Community Health Worker

Job Description

Job Description

JOB TITLE:                Community Health Worker   

PROJECT:                Perinatal and Infant Community Health Collaborative

REPORTS TO:         Program Manager 

Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the Program Manager, the Community Health Worker will serve as the primary liaison to women in high-need geographic locations within the community. This position is in-person and the primary work scope will require recruitment, engagement, and support of individuals from within the identified target communities to increase health literacy, retain healthcare coverage, and maintain health and community supportive service care throughout the life course. 

Responsibilities will include, but may not be limited to:

·         Conduct neighborhood “on the ground” outreach and networking to find and connect with high-need individuals, with particular emphasis on those not yet engaged in mainstream service systems. 

·         Use client-centered approaches to identify individual client and family needs, goals, strengths, and challenges. 

·         Complete client risk assessment to determine need for and level of service and support.

Communicate and work with the Program Manager on high need/high risk cases; follow guidance for working with individuals with specific issues or need areas.

·         For clients that are not enrolled in other home visiting programs, offer and provide regular home visits that include client-centered provision of health information, modeling and demonstrating skills, and reinforcing positive health choices and behaviors. 

·         Refer and provide direct 1:1 assistance to help clients obtain and consistently utilize health insurance (including FPBP), primary care and/or prenatal care services, family planning services, and other needed community services such as WIC, substance abuse, domestic violence, mental health, etc. 

·         Provide and disseminate written and oral information about available family planning health services in the community to prevent unintended pregnancies and promote spacing of subsequent pregnancies. 

·         Provide individualized social support to encourage and reinforce health-promoting behaviors by clients, including personal and family health behaviors, consistent use of effective contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy or support birth spacing, utilization of needed health and supportive services, and communicating their questions and needs to service providers.

·         Link families to other family resources within the community such as libraries, museums, Family Resource Centers, Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, play groups, breastfeeding support groups, etc. 

·         In collaboration with the Program Manager and convene or arrange group educational sessions for expectant and new families. 

·         Complete and input data entry for client enrollment, progress and outcomes.  

·         Assist as requested with reports.

Areas of Expertise:

<        Knowledge of the organization and delivery of health care services, NYS public health insurance programs, Family Planning Benefit programs, and Health Care Exchange Information.

<        Knowledge of community support systems and how to access these services.

<        Strong oral and written communication skills.

<        Flexibility and ability to work as a team member.

<        Computer proficiency – Word. 

Minimum Qualifications:

<        HS education or above and a strong understanding of the needs of women in the identified target area.  

<        1-5 years related work experience; preferably at least 2 years experience working with high need women or in a home visiting capacity

<        Preference will be given to bi-lingual candidates (Spanish preferred) 

<        Ability to work independently and as a team

<        No travel restrictions, a personal reliable vehicle, and car insurance

<        Dependability

THE POSITION OF CHW IS FULL-TIME and CLASSIFIED AS A NON- EXEMPT POSITION. IT IS THEREFORE NOT EXCLUDED FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT.