Community Health Worker

Community Health Worker

The Community Health Worker works to improve the health and wellbeing of peers who are PHA residents in public housing and Leased Housing (Section8) participants by connecting them to health and social services, providing social support, and helping them to advocate for their health needs. They focus on public safety, safe & healthy housing, and how the physical environment affects the health and wellbeing of families. They engage in community building efforts to improve the safety of the neighborhoods that they serve, and to help residents come together to advocate for their housing rights.

Essential tasks of the position include supporting PHA residents by addressing the social and health care needs of the PHA residents; connecting residents to primary care, behavioral health, and other resources either within the PHA organization or within the community. They work one-on-one with residents to address health concerns, assess their healthcare and social service needs, and refer and connect to services whenever possible. They set health-promoting goals and help residents to meet these goals, document all client progress in the case management database, and maintain confidentiality of client information, processes, and data.

They meet regularly with Resident Services Department (RSD) Wellness Team and other PHA staff for program development and event planning and to monitor and evaluate program success. They communicate regularly with community partners, service providers and PHA staff. They attend monthly networking meetings convened by Community Health Worker Association of Rhode Island (CHWARI); to collectively problem solve and to share resources. They network with existing health and community-based organizations to learn about opportunities for their clients and share their clients' needs with these agencies. They support the work of other Resident Services Department staff and Property Management staff to address resident social determinants of health.

Position requirements and qualifications include a high school diploma or GED, CHWARI CORE Community Health Worker Certification, experience with customer service, social services, health care or community-related work is preferred. Fluency in both Spanish and English and the ability to write English fluently is required. Strong preference will be given to individuals living in public housing and participants in the Section 8 Program. Determination to make a difference in their own community, excellent listening and communication skills, compassion, empathy, respect, and logical thinking are also required. Strong interpersonal and social skills with an ability to collaborate with a variety of individuals from a wide range of professional and personal backgrounds are necessary. Strong presence in one-on-one meetings is preferred.

Working conditions include the ability to work in an office environment, sedentary and manual work, ability to lift up to 50 lb, ability to work 35 hours a week, and ability to work flexible hours occasionally. Competency in operating computers, printers and general office equipment is required.