Community Health Worker

Virginia Information Technologies Agency•Warrenton, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Virginia Department of Health is seeking a Community Health Worker to assist clients in navigating healthcare systems, completing necessary forms, and accessing community resources. This role involves providing health education, conducting community outreach, supporting health assessments, and contributing to program evaluation. The Community Health Worker will work with diverse populations, foster relationships with community partners, and utilize evidence-based strategies to address health disparities and promote positive health behaviors.

Requirements

Knowledge of Social Determinants of Health.
Knowledge of Mental/Behavioral Health.
Knowledge of Public Health Principles.
Community Experience: Experience working with priority or underserved communities.
Cultural Competency: Ability to communicate effectively with diverse populations.
Effective Communication Skills: Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in both written and verbal formats using plain language.
Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive working relationships.
Technology Proficiency: Ability to operate a personal computer and use internet-based tools and applications.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in a second language (especially relevant languages in the community served).
Previous experience in a public health or community-based agency environment.
Community Health Worker (CHW) certification, or the ability to obtain one after hire.

Responsibilities

Assists clients in completing forms/applications, eligibility documents, and referrals required to receive needed services or community resources.
Assist clients with navigation of the healthcare systems and processes.
Participates in care coordination and/or case management for district core programs.
Speaks with diverse populations in a sensitive and culturally competent manner.
Performs administrative tasks related to client navigation and outreach event management.
Develops and delivers individual and community-based education on diseases, prevention and health promotion practices.
Educates individuals and communities on how to navigate health and social services systems.
Fosters relationships and works with community partners to provide a wide range of educational activities for vulnerable populations.
Participates in and collaborates with local coalitions and groups focused on health.
Documents and responds to requests from community groups and organizations for information on health department programs and services.
Coordinates and supports community-based initiatives focused on the social determinants of health.
Develops and/or acquires educational materials from credible healthcare and community sources.
Utilizes evidence-based strategies to improve population/community health.
Employs policy, systems, and environmental change strategies to effectively address health disparities.
Identifies target audiences, strategies, interventions and programmatic problems and provides guidance in determining effective resolutions.
Integrates building health literacy and cross-cultural communication across all sectors of work.
May perform client measurements (temperature, pulse, blood pressure, height, weight), support comprehensive risk reduction strategies, and assist with point of care testing/laboratory specimen collection.
Supports the clinical and outreach teams with inventory management of outreach and educational supplies.
Serves as a liaison between district programs, schools, community and other local agencies.
Participates in the design, implementation and analysis of individual-level and community level assessments, community health assessments (CHA) and improvement plans (CHIP).
Participates in the evaluation of CHW services and programs.
May assist in preparing required reports for local, state, and/or federal funders.
May support the team in preparing requests for proposals during the grant application process.
Participates in the sharing of results and findings through various methods of communication.
May assist with language interpretation.