Community Health Advocate

Overview:

CommonSpirit Health is a nonprofit Catholic health system, dedicated to advancing health for all people. It was created in February 2019 by Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. With its national office in Chicago and a team of over 150,000 employees and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice clinicians, CommonSpirit operates more than 2,000 care sites from clinics and hospitals to home-based care and virtual care services. Our world needs compassion like never before. Our communities need caring and our families need protection. With our combined resources, CommonSpirit is committed to building healthy communities advocating for those who are poor and vulnerable and innovating how and where healing can happen -- both inside our hospitals and out in the community.

Responsibilities:

The Community Health Worker (CHW) will be responsible for assisting patients, and their support team, to navigate and access community services, other resources, and adopt healthy behaviors. The CHW supports primary care providers and clinic staff through an integrated approach to care management and community outreach. The CHW will provide social support, informal counseling, and advocate for the health needs of individuals and their community. Community outreach and collaboration with community agencies are essential to this role. The CHW will participate in the process of collecting and maintaining social needs screening data.

Essential Key Job Responsibilities

• Responsible for establishing trusting relationships with patients, and their support team, while providing general support and encouragement.

• Based on social needs screening results, provide ongoing follow-up, basic motivational interviewing and goal setting with patients/support team.

• Follow-up with patients via phone calls and visits to other settings where patients may need assistance.

• Follow up with patients should be on-going from initial identification through closure.

• Assist patients with completing applications and registration forms.

• Work collaboratively with the health care team. Establish positive communications and partnerships with providers, services, the patient, and the team. 

• Help patients reach personal goals and attend appointments, as needed.

• Provide referrals for services to community agencies as appropriate. 

• Help patients connect with transportation resources and give appointment reminders in special circumstances. Transporting patients is strictly prohibited. 

• Exhibit excellent working relations with patients, visitors and staff, effectively communicating the mission of CHI Alexius Health.

• Continuously expand knowledge and understanding of community resources, services, and programs which could be beneficial to patients being navigated.

• Act as a community advocate between the patient/family and community service agencies.

• Record documentation of patient contact within the patient EMR.

• Attend regular staff meetings, trainings, and other meeting as requested.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required

High School diploma or equivalent

Valid driver's license

Preferred

Two year degree

Licensed Community Health Worker