Community Health Worker

Description

Responsibility:

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 Related Industry Experience:   

Preferred   Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

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

• HIV treatment education 

Key   Working Relationships

Identify   the most important working relationships with people inside and outside the   company including customers, vendors, associations, etc. Briefly describe the   nature of the contacts.

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 - Check   all appropriate decision-making authority level for this position:

? 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.