Community Health Worker - Cook County, Illinois

Waymark; Illinois; On-site; USD 31,684 - 35,817; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock Options

Work-from-Home Stipend

Medical, Vision, and Dental Coverage

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off

Parental Leave

Retirement Savings

Commuter Benefits

Professional Development Stipend

Job summary

Waymark is seeking a Community Health Worker to serve Cook County, Illinois, providing social support, navigation, and advocacy for Medicaid populations. You will join a multidisciplinary care team and help connect patients with community resources and healthcare services.

The role involves in-person visits in the community and travel within surrounding counties, plus a paid training period and a comprehensive benefits package. Weekend availability is required.

Qualifications

• Highly organized and self-motivated to work independently and manage schedules efficiently.
• Excellent interpersonal communication and active listening abilities.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and taking on a variety of tasks as needed.

Responsibilities

• Attend a 2-3 week long paid training program.
• Meet patients in the community, in the home, and in healthcare facilities and conduct needs assessments.
• Help patients with health-related social issues like homelessness, substance use and hunger.
• Navigate technology systems to document each patient encounter in detail and accurately.
• Meet patients virtually, by phone or video visit, for conversations as appropriate.

Skills

Highly organized

Empathetic communication

Active listening

Time management

Diversity sensitivity

Job description

Community Health Worker - Cook County, Illinois

Cook County

About Waymark

Waymark is a mission-driven team of healthcare providers, technologists, and builders working to transform care for people with Medicaid benefits. We partner with communities to deliver technology-enabled, human-centered support that helps patients stay healthy and thrive. We’re designing tools and systems that bring care directly to those who need it most—removing barriers and reimagining what’s possible in Medicaid healthcare delivery.

Our Values

At Waymark, our values are the foundation of how we work, grow, and support one another:

• Bold Builders: We tackle the toughest challenges in care delivery by harnessing the power of community and technology.
• Humble Learners: We seek feedback, embrace diverse perspectives, and welcome challenges to our assumptions.
• Experiment to Improve: We use data to inform decisions and continuously assess our performance.
• Focused Urgency: Our mission drives us to act swiftly and relentlessly in pursuit of meaningful results.

If this resonates with you, we invite you to bring your creativity, energy, and curiosity to Waymark.

About this Role

As a Community Health Worker, you will be Waymark’s frontline presence in the community, connecting with patients to provide social support, advocacy and navigation. You will work to improve the health of patients from low- income communities, by connecting them with various providers and resources. You will be part of a care team that is multidisciplinary and includes licensed clinical social workers, pharmacists, and care coordinators.

Key Responsibilities

• Attend a 2-3 week long paid training program.
• Meet patients in the community, in the home, and in healthcare facilities (including hospitals) and conduct a needs assessment, including motivating patients to set and achieve health goals.
• Help patients with health-related social issues like homelessness, substance use and hunger.
• Work with other CHWs and staff to create a directory of community resources (e.g., food banks, housing assistance programs, childcare resources, etc.).
• Manage relationships with the healthcare facility providers and partner with care delivery team (Pharmacists, Social workers, and Care Coordinators).
• Continuously expand knowledge of community resources, services, and programs available to members and build ongoing relationships with these organizations to advocate for members.
• Accompany members to medical appointments as appropriate.
• Navigate technology systems to document each patient encounter in detail and accurately.
• Meet patients virtually, by phone or video visit, for conversations as appropriate.
• Support outreach to individuals eligible for Waymark support both in-person and by phone to establish a relationship and let them know about Waymark’s services.
• Participate in weekly care team huddles.

Minimum Qualifications

• Highly organized and self-motivated to work independently and manage schedules efficiently.
• Sound judgment and the ability to quickly analyze situations.
• Ability to work with a diverse community in an empathetic, passionate and professional manner.
• Friendly, energetic, and enthusiastic personality.
• Desire to help others.
• Cultural competency- able to work with diverse groups of community members.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and active listening abilities.
• Computer literate with experience and comfort using technology for virtual communication, scheduling, and documentation.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and taking on a variety of tasks as needed.
• Reside within a commutable distance of Cook County, Illinois.
• Must be available to work a set schedule that includes at least one weekend day per week and one late-start shift per week.
• Travel required within the surrounding counties (up to 80%).
• Current Driver’s license and access to an insured vehicle.

Preferred Qualifications

• Community Health Worker certification.
• Long time resident of the Cook County area and knowledgeable of community resources.
• Experience conducting home visits and outreach.
• Experience working with managed care patients.
• Experience in customer- or client-service roles
• Knowledge of Greater Cook County Medicaid populations.

Hiring Range

$23.08/hr - $26.20/hr

In addition to salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package. Here’s what you can expect:

• Stock Options: Opportunity to invest in the company’s growth.
• Work-from-Home Stipend: A dedicated stipend for your first year to help set up your home office.
• Medical, Vision, and Dental Coverage: Comprehensive plans to keep you and your family healthy.
• Life Insurance: Basic life insurance to give you peace of mind.
• Paid Time Off: 20 vacation days, accrued over the year, plus 11 paid holidays.
• Parental Leave: 16 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents after six months of employment, and 8 weeks of bonding leave for non-birthing parents.
• Retirement Savings: Access to a 401(k) plan with a company contribution, subject to a vesting schedule.
• Commuter Benefits: Convenient options to support your commute needs.
• Professional Development Stipend: A dedicated stipend supports professional development and growth.

COVID Vaccination: Waymark has adopted a policy on mandatory full vaccination to safeguard our employees, our partners, and the patients we serve from the hazard of COVID-19. As a healthcare company, we believe it is important for our employees and actions to reflect the best available science and the interests of public health. You will be asked to attest to your COVID vaccination status after an offer of employment is made. Waymark will consider reasonable accommodations for individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief.

Offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Employment history and advance degree verification (when applicable) are included as part of the standard background check process. Do you acknowledge and agree to this condition?

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that some of us may be less likely to apply to jobs unless we meet every single qualification. Waymark is dedicated to building a supportive, equal opportunity, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every preferred qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!