Street Health Outreach Community Health Worker

Description

The Street Heath Outreach Program is an innovative project which identifies homelessness, chronic health, and mental health needs in Central Alameda County. The program will assist people in attaining housing stability and improve health and well-being.

Using a multi-disciplined team approach, the program provides street and venue-based outreach and engagement, assessment, health services and triage, case management, as well as linkages to housing agencies and mental health services. The program will work with all participants to develop and carry out action plans that improve health and wellness.

Under the supervision of the Director of Population Health, the Street Health Outreach Community Health Worker will work directly with participants to access housing programs, assist with enrollment and/or maintenance of Medi-Cal or HealthPAC, and provide navigational support to successfully engage participants to a medical home. Other activities include health education, care plan development, public benefit linkage and assisting the participant with accessing TVHC health care services.

Schedule: This is a full-time position, working 40 hours per week, typically Monday through Friday, with occasional Saturday hours.

About TVHC: Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center is a nonprofit community health center dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of our community by providing accessible, high-quality care through the integration of primary care, dental care, WIC support, mental health counseling, community health education, and more.

Benefits: We offer excellent benefits, including: medical (100% paid co-payments, premiums, etc.), dental, vision (including dependent and domestic partner coverage), generous paid leave benefits including holidays, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement plans with an Employer match, tuition reimbursement, monthly treats, pet insurance, and more.

*As position is grant-funded, employment is subject to the availability of grant funding*

Compensation: $22.05 - $24.10 per hour, depending on experience.

This position is represented by SEIU, with compensation and benefits determined by the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Salary is based on the wage scales outlined in the agreement. Beyond base pay, TVHC provides a comprehensive compensation package that supports the health, wealth, and career development of our employees.

Responsibilities

• Engages, empowers and advocates for Alameda County unsheltered residents and helps them achieve their best health.
• Conducts regular street outreach and engagement, building trust with individuals encountered at encampments and other service locations according to the responsive schedule.
• Attends to immediate survival needs as prioritized by clients, e.g. distributing basic necessities and supplies.
• Provides problem-solving support using Motivational Interviewing techniques.
• Creates a care plan that reflects the client’s need based on outreach assessment.
• Coordinates linkages to various community resources to meet these needs and works from an interdisciplinary approach.
• Provides case management services in a culturally, linguistically and age appropriate manner.
• Serves as a liaison between the client, community and health and social services.
• Assists clients with enrollment and maintenance of MediCal and Medicare eligibility as well as with other benefits such as CalFresh, GA and SSI.
• Provides culturally competent, trauma informed health services.
• Maintains client information and case documentation in a confidential and professional manner.
• Completes Coordinated Enrry Assessments for individuals seeking housing.
• Maintains client data and responsible for updating county database on a monthly basis.
• Adheres to organizational policy and procedures.
• Builds and maintains appropriate relationships with staff, encampment leaders and Housing Resource Centers.
• Supports a positive work environment and fosters teamwork.
• Represents Street Outreach team at county and community based organization events and meetings.
• Participates with other staff in multidisciplinary meetings and other staff processes to achieve program development, staff development, program evaluation, program operations review, and other activities as appropriate.
  
  

Requirements

• High school diploma, or equivalent required.
• Associate of Arts Degree preferred.
• Valid Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation Card (CPR) within three months of hire.
• Minimum of one (1) year experience providing outreach to chronically unhoused individuals preferred.
• Experience with Electronic Medical Records (EHR) preferred.
• Lived experience of homelessness valued.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bilingual; English/Spanish preferred.
• Be highly dependable and independent.
• Good communication; ability to work well within a team and independently.
• Proficiency in computer operations, navigational skills and comfortable with Internet-based applications.
• Sound decision-making skills including problem solving.
• Professional demeanor.
• Sensitivity to and understanding of the special needs of unsheltered people facing complex challenges.
• Excellent communication, organizational and time management skills with the ability to meet tight timeframes.
• Strong understanding of the health care and community resources.
• Must be willing to travel to assigned locations and drive street health medicine van to and from various service sites as needed.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively.
• Flexible and adaptable to change.
• Ability to learn quickly and retain complex information.
• Ability to travel to work assignments.