Community Health Worker- WHCH

Position Summary:

The Community Health Worker (CHW)/Patient Navigator plays a key role in delivering outreach, navigation, and support services to patients of Worcester Health Care for the Homeless, which is located at 199 Chandler Street, Worcester. This position focuses on building trusting relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness, connecting them to medical and behavioral health care, and supporting their progress toward stability and improved overall well-being.

Program Specific Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct proactive outreach activities within the community to identify and engage individuals experiencing homelessness who require health care services.

• Assesses patient need, strengths and barriers to care. Creates and implements care plan.

• Coordinate and facilitate access to medical and behavioral health services, including scheduling appointments, accompanying clients to healthcare visits, and assisting with medication management.

• Advocate for clients by connecting them with relevant community resources and social services, such as housing assistance, employment opportunities, and substance use disorder treatment

• Facilitates referral process for patients using Healthify, E-referral, Community Help, and other tools as applicable.

• Attend outreach clinic sites as needed to support community engagement, provide health education, and connect patients with services as part of the CHW role at WHCH.

• Provide Home/Shelter/Community visit as needed.

• Documents demographics, CHW encounters, and related data for each client seen, in accordance with FHCW HIPPA policies and procedures.

• Attends in-service trainings and meetings related to delivery of patient care

• Any and all other duties as assigned

Qualification and Education Requirements:

 One of the following combinations of education and employment experience must be met in order to be considered for the position:

• High School Diploma or GED required

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline preferred

• Minimum of two years relevant work or college-level internship experience required

• Proven ability required to perform patient interviews, coordinate and collaborate with internal services and external community partners

• Must have demonstrated organizational skills and the ability to work independently

• Bilingual in English and another language appropriate to FHCW patient population required.

• Valid Massachusetts Driver License and access to transportation required

• Community Health Worker Core Training required within first year of employment.

Reporting Relationship:

Social Services Team Lead