Community Health Worker

Community Health Worker

San Francisco Community Health Center (formerly Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Ctr) is a multicultural health services, education, research, and policy organization. We transform lives by advancing health, wellness, and equality. We strengthen the well-being and lead under-served communities of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and immigration statuses toward justice and health. Founded in 1987 as an all-volunteer, community-based response to the AIDS crisis in communities of color, we are an anchor-organization for San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, and we also lead regional, statewide, and national programming. We believe that everyone deserves to be healthy and needs access to the highest quality health care.

The Complex Care team at San Francisco Community Health Center (SFCHC) cares for the residents of the Tenderloin and adjacent San Francisco neighborhoods. The team consists of case managers, community health workers and nurses who strive to deliver quality care management to patients experiencing barriers to care due to mental health, substance use, homelessness, or a history of incarceration. Medical care and case management is delivered with an objective client driven approach, at the homes, shelters, temporary and permanent housing, acute care settings and within the SFCHC clinic. The Complex Care team provides complex nursing and case management via Enhanced Care Management (ECM), a Medi-Cal program seeking to provide intensive care coordination for patients experiencing complex medical and social comorbidities.

The Community Health Worker (CHW) is a trusted member of and/or a person who has a close understanding of the community served in the delivery of health-related services through either working directly with providers or their partner organizations. This trusting relationship with the community enables CHW's to serve as a liaison between health and social services and the community to facilitate members' access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of services delivered. CHWs build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy. CHWs at SFCHC will have the opportunity to gain robust knowledge around services tailored for People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), the trans community, transitional-aged youth, people experiencing homelessness (PEH), and active substance users.

Essential Duties:

• Outreach and Engagement: Outreaching clients by conducting home visits and supporting clients' medical and social needs.
• Health Education and Promotion: Providing culturally appropriate health education and information on topics like nutrition, mental health, and chronic disease management.
• Navigation and Access: Guiding individuals through the health system of California and San Francisco (Medical, SFHP), as well as other services. Supporting individuals through the Human Services Agency of SF, for public assistance, employment support, and community resources. Navigating General Assistance, Social Security, Coordinated Entry Charitable Services, etc.
• Social Support and Advocacy: Offering companionship and emotional support to individuals with their medical and resources appointments when needed. Providing general advocacy for clients with internal and external service providers. Educating and supporting clients in becoming more familiar with the different services to improve their living.
• Complex Care Program ECM: The CHW at SFCHC Clinic is a role with a high level of responsibilities, including learning about the clients' medical needs and social determinants of health. Complex understanding about the client's barriers to health and wellness facilitates the development of a Care Plan, which includes crucial care coordination with the medical team at SFCHC.
• Other: Participating in required agency-wide meetings, clinic huddle, ongoing HR training, and ECM/EPIC training.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ability to sit, stand, and walk frequently. This position will have CHWs in the field more than 50% of the time
• Commit to a work schedule of Monday to Friday, 8:45am-4:45pm
• Have a deep understanding of the communities served by SFCHC or be a part of these communities.
• A high school diploma or equivalency or equivalent life experience.
• Community Health Worker Certification is preferred or willingness to become certified once state requirements are developed.
• Experience and ability to work with sexual and gender minorities, refugees, immigrants, homeless, and multiple-diagnosed populations (those with substance use and/or mental health issues) applying harm reduction principles.
• Sensitivity and familiarity with HIV/AIDS cultural issues in communities of color.
• Familiarity with HIV psychosocial and primary care service resources in San Francisco.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and privacy of people, documents, data, and communications.
• Ability to travel locally to conduct home outreach
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and group communications skills
• Good documentation, organizational and time management skills
• Current on COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccinations and able to show proof of vaccination.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual Spanish (or other SF Threshold Language) speaking
• Self-starter, self-motivated and able to work within a team
• PC computer skills preferred, especially with MS Office products
• Experience in providing social services, and refugee assistance
• Knowledge of EPIC, Word, Excel, Zoom and being able to learn other computer programs related to administrative work.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive health, vision, and dental insurance
• Company sponsored life, and long-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off including paid holidays
• Company-sponsored retirement plan
• Opportunities for professional growth and development

EEO Statement: San Francisco Community Health Center is an equal opportunity employer committed to identifying and developing the skills and leadership of people from diverse backgrounds. San Francisco Community Health Center does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, creed, disability status, gender identity, HIV status, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other legally protected class. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.