Wellness Equity Alliance - Community Health Worker - San Bernardino, CA

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Our Mission

Wellness Equity Alliance (WEA) 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.

About the Opportunity

Elevate your career to new heights with an opportunity that transcends traditional healthcare boundaries.

Wellness Equity Alliance is seeking a compassionate and driven Community Health Worker (CHW) to support our groundbreaking Street Medicine program.

Street Medicine is an innovative and compassionate approach to healthcare designed to meet individuals experiencing homelessness where they are, including on the streets, in shelters, encampments, and other underserved community settings.

Working for WEA is more than a job. It is an opportunity to serve individuals who are among the most medically and socially vulnerable by bringing care directly into their communities.

Purpose of the Position

The Community Health Worker supports Wellness Equity Alliance’s Street Medicine Program by conducting outreach and care coordination among unhoused populations in the San Bernardino region.

This role focuses on engaging individuals experiencing homelessness, identifying unmet health and social needs, and connecting patients to medical care, behavioral health services, infectious disease services, and community-based supports.

The CHW will support the launch and expansion of a community-based Street Medicine program and play a critical role in early outreach, patient engagement, navigation, and care coordination.

This position also supports grant-funded public health initiatives designed to improve care engagement, treatment access, and health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Through outreach, peer navigation, and care coordination, the CHW will help individuals living with or at risk for infectious diseases, including HIV, HCV, and other conditions, access care, overcome barriers to treatment, and remain engaged in services.

As part of a multidisciplinary Street Medicine team, the CHW will help deliver care directly where people live. Many individuals experiencing homelessness have experienced repeated institutional failures and may have significant mistrust of traditional healthcare systems. The CHW plays an important role in building trust, reducing logistical barriers to care, and supporting individuals throughout their care journey.

Key Responsibilities

Outreach & Community Engagement

• Conduct outreach among unhoused populations in collaboration with the Street Medicine team to identify individuals who may need medical care, infectious disease services, behavioral health support, and social services.
• Build trusting relationships with community members using trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and harm-reduction approaches.
• Conduct telephonic and face-to-face outreach to identify and assess social determinants of health affecting patient well-being.
• Identify individuals living with HIV or other infectious diseases who are not currently engaged in care and assist with linkage or re-engagement into medical services.
• Provide peer navigation and community-based support to help individuals access care and remain engaged in treatment.

Care Coordination & Case Management

• Assist participants in accessing health-related and social services and overcoming barriers to care.
• Coordinate appointments and referrals for medical care, behavioral health services, and community-based resources.
• Connect members to social services and other essential supports, including transportation.
• Support treatment adherence, including medication support and follow-up care coordination.
• Advocate on behalf of members with healthcare professionals and community partners.
• Coordinate with hospital staff and care teams to support discharge planning and continuity of care.
• Accompany members to office visits when needed to support engagement and continuity of care.
• Perform responsibilities associated with Enhanced Care Management (ECM), including functions typically described in ECM contracts as the Lead Care Manager role.
• Participate as part of the member’s multidisciplinary care team and coordinate all aspects of ECM services.

Grant-Funded Program Responsibilities

Support implementation of grant-funded public health initiatives through outreach, peer navigation, and care coordination activities, including:

• Conduct outreach to individuals living with infectious diseases who have not linked to care following diagnosis or who have fallen out of care.
• Assist with re-engagement of individuals who are no longer actively receiving medical services.
• Support facilitated referrals and linkage to primary care and specialty services.
• Assist patients in accessing treatment and remaining engaged in ongoing care.
• Support program goals focused on improving care engagement, treatment adherence, and long-term health outcomes among vulnerable populations.
• Contribute to performance goals and service delivery targets established within grant-funded programs.

Program Operations & Documentation

• Assist with daily Street Medicine program operations, including outreach planning and coordination of field activities.
• Ensure outreach supplies and materials are prepared and available for community encounters.
• Document outreach encounters, care coordination activities, and service outcomes in the electronic health record and other required program data systems in accordance with applicable program standards.
• Maintain accurate participant files and documentation.
• Support monthly and quarterly reporting requirements for grant-funded programs.
• Monitor program performance indicators and support quality improvement initiatives.

Collaboration & Training

• Work collaboratively with physicians, nurses, behavioral health providers, case managers, and other professionals as part of the multidisciplinary Street Medicine care team.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with community partners, including shelters, community organizations, healthcare providers, and social service agencies.
• Participate in case conferences and team meetings to support coordinated care planning.
• Participate in required training related to program standards, cultural competency, trauma-informed care, local resources, harm reduction, and program data systems.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates must meet one of the following qualifying pathways:

• Community Health Worker (CHW) Certificate preferred, but not needed.
• Violence Prevention Professional Certificate
• Work Experience Pathway
• Education Experience Pathway
• Must live In the Inland Empire region.

Additional Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Associate’s degree in healthcare, social work, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional or lived experience working with vulnerable populations.
• Experience working with unhoused populations, harm reduction programs, or community outreach strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of local and regional community resources.
• Demonstrated knowledge of public health and social service programs serving unhoused populations.
• Ability to provide appropriate guidance and positive customer service using a patient-centered approach.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams in diverse settings using a solution-oriented approach.
• Ability and willingness to work in community and field-based environments.
• Ability to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of individuals, documents, and information.
• Proficiency with computer applications and electronic medical record systems.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Preferred Certifications

• Community Support Worker (CSW)
• Certified Peer Support Worker (CPSW)

Preferred Skills & Experience

• 2 to 3 years of experience in housing navigation, case management, homeless services, or a related field.
• Training or experience in Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, Harm Reduction, Crisis Intervention, or De-escalation.
• Experience with community outreach and engagement activities.
• Familiarity with program data systems.
• Strong proficiency with Google Workspace applications.
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills are highly desirable.

Salary Description

$25 – $35 per hour