Community Health Worker

HAHHH; Milford, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 38,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

UMass Memorial Health is seeking a Community Health Worker to join our team, focusing on high-risk patients and coordinating access to health and community services. You will advocate for patients, manage referrals, and support families with behavioral health needs.

The CHW will collaborate with care teams, assist with program applications, and provide culturally sensitive education and support across in-person, virtual, and home visits. Join our mission to improve patient outcomes.

Qualifications

• Associate’s Degree, BSW or BEd, or relevant community experience.
• Experience as CHW, peer specialist, peer advocate, or LCSW.
• 1–2 years managing patients with medical and behavioral health issues.
• Experience navigating behavioral health systems.
• Strong communication, organizational and time management.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Competence with virtual platforms and EMR systems.
• Experience with EMR and telehealth preferred.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with iCMP RN/SW to manage caseloads and build team capacity.
• Support patients in self-advocacy and community engagement.
• Map and share community resources such as housing, food, and shelter.
• Connect families with services and track referrals.
• Assist with applications for MassHealth, DTA, DDS, DMH and other programs.
• Coordinate services for children with Autism and behavioral health needs.
• Locate mental health providers and ensure referrals.
• Attend meetings with families for education and services.
• Provide peer support and cultural mediation.
• Deliver culturally appropriate health education.
• Conduct follow-up calls, virtual visits, and home visits as needed.
• Help patients organize records and schedule follow-up appointments.
• Document encounters in the EMR per MRPG/MGB workflows.
• Meet documentation and performance timelines (e.g., PDA within 48 hours).
• Maintain and update the MRPG Resource Database.
• Attend supervision and team meetings regularly.
• Develop strong working relationships with care team members.

Skills

CHW experience

Peer specialist

Peer advocate

LCSW

Communication

Organizational skills

Time management

Independent & collaborative

Virtual platforms

EMR systems

Education

Associate’s Degree

BSW

BEd

Relevant community experience

Job description

Are you an internal caregiver, student, or contingent worker/agency worker at UMass Memorial Health?

Exemption Status: Exempt Hiring Range: $38,064.00 - $68,515.20 Please note that the final offer may vary within this range based on a candidate’s experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity considerations.

Schedule Details: Monday through Friday Scheduled Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm Shift: 1 - Day Shift, 8 Hours (United States of America) Hours: 40 Cost Center: 99940 - 5831 Milford Population Health

This position may have a signing bonus available a member of the Recruitment Team will confirm eligibility during the interview process.

Everyone Is a Caregiver At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.

The Community Health Worker (CHW) collaborates with the care team to improve the system of care for high-risk patients. They advocate for patients, helping them navigate health, mental health, and community services to ensure they receive comprehensive support. The CHW may carry a caseload independently or in partnership with RN/SW Care Managers, assisting with access to state and community resources, coordinating services, and supporting families with behavioral health needs.

I. Major Responsibilities:

• 1. Collaborate with iCMP RN/SW to manage caseloads and build team capacity.
• 2. Support patients in self-advocacy and community engagement.
• 3. Map and share community resources such as housing, food, and shelter.
• 4. Connect families with services and track referrals.
• 5. Assist with applications for MassHealth, DTA, DDS, DMH, and other state programs.
• 6. Coordinate services for children with Autism and behavioral health needs.
• 7. Locate mental health providers and ensure appropriate referrals.
• 8. Attend educational and mental health service meetings with families.
• 9. Provide peer support and cultural mediation.
• 10. Deliver culturally appropriate health education.
• 11. Conduct follow-up calls, virtual visits, and home visits as needed.
• 12. Help patients organize records and schedule follow-up appointments.
• 13. Document encounters in the EMR per MRPG/MGB workflows.
• 14. Meet documentation and performance timelines (e.g., PDA within 48 hours of discharge).
• 15. Maintain and update the MRPG Resource Database.
• 16. Attend supervision and team meetings regularly.
• 17. Develop strong working relationships with care team members.

II. Position Qualifications:

• License/Certification/Education: Required: 1. Associate’s Degree, BSW, BEd, or relevant community experience.
• License/Certification/Education: Preferred: 1. Experience as a CHW, peer specialist, peer advocate, or LCSW.
• Experience/Skills: Required: 1. 1–2 years of experience with patients managing complex medical and behavioral health issues.
• Experience/Skills: Required: 2. Experience navigating behavioral health systems.
• Experience/Skills: Required: 3. Strong communication, organizational, and time management skills.
• Experience/Skills: Required: 4. Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Experience/Skills: Required: 5. Competence in virtual platforms and EMR systems.
• Experience/Skills: Preferred: 1. Experience with electronic medical records and virtual visits.
• Unless certification, licensure or registration is required, an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed in this description may be substituted for the above requirements.
• All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
• We’re striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health – for our patients, our community and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, everyday.
• As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.
• If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at [e-mail]. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.
• At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver. No matter their responsibilities or title, every employee or “caregiver” fills an important role for our patients and their families every day.

Who is a caregiver? It’s not just the person who delivers the care. It’s all the people who make it work … and make it better. Caregivers give everything that helps patients heal, from expertise to extra attention. They give clean, comfortable rooms. Fast, accurate answers. And an easier, less stressful experience. They give warm, reassuring smiles, and helping hands. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, our community and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.