Community Health Worker

Community Health Worker

This is a full-time, 40-hour, hybrid position (12 hours remote and 28 in-person); requires occasional weekend (2 Saturday clinics a month) and evening hours. The MGB "Community Care Van Program" is a new, innovative mobile health program dedicated to increasing access to quality healthcare for historically marginalized communities in the greater Boston area. The Community Health Worker (CHW) is an integral member of a mobile health team that provides health services including screening and treatment for hypertension, diabetes substance use disorder, and colorectal cancer screenings. The mobile CHW helps patients' access and coordinate their health care; they have the skills to help patients address social/medical problems that lead to poor health. The CHW will work to create a trusting relationship with patients and help them address social determinant of health needs (such as food, housing, transportation) by connecting them to resources. The CHW will work to engage patients on adhering to key components of their health care. He/she may schedule follow-up phone calls/visits to ensure progress and will also communicate with the provider team when needed. The community health worker will engage patients and their families in setting their own short-term goals and will track the benchmarks toward the achievement of these goals. The CHW will aid patients in the coordination and completion of appointments inside and outside of the primary care practice. In addition, the community health worker will work with patients to help decrease barriers to timely follow-up care. While the CHW is not a clinical position, it requires knowledge of basic clinical concepts and an understanding of when a referral to a licensed clinician is appropriate. The CHW reports directly to the Operations Manager of the mobile team, and also has a reporting line to a Behavioral Health or CHW/Social Services manager for patient care guidance and supervision.

This is a hybrid role and she/he will be required to work both in-person and remotely. Some mobile clinics are scheduled during the evening and on weekends to provide greater access for community members who work during the day.

Assists mobile team with set-up and take-down of the mobile clinic site.

Administers screening surveys to determine patient SDOH (Social Determinants of Health) needs.

Assists with patient registration.

Provides culturally sensitive services to patients from different cultures.

Supports community resource finding related to SDOH needs, including food, housing, transportation, and other areas as needed.

Works with patients to identify and address barriers to care.

Assists with the pickup and drop-off of medical supplies from designated hospital as needed.

Works with patients and providers to set goals for patient's care and motivates patients to meet their health goals.

Connects with patients by phone to follow up on key aspects of care and to assess barriers to compliance.

Helps address any logistic barriers, scheduling complications, childcare needs, etc., that would prevent a patient from showing up at their appointment.

Assists patients in accessing records, making follow-up appointments and filling prescriptions.

Helps patients develop their own plans for getting to various appointments for screening and diagnostic tests, and treatment services.

Documents each patient encounter in detail. Tracks benchmarks of progress including short term goal completion along the way.

Maintains regular communication with the patient's providers through clinical messages in the electronic health record, emails, phone calls and case review meetings.

Helps patients fill out applications for state and federally funded programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).

Helps patients with questions related to health insurance and refers to financial counseling as appropriate.

Develops and maintain a strong working relationship with the schedulers of screening appointments.

Work with medical interpreters to reach patients of other languages.

Attends initial and continuing education training programs including self-directed reading and in-person plus online learning.

Completes other duties as designated by Operations Manager.

Education: High School Diploma or Equivalent required or Associate's Degree Social Work preferred or Bachelor's Degree Related Field of Study preferred.

Experience: Minimum two years of working experience; previous work in community settings preferred. Experience working as a patient navigator/community health worker preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with various populations. Demonstrated ability to work effectively and provide advocacy for all populations and communities preferred. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office and database management. Bilingual skills preferred.

Work Location: 3 Dove Ave

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

Employee Type: Regular

Work Shift: Day (United States of America)

Pay Range: $23.51 - $25.28/Hourly

EEO Statement: 3200 North Shore Medical Center, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. To ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Veteran's Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact Human Resources at View phone number on click.appcast.io.