Community Health Worker

COPE Health Solutions•Sacramento, CA

About The Position

The Community Health Worker (CHW) helps patients and their families navigate and access community services and other resources and adopt healthy behaviors. The CHW supports providers and Case Managers through integrated care management and community outreach, with activities intended to promote, maintain, and improve the health of patients and their families. The CHW provides social support and informal counseling, advocates for individual and community health needs, and serves as a liaison between members and the services they need. The CHW educates members about Enhanced Care Management (ECM) services, assists with enrollment, and supports individuals and families as they navigate the health care system and build self-care and health care management skills. The role establishes trusting relationships, provides ongoing follow-up and basic motivational interviewing, and helps members set goals and overcome barriers to health and social services. Outreach may take place in clinics, facilities, homes, by phone, and in other settings where patients can be reached. Working with the full care team, the CHW helps develop individualized, linguistically and culturally appropriate care plans; connects members with health-related services and community resources; facilitates communication among members, families, colleagues, and community organizations; and documents member interactions in the medical record and other software within 24 hours of contact. The CHW manages an assigned caseload, maintains HIPAA compliance, and communicates consistently with the Case Manager about patient and family status and progress. This is a regular full-time or part-time position based in Sacramento, California, with travel up to 80%. The role reports to a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has no direct reports. The listed salary range is $26.00–$29.00 per hour.

Requirements

Valid California Driver’s License.
High school graduation or equivalent.
Experience working in a multicultural setting and willingness to learn about different cultures, perspectives, and norms.
Basic computer skills.
Understanding of the community served and community connectedness.
Good communication skills, including listening well and using language appropriately.
Ability and willingness to provide emotional support, encouragement, and motivation to patients.
Ability to work with diverse people, including children and teenagers.
Good organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities while remaining professional and calm.
Effective telephone skills.
Strong confidentiality practices when handling sensitive information.
Ability to work independently, be self-directed and flexible, and perform with minimal supervision.
Ability to prioritize and maintain accuracy in a high-volume work environment.
Ability to make suggestions about workflow or system efficiency and effectiveness.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s Degree in Business Administration or a related field.
Successful completion of a formal Community Health Worker training program, such as one offered by a college or other educational institution.
Written and oral fluency in English and Spanish.
One to two years of experience working in a community-based setting.
Electronic medical record (EMR) experience.

Responsibilities

Educate members about ECM services, assist with enrollment, and serve as a primary liaison between members and needed services.
Support patients and families as they navigate the health care system and transition toward improved self-care and health care management.
Build trusting relationships with patients and families and provide general support, encouragement, follow-up, basic motivational interviewing, and goal setting.
Conduct face-to-face outreach for appointment scheduling, needs assessments, and care gap closure.
Meet members in clinics, facilities, or homes to identify social determinants of health affecting their health and well-being.
Collaborate with the care team to create individualized, linguistically and culturally appropriate care plans.
Help members access health-related services and community resources, including accompanying them to specialist appointments and assisting with enrollment forms.
Facilitate communication among members, families, colleagues, and community-based organizations as needed.
Document interactions in the medical record and other software within 24 hours of patient contact.
Follow up with patients by phone, home visits, and visits to other settings where they can be found.
Help patients set personal health-related goals, attend appointments, connect with transportation resources, and receive appointment reminders in special circumstances.
Provide referrals to community agencies as appropriate.
Work closely and collaboratively with medical providers and other clinical personnel to support comprehensive, coordinated care plans.
Communicate consistently with the Case Manager about patient and family status and progress.
Act as a patient advocate and liaison between patients, families, and community service agencies.
Manage an assigned caseload and maintain HIPAA compliance.
Maintain availability to work weekends as required by program and operational needs.
Perform duties professionally, punctually, conscientiously, and cooperatively while maintaining confidentiality.