources.
• Demonstrated knowledge of public health programs.
• Skilled in utilizing appropriate industry standard assessment techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to provide appropriate guidance and positive customer service with utilizing a patient centered approach.
• Must possess a comprehensive knowledge of the local community based on personal lived experience or the ability to articulate the lived experience and perspective.
• Preference given to bilingual Spanish speakers.
• Preference to cultural competence with LatinX communities.