Classification: Non-Exempt | Full-time | Hourly. May occasionally work outside of BWPCs normal operating hours.

Department: Community Education

Reports To: Community Health Advocate II Supervisor

Compensation: $20.50-$25.50 per hour

Travel Requirements: Local travel as required

Supervisory Responsibilities: None. Individual Contributor

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

BWPC is a research-driven social enterprise founded to make equitable policies and programs more effective. BLACK Wellness and Prosperity Center promotes Belonging, Love, Affinity, Community, and Kinship through culturally congruent system improvements across the prenatal to postnatal continuum of care to advance improved outcomes in maternal health and wellbeing for Black women/persons and their families. BWPC upholds racism as a root cause of adverse maternal child health experiences for Black women and babies, particularly, the negative impacts of Anti-Black Racism throughout the life course.

BWPC CREDO

BWPC is fact based and centered on trust & equity. If you have a question, ASK. Please do not make assumptions. If you have a concern, SHARE IT. Please do not spread gossip--in the community or within the team. There are no BWPC "cliques." We are ONE. BWPC encourages and promotes deep transformative thinking.

BWPC POWER-SHARING FRAMEWORK

· Generate recommendations for process improvements whenever appropriate

· Participate in developing best practices, sharing resources, and ongoing trainings

· Ensure that all materials created are consistent with BWPC mission, vision, and values

· Participate in the design of new programmatic initiatives

· Apply the BWPC Credo

POSITION SUMMARY

The Community Health Advocate I is a Back Office Medical Assistant hybrid role, which incorporates elements of community health outreach, education, and care coordination into traditional back office medical assisting. Serves as a liaison between the community and healthcare, social services, and public health systems. This role contributes to the strategic expansion of our organization and works closely with internal and external stakeholders with primary focus on supporting community health and resource linkages to reduce health disparities.

DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILIES

Build trust with social services clients and patients to understand health needs and concerns

Use case coordination software and EHR to manage and maintain patient records, charts, and reports, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality

· Conduct health screenings and assessments, and refer individuals to appropriate healthcare providers or services

· Under the direction of the Medical Director and/or Nurse Practitioner may collect and prepare laboratory specimens and perform basic CLIA waived laboratory tests

· Under the direction of the Medical Director and/or Nurse Practitioner may prepare and administer vaccines

· Under the direction of the Medical Director and/or Nurse Practitioner may oversee and administer COVID-19 testing

· Under the direction of the Medical Director and/or Nurse Practitioner may assist with assessment, monitoring, and treatment

· Informs clients and patients of outcomes as a result of screening, testing and/or vaccinations; Identifies and addresses individual concerns and provides appropriate next steps

· Cleans and sanitizes personal workspace, office/examination rooms, equipment and ancillaries

· As applicable, implementation and adherence to the Pathways Community HUB Institute® Model

· Provide constant and consistent follow-up communication with all clients using various modes of communications, including chat, video, phone, text, and email to ensure resources and services are being received and that no additional resources and services are needed

· Maintains accurate, timely, and consistent coordination notes according to BWPC and project guidelines, policies, procedures, and training

Assist clients and patients with navigating healthcare systems, including scheduling appointments and transportation and other needs

· Advocate for community health needs and collaborate with local organizations, healthcare providers, and government agencies to address health disparities

· Identifies opportunities for referrals and resource linkages

· Receives training and provides outreach and client/patient education across multiple health topics based on community need

· Works collaboratively with team members to implement all components of outreach and education, including but not limited to planning, event set-up and take down, tabling, canvassing, and assembling materials

· Understand and respect diverse cultural norms and tailor health education and interventions to specific community needs

· Operates computer and smartphone to access e-mail, communications software, electronic calendars, and other basic office support software

· Performs other duties as assigned

JOB DIMENSIONS

· Work Standards: Maintains regular attendance and punctuality

· Technology: Ability to learn new software and work with multiple software systems simultaneously

· Collaboration: Ability to work independently and/or as a team with ability to constructively take direction and guidance from team leads and administration

· Excellent Communication Skills: Ability to develop rapport and maintain professional conduct with community members from diverse backgrounds

· Flexibility: Ability to be flexible, available, accountable, responsible, reliable, adapt to change, work in a fast-paced and demanding environment, and work some evenings, weekends, and non-traditional hours as needed to meet community needs

· Comprehension/analysis: Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Ability to read and comprehend medical terminology, instructions, correspondence, and memos. Ability to analyze, organize, document, and communicate the specific needs of each unique targeted population

· Humility: Ability to interact in a non-judgmental manner with culturally diverse populations and persons experiencing a wide range of social conditions

· Trustworthiness/Integrity: Ability to at all times use discretion, maintain confidentiality, protect Protected Health Information (PHI), not disclose Personal Identifiable Information (PII), and exhibit ethical conduct

· Stress Tolerance: Ability to administer self-care and have an awareness of when personal wellness needs to be acknowledged and addressed

EDUCATION

· Education: High school diploma or equivalent

· Completed an accredited Medical Assistant training program

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND WORK EXPERIENCE

· Must have current Medical Assistant license in good standing for the state of California

· One-year experience working as a back office medical assistant

· Knowledge of and strong commitment to community outreach, health education, advocacy, linkage to care, social services, public health and decreasing health disparities

· Experience conducting telephone-based or in-person health assessments and screenings, motivational interviewing, data collection and data entry

· Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and related business software

· Must have consistent reliable transportation

· Some weekend and evening availability required

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The emotional environment will include hearing, seeing, and discussion of racism, mortality, health disparities, and maternal child health inequities. May be exposed to infectious diseases and hazardous materials common to community clinic settings.

Requires frequent oral and written communication with internal and external stakeholders, vendors, and partners, the ability to enter data and written communications in electronic format in a timely manner using various software.

May be required to work at other locations within the community. Ability to consistently reach the worksite, meetings, and events on time and prepared to work.

WORK METHODS

· In-person

· Reports to: Community Health Advocate II Supervisor

COMPENSATION AND PAY SCALE

Non-Exempt, Full-time, Hourly. Pay grade I. Range $20.50-$25.50 based on skills and experience.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Black Wellness & Prosperity Center is an equal opportunity employer, drug free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable and shall not unlawfully discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status or veteran status pursuant to all applicable State of California and Federal statutes and regulation. BWPC does not discriminate against applicants or employees because of their reproductive health decision making.