Community Health Worker - Foster Care

Central Health•Austin, TX

About The Position

In partnership with patients, their families (as defined by the patient), and multidisciplinary teams, the Community Health Worker– Foster Care (CHW) delivers patient-centered care coordination for individuals requiring specialized services. The CHW collaborates closely with patients, parents/guardians, caregivers, healthcare providers, foster care workers educational systems, and interdisciplinary teams to ensure comprehensive, integrated, and compassionate care. The CHW also performs essential administrative functions that streamline access to care and maintain operational readiness.

Requirements

High School Diploma or equivalent (higher degree accepted)
3 years of experience working within a community health setting in a health care role or a community based human service agency as a Community Health Worker (CHW), health educator, community outreach worker, or community organizer
CHW Certified Community Health Worker (CHW) in Texas Upon Hire
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) Health Care Provider Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification through American Red Cross. Will be required to maintain a current BLS CPR certification during employment.
Case Management for Children and Pregnant Women certification through Texas Health and Human Services Within 30 Days
Valid TX Driver's License Upon Hire
Trauma Informed Care course completion Within 3 Months
Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) course completion Within 3 Months
Demonstrates strong ability to deliver trauma‑informed, culturally responsive care to children and youth in foster care, ensuring services are grounded in safety, trust, empowerment, and an understanding of the impacts of trauma on development and behavior.
Strong problem-solving abilities to effectively support both patients and staff in dynamic care environments.
Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy in documentation, patient care, and task execution.
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, to ensure clear, compassionate, and effective interactions.
Expertise in delivering high-quality CHW services and support, aligned with professional standards and ethical guidelines.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple CHW responsibilities simultaneously, maintaining efficiency and quality.
Experience in direct client engagement, including advocacy, and coordination of community resources.
Competent with healthcare technologies and systems, such as electronic medical records (EMR), patient documentation platforms, and standard office software (e.g., spreadsheets, word processing).

Responsibilities

Provides comprehensive care coordination for vulnerable pediatric patients, ensuring timely, appropriate access to services in full compliance with Texas Department of Family and Protective Services standards and mandated timeframes.
Interacts with patients via telehealth and in-person clinic appointments, community spaces, schools, and other locations per program guidelines.
Serves as a point of contact for patients enrolling in services.
Collaborates with patients, parents/guardians, caregivers, medical providers, foster care workers, school systems, and interdisciplinary health care teams on patient-centered care.
Performs administrative duties, including registering patients, creating new patient charts in the electronic health record, and completing required trainings related to patient admitting processes.
Collects and reconciles records from external agencies to ensure the patient’s electronic health record and Health Passport reflect complete, current, and accurate information.
Acts as a patient and family advocate to ensure that services are delivered to meet the needs of patients and families, as well as appropriate use of resources.
Empowers patients and/or their caregivers to be engaged and active participants in their care management.
Conducts outreach and engagement with patients, caregivers, and/or foster care workers to identify social and community needs impacting health and well-being.
Assists patients and families in setting achievable goals and support progress through regular follow-up and encouragement.
Continuously monitors patients’ biopsychosocial needs and provides timely follow-up in alignment with program protocols to ensure continuity of care and support.
Coordinates transitions between sites and providers of care.
Coordinates and streamlines patient referrals to appropriate community-based services, ensuring timely access to resources that support health, wellness, and social needs.
Delivers direct CHW care in alignment with program protocols in accordance with established standards of practice.
Accurately completes all documentation related to direct and indirect patient care in a timely manner, ensuring that medical records are up-to-date, thorough, and compliant with organizational standards.
Plays an active role in daily unit-based patient care huddles and periodic clinic-wide informational meetings, patient conferences, and planning sessions. These engagements support quality assurance initiatives, care coordination, and continuous improvement in patient services.
Submits accurate billing codes and supporting documentation in a timely manner to ensure appropriate reimbursement for services, in alignment with organizational policies, payer requirements, and healthcare compliance standards.
Engages in proactive outreach to the foster care community by attending events, meetings, and partner gatherings; building relationships with community organizations; and sharing program information to strengthen connections and improve access to services for children and youth in foster care.
Participates in ongoing professional development through seminars and educational sessions, ensuring compliance with all certification requirements while staying current with best practices in the field.
Participates in the implementation and evaluation of quality improvement strategies to ensure compliance with evidence-based guidelines and standards, while identifying opportunities to enhance patient outcomes and care delivery.
Ensures all tasks provided and associated with patient care, patient administrative processes, and related duties comply with all regulatory and accreditation standards including The Joint Commission and CommUnityCare Policies and Procedures.
Cultivates and sustains positive working relationships and strategic partnerships with colleagues across departments—including leaders, support staff, providers, and other personnel.
Communicates effectively with all members of the care team to deliver patient-centered, coordinated care.
Engages respectfully and collaboratively with patients and their caregivers, utilizing a trauma-informed care approach to foster trust and build positive, supportive relationships.
Participates in community events and maintains partnerships to promote awareness of available health and social services, as assigned by supervisor.
Performs any other duties as needed to drive the vision, fulfill the mission, and abide by the values of this organization.