Career Opportunities

Job Type: Regular

Time Type: Full time

Work Shift: Day (United States of America)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.

The Community Health Worker will be working with the Bowdoin Street Health Center in Dorchester, MA, as part of the Community Healing Response Team (https://www.boston.gov/government/cabinets/boston-public-health-commission/violence-prevention/neighborhood-trauma-team-network).

This position provides immediate support services for any individual affected by community violence, providing support for individuals and families during community events. The Community Health Worker will be involved with events which include vigils, memorials, and funeral services.

The incumbent will be a referral to on-going behavioral health services for individuals and families, trauma education and support at community meetings and community outreach to distribute basic trauma health information and support ways to cultivate healing as well as community coping and healing groups.

This role is located in Dorchester, MA. There is free parking available. After being fully trained, there will be an opportunity to work remotely one day a week.

Job Description:

Under the direction of a manager or supervising social worker, the Community Healthcare Worker conducts resource assessments and collaborates with social work and/or medical staff to obtain community resources for community health center patients and families. Within developed area of expertise, provides orientation and ongoing training related to community resources to staff, medical providers, patients and families.

This Community Health Worker supports the Community Healing Response Network which offers services for individuals, families, and communities affected by community violence.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Determines, independently or in collaboration with other staff, the resources that will optimally meet patients' and families' needs. Develops a multifaceted service plan to meet complex patients' needs. Acts as case manager to coordinate care with medical providers. Makes independent decisions about services to recommend to a patient/family and how to teach them to become self-reliant.
• Maintains a caseload with many patient contacts per day including phone calls, paperwork and face to face contacts. Provides timely and appropriate documentation in the online medical record. As part of the patient centered medical home, takes part in team meetings to coordinate care with medical and mental health providers.
• Advocates on the patient's behalf in written and verbal communications. Assists patients with such tasks as accessing entitlement programs and provides such information as requested by outside facilities who are helping the patient.
• Documents and advises supervisor and clinical staff of obstacles to obtaining services and potential ways to manage them. Develops liaisons with community and state agencies to facilitate negotiation of complex systems. Visits relevant agencies to broaden knowledge and relationships.
• Makes home visits as needed and appropriate. Masters specific areas of expertise such as domestic violence, childhood trauma, fitness or HIV and family planning.

Required Qualifications:

• High School diploma or GED required. Associate's degree preferred in Human Services field.
• 1-3 years related work experience required.
• Minimum 2 years of related work experience without a related Associate's degree
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with computer systems required, including web based applications and some Microsoft Office applications which may include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Access.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual in English and Spanish and/or Cape Verdean Creole.

Competencies:

• Written Communications: Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in written English with internal and external customers.
• Oral Communications: Ability to comprehend and converse in English to communicate effectively with medical center staff, patients, families and external customers.
• Knowledge: Ability to demonstrate full working knowledge of standard concepts, practices, procedures and policies with the ability to use them in varied situations.
• Team Work: Ability to work collaboratively in small teams to improve the operations of immediate work group by offering ideas, identifying issues, and respecting team members.
• Customer Service: Ability to provide a high level of customer service to patients, visitors, staff and external customers in a professional, service-oriented, respectful manner using skills in active listening and problem solving. Ability to remain calm in stressful situations.

Age based Competencies:
Employees in this job must be competent to provide patient care to the following age groups: Youth: 6 months to 16 years, Young adult: 16-30 years, Middle Age: 30 - 60 years, Elderly: 60 -.

Physical Nature of the Job:
Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force frequently to move objects. Some elements of the job are sedentary, but the employee will be required to stand for periods of time or move throughout the hospital campus.

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) and COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Learn more about this requirement.

More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled