Job description: Community Health Worker - Chronic Disease Educator Action Staffing /

Henry County Health Department New Castle, Indiana Pay:

$26.46 per hour

Hours:

30 hours per week

Typical Schedule:

Monday-Friday, approximately 8:00 AM-4:00 PM with a 1-hour lunch. Hours may flex to evenings and weekends as needed based on program and community needs.

Position Type:

Grant-Funded Contract Position 1-5

Years FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt Position Summary Action Staffing is accepting applications for a Community Health Worker - Chronic Disease Educator contracted to work with the Henry County Health Department . The Community Health Worker - Chronic Disease Educator is responsible for providing culturally responsive chronic disease prevention, education, screening, self-management support, outreach, and referrals for County residents. Duties Advocates for underserved County residents on issues that impact individual health and wellness. Utilizes creative ideas to reach out to underserved community members, connect them with resources, and reduce health disparities. Participates in community outreach events in collaboration with other units, partners, and community members. Represents Department in a professional manner while in community and speaking publicly. Assists clients navigate healthcare and social service systems, creates connections with clients and healthcare providers and other community resources, and assists with appointments and with obtaining medical care, clothing, transportation, and other needs. Provides insurance navigation and education to ensure community members' access to medical services and provides informal counseling, health screening, and referrals. Assists clients in completing Medicaid, supplemental nutritional assistance, and temporary cash assistance applications via the state Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) portal. Provides lead poisoning screening for qualifying children. Position duties may specialize in lead poisoning education, screening, testing, and other assistance. Assists with social isolation among clients. Maintains complete and accurate records of activities and services provided, updating client files, entering data collected during home visits in computer system, and preparing required reports. Follows up with community members, organizations, and others to ensure client needs are met. Identifies, develops, evaluates, and maintains lists of community partners, organizations, and individuals who can aid the Department in current and future endeavors. Assists with improving health literacy and provides cross-cultural communication that matches the cultural needs of County residents and provides culturally appropriate education on topics related to chronic disease, prevention, physical activity, and nutrition. Plans, delivers, and evaluates evidence-informed chronic disease education for individuals and groups, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, cancer prevention, tobacco use, nutrition, physical activity, medication adherence, and recommended preventive screenings. Conducts Department-approved health screenings and risk assessments within the scope of training, explains results in understandable language, provides appropriate referrals, and encourages follow-up with qualified healthcare professionals. Uses motivational interviewing, goal setting, and strengths-based coaching to help clients develop realistic chronic disease prevention and self-management goals. Provides follow-up support to reinforce care plans, healthy behaviors, preventive screening recommendations, and connections to primary care or disease-management services. Develops or adapts presentations, lesson plans, outreach materials, and curricula for varying ages, literacy levels, cultures, abilities, and learning preferences. Coordinates community classes, screenings, and prevention activities with healthcare providers, schools, worksites, senior programs, faith communities, and other partners. Collects and reviews education, screening, referral, and outcome data to identify chronic disease trends, participation gaps, and opportunities for program improvement. Expands knowledge of available community resources and services. Creates community capacity to address health issues and social determinants of health. Receives and responds to calls or correspondence from clients, physicians, and community and social service agencies, providing information and assistance as needed. Attends training and completes required annual certifications, which might include obtaining continuing education credits. Performs related duties as assigned. Job Requirements and Difficulty of Work High school diploma or HSE required with one (1) year of community-based experience providing advocacy and support. One (1) year of experience in health education, chronic disease prevention, community outreach, patient education, wellness programming, or a related community-based setting is preferred. Working knowledge of common chronic disease risk factors, prevention strategies, self-management principles, health literacy, preventive screenings, and the appropriate limits of non-clinical health education. Ability to facilitate individual and group education, communicate health information accurately in plain language, and use person-centered coaching without diagnosing, prescribing, or providing clinical treatment. Possession of or ability to obtain and maintain required certifications and training, including Community Health Worker certification, CPR, blood pressure and other approved health-screening training, FEMA training, and other internal or external training as required. Chronic disease self-management, diabetes prevention, health coaching, nutrition, tobacco cessation, or related educator training is preferred. Practical knowledge of local community needs and resources to assist community members with programs and services, with the ability to effectively provide information, assistance and referrals as appropriate, and maintain organized, detailed, and accurate documentation. Working knowledge of standard policies and practices of the Health Department, with ability to apply appropriate procedures accordingly. Working knowledge of standard office policies and procedures with computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, email, internet, and Department-specific software systems and online portals, and ability to apply such knowledge to a variety of interrelated processes, tasks, and operations. Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling and punctuation, and ability to prepare correspondence, documents, and written reports as required. Working knowledge of filing systems with ability to create and maintain accurate and complete Department files. Ability to properly operate standard office equipment, including computer, printer, calculator, telephone, and fax machine. Ability to effectively listen, comprehend, and communicate with co-workers, other County departments, state departments and agencies, medical personnel, social service, community agencies, community partners, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities, and disabilities. Ability to competently serve the public with diplomacy and respect, including occasional encounters with difficult or irate persons. Ability to display empathy and compassion to community members who are in stressful and high-needs situations. Ability to apply knowledge of people and locations, establish and maintain effective relationships with community members, community organizations, and staff, and maintain positive community support. Ability to plan, organize, and execute community-based projects and initiatives. Ability to compare or observe similarities and differences between data, people, or things, copy data from one document to another, and mail materials. Ability to work alone with minimum supervision with others in a team environment. Ability to work on several tasks at a time, occasionally under time pressure or amidst distractions, work rapidly for long periods, and plan and layout assigned work projects. Ability to provide public access to or maintain confidentiality of Department information and records according to state requirements and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Shall comply with all employer and Department policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct. Ability to understand, memorize, retain, and carry out written or oral instructions and present findings in oral or written form. Ability to compile, collate, and evaluate data and make data-driven decisions. Ability to plan and present speaking presentations. Ability to occasionally work extended, evening, or weekend hours, and travel out of town for training, but not overnight. Possession of a valid driver's license and demonstrated safe driving record. Responsibility Incumbent performs duties according to a flexible, customary routine with priorities primarily determined by service needs of the public. Assignments are guided by definite objectives using a variety of methods or procedures, with incumbent referring to supervisor for unusual matters, such as policy interpretations. On rare occasions, decisions are made in the absence of specific policies and procedures and/or guidance from supervisor. Work is primarily reviewed for compliance with Department policy. Errors in work are usually detected or prevented through instructions from supervisor and procedural safeguards. Undetected errors could result in inconvenience to other agencies or the public. Personal Work Relationships Incumbent maintains frequent communication with co-workers, other County departments, state departments and agencies, medical personnel, social service and community agencies, community partners, and the public, for the purposes of exchanging information, rendering service, instructing, and mentoring. Incumbent reports directly to the Director of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention . Physical Effort and Work Environment Incumbent performs duties primarily in a standard office environment, a vehicle, and in the field, involving sitting/walking at will, sitting/standing/walking for long periods, walking up/down stairs, lifting/carrying objects weighing less than 50 pounds, pushing/pulling objects, handling/grasping/fingering objects, keyboarding, crouching/kneeling, bending, reaching, close/far vision, color/depth perception, hearing sounds/communication, speaking clearly, and driving. Incumbent maintains frequent contact with the public and may be exposed to difficult/irate persons. Incumbent responds to situations involving potential physical harm to self and others, and safety precautions must be followed at all times. Incumbent is occasionally required to work extended, evening, or weekend hours and travel out of town for training, but not overnight. Grant-Funded Position Notice This grant-funded position is authorized in one-year funding periods and is contingent upon continued grant funding, program requirements, and achievement of required outcomes. Grant funding may be renewed for additional periods; however, if funding is not renewed or otherwise becomes unavailable, employment in this position will end at the conclusion of the applicable funding period. Employment with Action Staffing / Henry County Health Department is at will, meaning that either the employee or Action Staffing / Henry County Health Department may end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice and with or without cause, subject to applicable law. Federal Funding Disclosure This Rural Health Transformation Program is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $206,927,896.80 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

Pay:

From $26.46 per hour Expected hours: 30.0 per week

Work Location:

In person