Benefits:

401(k)

401(k) matching

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Paid time off

Training & development

Tuition assistance

Vision insurance

Wellness resources

Community Health Worker

Job Description

Mission Statement

At WonderLab our mission is to provide high quality therapy services for children. In a nurturing, child-centered environment, we support development related to motor skills, activities of daily living, feeding, swallowing, and communication just to name a few. Our client’s range in age from infants to teenagers, with most falling in the birth to ten-year-old range. Some have significant medical diagnoses, while others have only mild developmental concerns and may not require any other type of medical or therapeutic support. We work closely with parents and others involved in each child’s care, with the goal of providing services that are meaningful within the context of the child’s life.

Position Summary

A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a trusted member of the community who serves as a bridge to close the gap between community members, providers, and healthcare services. The CHW primarily focuses on healthcare prevention and control of chronic disease among underserved populations.

Scope of interventions:

Health Education

• Education on health topics at the individual, large or small group level

• Assist with health coaching, motivational interviewing, setting SMART goals to encourage the member to advocate for their own health.

• Engage in health promotion through empowering behavior change and actions through increased knowledge. (Courses, trainings, and support groups)

Health Navigation

• Assist members with navigating through resources and connecting them to appropriate resources.

• Educating on available resources and how to use them

• Refer members to appropriate resources

• Guidance to improve quality of life and prevent onset or continuation of disease.

• Providing social support by listening to concerns of the patient and their family Screening and Assessments

• Provide assessments/screenings (that do not require a license provider) to understand and evaluate the need or health of the member (screening assessments may include Social Determinants of health, Asthma, PHQ9, GAD, Kessler etc.)

Individual Support and Advocacy

• Assist with support, intervention, or prevention of injury and violence.

• Host support groups.

The Community Health Worker (CHW) is responsible for helping patients and their families to navigate and access community services, other resources, and adopt healthy behaviors. The CHW supports providers with case management through an integrated approach to care management and community outreach. As a priority, activities will promote, maintain, and improve the health of patients and their family. CHW provides social support and informal counseling, advocates for individuals and community health needs.

Position Qualifications:

Minimum Skills:

• Written and oral fluency in English and Spanish.

• Experience working in a multi-cultural setting.

• Experience working in a community-based setting for at least 1 to 2 years preferred.

• Basic computer skills required, electronic medical record (EMR) experience preferred. • Understand the community served, community connectedness.

• Good communication skills, such as listening well, and using language appropriately. • Ability and willingness to provide emotional support, encouragement and motivation to patients.

Minimum Education:

• Successful completion of a Community Health Worker formal training program such as from a college or other education institution is preferred.

• Medical terminology and/or background preferred.

CHWs must have lived experience that aligns with and provides a connection between the CHW and the Member or population being served. This may include, but is not limited to, experience related to incarceration, military service, pregnancy and birth, disability, foster system placement, homelessness, mental health conditions or substance use, or being a survivor of domestic or intimate partner violence or abuse and exploitation. Lived experience may also include shared race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, language, or cultural background with one or more linguistic, cultural, or other groups in the community for which the CHW is providing services.

CHWs report to Supervising Providers. CHWs should be familiar with and/or have experience in the geographic communities they are serving. CHWs must demonstrate, and Supervising Providers must maintain evidence of, minimum qualifications through one of the following pathways, as determined by the Supervising Provider:

Certificate Pathway:

CHWs demonstrating qualifications through the Certificate Pathway must provide proof of completion of at least one of the following certificates: o CHW Certificate: A valid certificate of completion of a curriculum that attests to demonstrated skills and/or practical training in the following areas: communication, interpersonal and relationship building, service coordination and navigation, capacity building, advocacy, education and facilitation, individual and community assessment, professional skills and conduct, outreach, evaluation and research, and basic knowledge in public health principles and social drivers of health (SDOH), as determined by the Supervising Provider. Certificate programs must also include field experience as a requirement. A CHW Certificate allows a CHW to provide all covered CHW services described in this APL, including violence prevention services.

Work Experience Pathway:

An individual who has at least 2,000 hours working as a CHW in paid or volunteer positions within the previous three years and has demonstrated skills and practical training in the areas described above, as determined and validated by the Supervising Provider, may provide CHW services without a certificate of completion for a maximum period of 18 months. A CHW who does not have a certificate of completion must earn a certificate of completion, as described above, within 18 months of the first CHW visit provided to a Member. CHWs must complete a minimum of six hours of additional relevant training annually. The Supervising Provider must maintain evidence of this training. Supervising Providers may provide and/or require additional training, as identified by the Supervising Provider.

Position Accountabilities

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

• Provide ongoing follow-up, basic motivational interviewing and goal setting with patients/families.

• Follow – up with patients via phone calls and in clinic meetings.

• Help patients set personal health related goals and attend appointments.

• Provide referrals for services to community agencies as appropriate.

• Help patients connect with transportation resources and provide appointment reminders in special circumstances.

• Exhibit excellent working relations with patients, visitors and staff,

• Effectively communicating WonderLab’s mission.

• Work closely with medical providers to help ensure that patients have comprehensive and coordinated care plans.

• Work collaboratively with other clinical personnel assigned to the same patient.

• Knowledgeable about community resources appropriate to needs of patients/families.

• Responsible for providing consistent communication to the supervising clinician to evaluate patient/family status, ensuring that provided information, and reports clearly describe progress.

• Act as a patient advocate and liaison between the patient/family and community service agencies.

• Record patient care management information in the EMR and other software no later than 24 hours after patient contact.

• Attend regular staff meetings, trainings and other meetings, as requested.

• Manage assigned caseload of patients.

• Maintain HIPPA compliance at all times.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Good organizational skills to handle multiple priorities while remaining professional and calm.

• Ability to work with many diverse people, including children and teenagers.

• Effective telephone skills.

• Strong level of confidentiality due to the sensitivity of materials and information handled.

• Ability to make suggestions on workflow or system efficiency and effectiveness.

• Ability to work independently and be self-directed and flexible.

• Ability to prioritize.

• Ability to perform functions with minimal supervision.

• Ability to work at a high-volume level of accuracy.

General Expectations:

• Be committed to the mission, vision and culture of WonderLab.

• Behave in a professional manner and consistently demonstrate and promote the values of playful passion, curiosity and people-centeredness.

• Be punctual for scheduled work and use time appropriately.

• Perform duties in a conscientious, cooperative manner.

• Perform required amount of work in a timely fashion with a minimum of errors.

• Be neat and maintain a professional appearance.

• Maintain confidentiality and protect WonderLab by abiding by laws and principles related to confidentiality; keep information concerning practice operations, patients and employees confidential.

• Successfully complete background check.

• Maintain compliance with WonderLab’s compliance standards, including its Standards of Conduct, Compliance Program, and policies and procedures. Such compliance will be an element considered as part of the CHW’s annual evaluation.

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by the Incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for prolonged periods of time, talk, and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and use hands to operate a standard computer keyboard. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Vision requirements include: close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Ability to read multiple handwritings.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those the incumbent encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Work is performed in a busy clinical office environment with many interruptions and the sounds of children playing (and sometimes refusing) therapy services. The CHW position is a very active, fast-paced position with short deadlines.

Flexible work from home options available.