Community Health & Recovery Advocate

UPMC; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 25,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

UPMC Health Plan seeks a Community Health Care Worker to connect individuals, families, and providers, serving as a liaison between health and social services to improve access and cultural competence through outreach, education, and advocacy.

The CHW will conduct telephonic and face-to-face interactions, coordinate care, assist with referrals and non-medical needs, and travel region-wide to support recovery efforts, with a flexible schedule and ability to lift up to 30 lbs.

Qualifications

• Experience with housing, transportation, peer support, informal counseling, career training, and social supports.
• Understanding of community health needs and the ability to engage diverse populations.

Responsibilities

• Represents UPMC Health Plan recovery and transformation at all levels.
• Promotes principles of recovery with members, providers, and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with care management staff for interventions as needed.
• Assist in scheduling appointments as needed.
• Maintain flexibility in schedule to meet members' needs.
• Advocate for members' community, medical, and behavioral health needs.
• Connect members with non-medical resources affecting health and access to care.
• Travel throughout the region to engage with members and providers.
• Provide telephonic assistance to members and family members regarding recovery tools.

Job description

Purpose:
The Community Health Care Worker (CHW) will work directly with individuals receiving services, family members, providers and other stakeholders, at the direction of a supervisor. This position requires the candidate have close understanding of the community they serve. This trusting relationship enables CHWs to serve as a liaison link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. We recognize CHWs build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, social supports and advocacy. To fill this position, we will recruit a seasoned person who has expertise in issues such as housing, transportation, peer support, informal counseling, career training, and social supports.

The CHWs will provide care coordination services to address health needs of individuals enrolled in the program. This position will include telephonic and face to face contact with individuals receiving services, family members and other stakeholders to engage in problem solving and referral strategies; community based services; resources for housing and resources available to members to promote recovery. The CHW also represents the organization to the general public, individuals in, and seeking, recovery, family members, and to stakeholder groups.

Responsibilities:

• Represents UPMC Health Plan recovery and transformation at all levels.
• Promotes principles of recovery with members, providers, and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with UPMC Health Plan care management staff, as needed, for interventions.
• Assist in scheduling appointments as needed.
• Flexibility in schedule to meet members' need.
• Advocate for the members' community needs, medical and behavioral health needs.
• Assist members with specific non-medical needs that affect health and access to care.
• Mobilize the community level to enhance provider understanding of community needs and preferences.
• Engage the community to improve underlying social and economic conditions that impact health.
• Utilize motivational interviewing to effectively identify the member's strengths, needs, motivation, triggers, and goals in managing life circumstances.
• Identifying challenges a member faces in the Eight Stages of Wellness and Recovery.
• Bridge the gap between the physical health care and behavioral health treatment.
• Connect the member to community-based treatment and recovery supports.
• Work in the community setting at least 80% of the time, to have direct contact with members, support teams, treatment providers and recovery supports.
• Provides telephonic assistance to members and family members concerning recovery tools and resources.
• Empower the member to self-advocate and follow through with treatment (making and attending scheduled appointments, setting goals, and community networking).
• Travel throughout the region.
• Be able to lift 30 lbs. Kneeling, crouching, crawling- include if they are working in childcare.