Community Health Worker

Hyacinth-Foundation-A-New-Jersey; Paterson (NJ); On-site; USD 45,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

Hyacinth AIDS Foundation in New Jersey seeks an outreach-focused role to support HIV services. Under the Client Services Manager, the position focuses on reconnecting out-of-care individuals to medical care and supportive services, while upholding confidentiality and HIPAA guidelines.

The role emphasizes collaboration with local clinics, respectful client interactions, and accurate documentation of services provided, with a strong commitment to client wellbeing and privacy.

Qualifications

• Two years of experience in HIV/AIDS field or related health services.
• Proficiency in written and verbal communications.
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Provide brief and concise statement explaining the main purpose for the existence of this position.
• Under supervision, performs duties relating to outreach services implementation and evaluation.
• Collaborate with local clinics to outreach to out-of-care individuals and reconnect them to HIV medical services and other supportive services.
• Refer and link undiagnosed clients to rapid HIV testing services.
• Accompany clients to medical and social service appointments.
• Maintain client confidentiality and HIPAA compliance.

Skills

Communication skills

Diversity sensitivity

Education

High School diploma or GED

Job description

Responsibility:

Hyacinth AIDS Foundation’s mission is to help people live with HIV, stop the spread of the epidemic, and serve as a critical voice in the public debate surrounding AIDS in New Jersey. The following foundational behaviors are expected as an employee of Hyacinth:

General Responsibilities

Hyacinth AIDS Foundation’s mission is to help people live with HIV, stop the spread of the epidemic, and serve as a critical voice in the public debate surrounding AIDS in New Jersey. The following foundational behaviors are expected as an employee of Hyacinth:

Service/Client Services

Consistently demonstrates respect, responsiveness, and professionalism towards others while providing superior service for our clients

• Treats each client as a priority
• Respects each client’s right to quality service, confidentiality, and dignity.
• Works with co-workers to ensure integration of services
• Displays a welcoming, helpful attitude to clients
• Establishes and maintains personal boundaries in clinical supervision with clients or co-workers

Community/Teamwork

Actively cooperates within the region and/or program and participates in the constructive resolution of conflict.

• Focuses on improving communication and collaboration
• Tries to understand the other person’s point of view when there is a challenge
• Works with all regional staff to provide a full continuum of services to clients.
• Understands local community resources and can make appropriate referrals.
• Is clear and tactful when collaborating and working with others.

Leadership

Assuming responsibility for one’s own self in the workplace and exhibiting commitment to the client and agency.

• Takes pride in his/her work
• Advances Hyacinth’s reputation for excellence.
• Incorporates boundaries and ethical guidelines into decision making.

Employees of the Agency may learn certain facts about individuals being served by the Agency that are of a highly personal and confidential nature. Examples of such information are medical conditions, sexual orientation, relations with family members and other individuals. All such information must be treated as completely confidential. All staff are required to conform to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) guidelines which require the protection of personal health information.

Position Summary

Provide brief and concise statement explaining the main purpose for the existence of this position. Provide a brief summary of the role.

Under the supervision of the Client Services Manager, performs assigned duties relating to the implementation and evaluation of Outreach Services.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

In order of importance, briefly describe, in sentence form, the essential functions/major responsibilities of this position (principal duties and responsibilities of the position)

Typically, job descriptions should contain no more than seven or eight major responsibilities ranked in order of highest percentage of time to least.

Approximate Percentage of Time

Tasks/Duties/Responsibilities

70%

Client Services

• Collaborate with staff in local clinics to outreach to out of care individuals and reconnect them to HIV medical services and other supportive services
• Work closely with medical case managers of local clinic to identify patients who have fallen out of care
• Conduct outreach to the hardest to reach, at risk communities. These communities include men and women who are substance using, incarcerated, undocumented, uninsured, homeless, teens or otherwise not aware of, or in denial about, their risk for being HIV-infected. Outreach will be conducted in conjunction with prevention staff and will include riding on the Mobile Testing Van to various outreach location
• Refer and link undiagnosed clients to rapid HIV testing services
• Refer newly diagnosed clients to medical care and other supportive services
• Accompany and escort clients to medical and social service-related appointments
• Provide accurate information to clients about living with HIV, preventing further transmission, the benefits and challenges of HIV care and treatment, and available services and how to access them
• Provide personalized assistance to clients to help them enroll or re-engage in medical care
• Support clients throughout the early part of their care
• Help clients to develop confidence about their participation in HIV treatment
• Work closely with Medical Case Manager to ensure clients medical needs are addressed

15%

Reporting / Monitoring

• Establish, maintain, and update client case records using approved agency forms and procedures
• Ensure confidentiality of all records
• Prepare monthly reports in accordance with agency policies and procedures
• Maintain and update client information in E-Compass and CAREWare

10%

Hyacinth Representation / Advocacy

• Attend and participate in staff meetings and supervisory conferences
• Maintain working relationships with other community providers
• Observe established administrative procedures
• Provide written reports and maintain statistics as required
• Represent the agency at community events, meetings, and conferences
• Adhere to Hyacinth policies and procedures including client confidentiality provisions

5%

Training and Certifications

• Attend and participate in staff training opportunities

100%

Total

Other Duties

Describe important tasks or duties, not mentioned above

• Commitment to Hyacinth philosophy
• Access to currently registered car and a valid driver’s license a plus

Demonstrates understanding of objectives, duties, and responsibilities in accordance with the job description.

Understands job responsibilities and keeps current on skills and information needed to meet new challenges.

Works with team leader/manager on areas of job responsibilities that are unclear.

Delivers quality results and balances priorities to meet all project and team commitments in a timely manner.

• Serves as a steward of the public’s trust and money.
• Takes responsibility for timely decisions and actions.
• Routinely checks for accuracy in his/her own work.
• Evaluates how well an event or program was completed (i.e. attendance and target audience specifications, asks clients to rate effectiveness, asks people what was good and what can be better next time).

Disseminates relevant information about decisions, plans and activities to team leaders and supervisors

• Informs team leaders and/or managers about decisions that affect work.
• Recognizes problems and complaints and escalates to team leaders and/or managers when necessary.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

Consider and identify qualifications potential applicants must possess in order to be considered for the position. Basic Qualifications must be clearly stated, objective and relevant to this position.

Required Minimum Education

None

Other

None

Required Years of Related Experience

2-4 years

• A minimum of two years’ experience in the field of HIV / AIDS

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

(Include any required computer skills, certifications, licenses, languages, etc.)

• Demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and interests.
• Proficiency in written and verbal communications

People Management Experience

Indicate whether supervisor/people management experience is required.

• Not applicable

Required Years of People Management Experience

• Not applicable

Preferred Qualifications

Consider and identify qualifications that are not required to perform the job but would be extremely helpful to performing the job.

Preferred Minimum Education

• High School diploma or GED

Other

• Preference may be given to candidates whose background is similar to the target population, or individuals with other experience or direct knowledge of HIV

Preferred Area of expertise

• Community relations

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

(Include any preferred computer skills, certifications, licenses, languages, etc.)

• HIV treatment education

Key Working Relationships

Internal

Hyacinth staff and supervisors, including those in Prevention

External

Staff in local clinics, medical case manager, clients, and communities

Supervisory Responsibilities

List number of employees reporting to this position, both directly and through direct reports.

Direct Reports: 0

Indirect Reports: 0

Decision Making Authority -

• Makes hiring recommendations / decisions
• Trains employees
• Plans work / Reviews work quality and quantity of others
• Provides input on performance reviews
• Provides input on employee grievances
• Makes termination recommendations / decisions
• Recommends budget amounts
• Makes budget decisions

Hyacinth is an Equal Opportunity /affirmative Action Employer and will consider all qualified applicants without regard to sex, race, creed or religion, color, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, or veteran, sexual orientation, gender identification and/or expression, or marital status.