Community Health Worker

UT Health San Antonio•San Antonio, TX

20d

About The Position

This position is based at UT Health San Antonio, Long School of Medicine, within the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s & Neurodegenerative Diseases. The Community Health Worker (CHW) will serve a vital role in building, maintaining, and protecting trust between participants of the San Antonio Heart and Mind Study (SAHMS), an observational study examining cardiovascular risk factors affecting brain health in our San Antonio community. The CHW will act as a liaison between the community and the research team, ensuring participants are informed, supported, and empowered to engage in clinical research. By understanding the personal, interpersonal, and social contexts of each participant, the CHW helps to reduce barriers to participation, supports self-care, and ensures the study team maintains cultural and contextual awareness.

Requirements

English and Spanish language proficiency (spoken and written).
Reliable personal transportation for community visits.
Successful completion of a formal Community Health Worker training program from a college or other educational institution.
State of Texas Promotor(a)/ Community Health Worker certification, with renewal as needed.
Basic computer knowledge (Word/Excel/Outlook/Internet browsing, etc.).
Bilingual (English/Spanish)
EDUCATION: High School Diploma or GED is required.
EXPERIENCE: One (1) year related experience is required.

Nice To Haves

Two (2) years of related experience is preferred.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.
Successful completion of a Community Health Worker formal training program such as from a college or other education institution is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Community Engagement & Outreach Collaborate with the Principal Investigator, Dr. Claudia Satizabal, and the SAHMS team to identify social and structural factors affecting participation.
Conduct outreach and recruitment, including home visits to provide study information.
Participate in the preparation of home assessment visits, obtain informed consent, and conduct core questionnaires as needed.
Establish trusting relationships with community members and study participants.
Participant Support & Health Education Provide culturally sensitive counseling and education, particularly for individuals newly diagnosed with health conditions relevant to the study.
Identify individual or community health concerns and connect participants with appropriate social or health resources.
Help participants improve health literacy, self-care practices, and study engagement.
Navigation & Advocacy Assist participants in accessing healthcare and social services and help overcome logistical or structural barriers to care and participation.
Provide appointment reminders and follow up on next steps in the research process.
Serve as a consistent point of contact and advocate for participants throughout the study.
Communication & Team Collaboration Offer insights to the research team about participants’ lived experiences and contextual factors affecting health and engagement.
Attend regular team meetings and contribute to study planning and progress discussions.
Uphold participant confidentiality, cultural sensitivity, and ethical standards in all communications.
Other Duties as Assigned Support additional research-related tasks or community initiatives as needed.