Community Health Worker

CommonSpirit Health; Merced (CA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Dignity Health - Mercy Medical Center is seeking a Community Health Worker to strengthen connections between underserved communities and essential services. You will conduct home visits, assess needs, and guide clients to medical, behavioral health, and social resources, helping them overcome barriers to care.

You will build trust with patients and their support teams, provide follow-up, and use motivational approaches to help clients reach goals and attend appointments.

Qualifications

• Minimum of one year experience in a healthcare setting working with patients, healthcare services, and payors.
• Minimum of one year experience in community outreach and advocacy within healthcare.
• Completion of CHW certification program within 12 months from hire.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a link between underserved communities and essential resources via home visits.
• Assess client needs and connect to medical, behavioral health, and social services.
• Establish trust with patients and support teams and follow up regularly.
• Encourage appointment adherence and help overcome logistical barriers.
• Demonstrate AIDET principles when interacting with patients and staff.

Skills

Healthcare experience

Community outreach

Bilingual Spanish

Education

High School Graduate General Studies

High School GED General Studies

CHW certification program

Job description

Job Summary and Responsibilities

As our Community Health Worker, you will serve as a vital link between underserved communities and essential community resources. You will be instrumental in reducing health disparities by helping clients navigate and access critical health, social, educational, and employment services through a home-visiting model.

Every day you will proactively engage with clients through home visits, meticulously assessing their needs and identifying specific Pathways to care and support. You will connect clients to identified community resources, provide guidance on accessing medical, behavioral health, and social services, and offer practical assistance to overcome logistical obstacles.

To be successful in this role, you will possess a profound understanding of the cultural and geographical nuances of underserved communities. A strong ability to problem-solve, coupled with empathy and resilience, is essential for effectively removing barriers to care and empowering clients.

• Is a role model for the Hospital's Patient Satisfaction effort, i.e. demonstrates AIDET principles when interacting with customers, subordinates and colleagues
• Responsible for establishing trusting relationships with patients, and their support team, while providing general support and encouragement
• Based on social needs screening results, provide ongoing follow-up, basic motivational interviewing and goal setting with patients/support team
• Follow-up with patients via phone calls and visits to other settings where patients may need assistance
• Follow up with patients should be on-going from initial identification through closure
• Help patients reach personal goals and attend appointments, as needed

Job Requirements

• High School Graduate General Studies, or
• High School GED General Studies
• A minimum of one (1) year experience in a healthcare setting working with patients, healthcare services, medical groups and payors
• A minimum of one (1)year experience in community outreach, advocacy work within the healthcare/community
• Completion of Community Health Worker certification program at Charles Drew University, within 12 months from hire

Preferred

• Associates Other in a healthcare related field
• Driver's License: CA
• Bilingual Spanish speaker and ability to read and write Spanish

Founded in 1873, Dignity Health - Mercy Medical Center is a 186-bed, acute care, nonprofit hospital located in Merced, California. Serving over 150,000 patients annually, the hospital offers a full complement of services including a Level II NICU, heart care, the Mercy Cancer Center, and a family birth center. Additionally, Merced Medical Center has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and is a Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center.

One Community. One Mission. One California https://youtu.be/RrPuiSnALJY?si=pvQgPZ6ZWZM60TPV

Pay Range

$25.55 - $38.00 /hour