Community Health Worker, Emergency Department

Community Health Worker (CHW), Emergency Dept.

Department

Cook County Health

8AM-4PM

$25.148 STARTING HOURLY

Job Summary AFSCME 1111

Under supervision, the Community Health Worker (CHW) supports the provision of care coordination services by screening patients in the emergency department. These services are offered to serve as a bridge between the patient, medical services, and/or community-based organization throughout the County of Cook. The CHW helps the patients navigate the health care delivery system, advocates on their behalf and works to reduce barriers that interfere with the patient's ability to successfully interface with their medical home provider.

This is a grant funded position, grant ends 12/31/26.

• Completes patient screenings by asking questions and documenting the response in designated software and/or EMR system.
• Provides education to patients on ways to actively engage in their own health and to increase the benefits of health system interaction, i.e., call before medications run out, call medical home prior to going to the Emergency Department (ED) for non-life-threatening issues, being prepared for provider visits.
• Performs supportive tasks for patients such as scheduling appointments, referrals to community-based resources (i.e., social services such as housing assistance, vocational rehabilitation, mental health specialty care, substance abuse treatment, etc.) and directions on how to access services and care, follows up with the patient to close gaps in care.
• Works, link patients to appropriate programs and Community Based Organizations.
• Supports efforts to locate patients. This may include calling Medical Homes, pharmacies, driving by last known address to place outreach materials, conduct online search using white pages, contacting healthcare providers for updated demographic information, etc.
• Utilizes screenings to determine escalation to licensed clinical staff as determined by developed protocols and workflows for continuity of care.
• Interfaces with payers to validate authorization for required services.
• Completes all education activities/training, as required.
• Provides lay education to members on self-management for chronic conditions consistent with CHW role and identified diagnoses including education on access to relevant CBOs.
• Documents patient information, assessments, interventions, encounters and any other all activities in the designated software system.
• Retrieves documentation from outside care organization such as history and physical, discharge summaries, and medication list to support effective transitions of care Protects Protected Health Information (PHI) and complies with Cook County Health Privacy Policy.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• High School Diploma or GED is required. (Must provide proof at time of Interview)
• One (1) year of experience performing health risk screenings, providing health education or supporting linkages to community-based resources for a health care organization or community based social service agency is required.
• Previous experience with software and computers, i.e. word processing, appointment scheduling, Microsoft Office is required

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is preferred (Must provide official transcripts at time of Interview)
• Graduate of a Community Health Worker (CHW) Program is preferred (Must provide proof at time of Interview)
• Experience with or ability to learn assessment tools and interventions for hypertension, diabetes and mild to moderate depression is preferred.
• Experience and knowledge of Chicago’s West Side communities (resident of a West Side) is preferred.