Community Health Worker

Description

InterCare is a Federally Qualified Health Center which MAY qualify employees for National Student Loan Forgiveness program.

Become part of a Migrant and Community Health Center, where you will:

• Have a passionate purpose.
• Do worthwhile work.
• Make a difference in people’s lives.

InterCare is searching for a Part - Time Community Health Worker (CHW) to join our team at the Benton Harbor Food Pharmacy Program!

Our Benton Harbor clinic is launching a Fresh Food Pharmacy that connects patients living with high blood pressure and diabetes to fresh, healthy food and the support to use it well. We're looking for a Community Health Worker to be the heart of this program.

In this role, you'll work directly with patients referred by their care team, build trusting relationships, and help them overcome the barriers that make healthy eating hard. You'll coordinate regular food distributions with our local food bank partner, share practical nutrition education, and connect patients to resources like SNAP, WIC, and other community supports. You'll work closely with our providers, nurses, and care managers to help patients see real improvements in their health.

If you know the Benton Harbor community, love helping people, and believe that everyone deserves access to good food, we'd love to hear from you.

At InterCare, you’ll find a rewarding and challenging work environment and a competitive compensation starting at $19.52 per hour and benefits package which includes:

• Vacation/personal paid time off
• Sick time
• 10 paid holidays
• Tuition reimbursement program

At InterCare Community Health Network, we believe all people have the right to equal access to quality health care.

InterCare NO LONGER requires employees to have the COVID vaccine, however,you may receive a vaccine at no cost at any of our clinic locations.

Work Schedule:

Primary hours are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., with some evening work until 7:00 p.m. as needed.

Primary Accountability

Functions collaboratively with site Providers, Health Center Manager, and the Director of Special Programs as a member of the Student Health Center’s team. Responsible for helping patients and their families to navigate and access community services, other resources and adopt healthy behaviors. The Community Health Worker builds individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support and advocacy. Represents InterCare at the Student Health Center along with performing the front office functions of the clinic.

Description of Primary Duties & Responsibilities

1. Responsible for establishing trusting relationships with patients and their families while providing general support and encouragement.

1. Provide ongoing follow up, basic motivational interviewing and goal setting with patients/families.
2. Conduct intake interviews with patients, including enrolling and/or referring patients into MI Bridges, Sliding Fee Program, Healthy Michigan Plan and other programs.
3. Assists patients with completing applications and registration forms.
4. Conduct eligibility determination, enrollment and follow-up with uninsured patients.
5. Provide referrals for services to community agencies as appropriate.
6. Act as a patient advocate and liaison between the patient/family and community service agencies (i.e. schools, Department Human Services, hospitals, support groups, etc.).

1. Works closely with an integrated care team to help ensure patients have comprehensive and coordinated care.

1. Responsible for providing consistent communication to outreach nursing/provider care team to evaluate patient/family status, ensuring that provided information, and reports clearly describe progress.
2. Reduce stigma and other barriers to initiating or continuing health care by providing culturally/linguistically humble care, reliable information to both community members and health care providers.
3. Help patients set personal goals, and attend appointments.
4. Follow-up with patients via phone calls, home visits, and visits to other settings where patients can be located.
5. Assist patient in understanding care plans and instructions.
6. Coach patients in effective management of their chronic health conditions and self-care.

1. Plans, organizes, and participates in outreach efforts, health fairs and other public events.

1. Convey the purposes and services of a program to the user population and the impact that program or service would have.
2. Provides health information through community outreach, group health education sessions, individual encounters, and home visits, to assess client needs and concerns as they relate to their family, their community and their health.

1. Serves as a cultural mediator and patient advocate as it relates to communication barriers.

1. Demonstrates cultural awareness; aspects of Hispanic/Latino culture that could potentially be a barrier in communication.
2. Continuously strives to learn evolving cultural elements of the people for whom they interpret.
3. Identifies cultural misunderstandings and professionally informs all parties involved.
4. Understands the resources available to Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients and speaks up on their behalf to ensure linkage to those resources.

Description of Primary Attributes

General Development

1. Maintains BCLS Certification is required.
2. Ability and willingness to provide emotional support, encouragement and motivation to patients.
3. Ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people and maintain positive working relationships with site staff, clients, providers, clinical support staff, agency representatives, and management.
4. Possesses skills in motivation, self-direction, and punctuality.
5. Ability to work well as part of a team and keep team members updated on current project developments
6. Ability to continuously expand knowledge and understanding of community resources, services and programs provided; human relations and procedures used in dealing with the public as part of a service or program.
7. Maintains BLS requirement. BLS is a mandatory by InterCare and our FTCA agreement with the Federal Government. It must be completed within 90 days of hire.

Professional and Technical Knowledge

1. Possesses a high school diploma or equivalent.
2. Successful completion of 126 hours of the Community Health Worker Michigan-specific training, 4 hours of MI Bridges Medicaid enrollment training certification training, and completion of the Certified Application Counselor (CAC) curriculum.

Technical Skills

1. Basic to intermediate level skills in Microsoft Office Suite.
2. Ability to present educational information to patients one-on-one or in group settings.
3. Ability to create letters, forms, documents, presentations.
4. Knowledge of medical terminology preferred.

Communication Skills

1. Possesses a professional level of written and verbal communication skills.
2. Ability to communicate complex concept in a clear effective manner.
3. Possesses excellent cross cultural communication skills and the ability to communicate to staff members at all levels.
4. Fluent in Spanish and English, reading, writing, and speaking skills.

Physical Demands

Job duties are performed during irregular evening hours outside of the typical office environment. The environmental factors and/or physical requirements of this position include the following:

1. In-home and warm weather outdoor work with occasional in-office work.
2. Extensive travel using reliable personal vehicle.
3. Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, frequently sit, and lift up to 25 lbs.
4. Requires ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations.
5. Requires good hand-eye coordination, reach with arms & hands, and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and manipulate (using keyboard, office equipment).
6. Visual acuity to use keyboard, operate office equipment, and read printed material and regularly required to talk and hear.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) in this position. Employee(s) will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.