Community Health Worker

Carle Health•Danville, IL

About The Position

The Community Health Worker (CHW) provides community support by partnering with community agencies to help at-risk and high-risk individuals and families navigate social service and health care systems. The CHW connects underserved communities with community resources and supports clients in addressing barriers to health, social services, education, employment, and other Social Drivers of Health through client visits and community engagement. Under the direction of the CHW Supervisor, the CHW provides and coordinates health education and disease-management education, helps individuals navigate health and social care systems, and provides case management services under supervision. Working within an interdisciplinary team, the CHW builds trusting relationships and serves as a bridge between patients and the medical system. Home visits are required for some interventions; services and education may also be provided in group sessions, health fairs, clinics, and other community locations.

Requirements

Two years of community outreach experience.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association within 30 days.
Proof of auto insurance.
Driver's license issued by the Illinois Secretary of State.

Responsibilities

Assess assigned clients at assigned intervals and conduct Social Determinants of Health screenings.
Monitor nutrition among adults with chronic health conditions and other high-risk groups.
Advocate for clients who are unable to speak for themselves.
Update plans and promote adherence to support positive outcomes.
Refer community members to needed health services.
Document all client interactions and assessments.
Establish trusting relationships with patients.
Help clients solve barriers to health by identifying, locating, connecting them to, and navigating community and medical services; this may include accompanying clients to appointments and helping complete forms.
Link clients to available community resources and inform them about those resources.
Educate clients on obtaining care and self-managing their conditions.
Build individual, client, community, and team capacity.
Attend interdisciplinary care team discussions.
Maintain a client caseload.
Develop plans to address health equity needs identified through Social Determinants of Health screenings.
Stay informed about current CHW policies, procedures, standards, and best practices.
Provide complementary education and outreach when appropriate, such as flu prevention and immunizations.
Increase program visibility through community outreach, community education initiatives, and collaboration and referrals with community providers.
Work with the CHW Supervisor to identify, develop, and implement innovative outreach and engagement for high-risk populations.
Work with the community through peer-led focus groups to gather data on factors affecting healthy lifestyles, especially nutrition and physical activity in proposed project areas.