Community Health Worker- Fort Scott Schools (USD 234)

POSITION: Community Health Worker –  Fort Scott Schools (USD 234)

DEPARTMENT: Patient Engagement

REPORTS TO:  Director of Patient Engagement, Patient Engagement Manager

DIRECT REPORTS: None

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt

CORE VALUES

The core values of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Inc. (CHC/SEK) are dignity and stewardship.  Each staff member is expected to perform their job duties in a way that preserves dignity for our patients and maintains good stewardship of CHC/SEK’s resources.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

This position will focus on addressing social determinants of health and navigating students and families through complex healthcare and needs within Fort Scott Community Schools. This includes assisting students with food insecurity, transportation, community referrals, benefits or assistance applications, and addressing a student’s individual barriers to excellent overall health and wellness. It also may include providing transportation in CHC/SEK vehicles, and delivering prescription medications to patients.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) at CHC/SEK are passionate about serving their community. CHWs strive to understand, motivate, and help our patients achieve their goals in health and wellness by eliminating barriers, collaborating with patients to set goals, and working within a multidisciplinary care team.

This position is housed in the Patient Engagement department at CHC/SEK. The overall goal of Patient Engagement is to engage high-risk, underserved populations and work to decrease the impact of exacerbations on health status and accelerate recovery through targeted care management. Often staff go above and beyond to provide support in nontraditional settings such as patient homes, neighborhoods, and communities. Patient Engagement staff are flexible, knowledgeable about disease processes, community resources and CHC/SEK care systems, and able to address barriers to improved health outcomes.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

  1. Meet students and their families in the school, home, clinic, or community setting and conduct needs assessments and screenings, including identification of socio-economic issues that affect their overall health.
  2. Collaborate with school teams (e.g. administrators, nurses, counselors, etc.) and community health partners (e.g. Communities in Schools) to establish an integrated school-based health model promoting new and existing resources supporting student health and education.
  3. Assess student’s unmet health and social needs to connect with community and organizational resources, including clear guidance about why and how to access these resources.
  4. Engage students and families in the development of health and social goals and coach patients in the effective management of their health conditions and self-care utilizing techniques such as motivational interviewing.
  5. Coordinate care and assist with understanding care plans and instructions by making follow-up appointments, accessing prescriptions, or other means as needed.
  6. Build relationships and follow up with students and families about their health via phone calls, home visits, and visits to other settings as needed.
  7. Complete required training and professional development courses, including the Community Health Worker Education Program hosted by the Kansas Community Health Worker Coalition.
  8. Assist with assigned outreach activities such as delivering prescription medications, attending health fairs, or attending other outreach events, as directed.
  9. Utilize technology and telehealth capabilities to better connect students and families to care.
  10. Work collaboratively, respectfully, and effectively within Pittsburg Community Schools, and CHC/SEK clinical and nonclinical teams.
  11. Address types of barriers to health through activities such as Medicaid enrollment assistance, prescription assistance applications, among others.
  12. Build and maintain positive, supportive working relationships with students, staff, providers, community organizations, and others.
  13. Contribute to and utilize data to achieve program goals, improve health outcomes, and advance community health indicators.
  14. Work to address health disparities for vulnerable populations by looking to innovative workflows and processes, or contributing to operational changes.
  15. Perform other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

  1. Seeking applicants that are familiar with local community resources and school systems.
  2. Preferred applicants have education and experience in settings of Public Health, Community and Family Services, Health Coaching, Case Management, or Social Work.
  3. Fluent in English and Spanish preferred.
  4. Valid Driver’s License. Must not have more than two (2) moving violations in the past three (3) years.
  5. Must possess Basic Life Support certification upon hire or within six (6) months of date of hire.
  6. Other required training must be completed within six (6) months from date of hire and on an annual basis. Training includes, but is not limited to CTAA Pass Basic, Defensive Driving and Wheelchair Securement.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

  1. Social and cultural sensitivity appropriate to ethnically and economically diverse patient-and employee-base.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of the rationale of appropriate patient care.
  3. Must be organized and able to manage/prioritize tasks to meet deadlines, adapts to change in a positive manner, able to work as a part of a team.
  4. Communicates through appropriate channels. Use proper chain of command for patient complaints.
  5. Ability to handle emergency situations calmly and effectively.
  6. Must be computer literate, especially with Microsoft Office products and be proficient with the Electronic Health Record software.
  7. Must be able to maintain good inter-personal relationship with co-workers and other members of the health care team and the organization.
  8. Provide customer service in accordance to the organization’s mission.
  9. Be courteous and respectful when interacting with patients and family members.
  10. Maintain patient confidentiality in accordance to organization’s policy and procedure and HIPAA requirements.

WORKING CONDITIONS

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk.  The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Travel is required throughout the service area.

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