Community Health Worker

Mass General Brigham is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to patient care, research, teaching, and community service. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite applicants to join us.

This is a part-time position for someone interested in helping patients with complex psychiatric, medical and social problems improve their access and utilization of psychiatric/health care services. A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a trusted member of the community who helps patients better access and coordinate their psychiatric care. The CHW works with patients receiving care at Brigham and Women's Hospital outpatient psychiatric clinic, acting as a bridge between the team and patients in the community.

As a CHW you will develop trusting working relationships with patients and be supported by a psychiatric team that includes social workers, nurses and psychiatrists.

• Provide community health work services for patients identified as high-risk due to psychiatric or psychosocial challenges.
• Attend initial and continuing education training programs, including self-directed reading and in-person and online learning.
• Work with patients and the interdisciplinary team to set goals for patient care.
• Meet patients in the emergency department, primary care clinic or hospital to reinforce and advance patient goals.
• Coordinate resources for identified problems including community mental health services, homelessness, substance abuse and food insecurity.
• Make weekly follow-up calls to patients.
• Motivate patients to meet their health goals.
• Provide culturally sensitive services to patients from different cultures.
• Assist patients with organizing their records, making follow-up appointments, and filling their prescriptions.
• Help patients fill out applications for Medical Assistance and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
• Provide advocacy, patient education and support in accessing community-based and hospital-based programs.
• Refer to internal or external care management services when other issues are identified (e.g., food insecurity, domestic violence).
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with the social worker, nurse, psychiatrist and health center behavioral health team.
• Document each patient encounter in detail.
• Prepare reports and documents as requested.
• Attend a clinical team meeting with program supervisors.
• Other duties as reasonably assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Spanish speaking preferred.
• Local community resident with good knowledge of community resources.
• Prior experience as a community health worker, health coach or outreach worker desired; healthcare experience a plus but not required.
• Demonstrated commitment to impacting the care of high-risk patients.
• Solid knowledge of the Core Competencies for CHWs (Outreach Methods and Strategies – Client and Community Assessment, Effective Communication, Culturally Based Communication and Care, Health Education for Behavioral Change, Support, Advocate and Coordinate Care for Clients, Apply Public Health Concepts and Approaches, Community Capacity Building, Writing and Technical Communication Skills, Special Topics in Community Health).
• Prior experience using motivational interviewing a plus but not required.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to carry out written and oral instructions.
• Ability to exercise judgment in the application of professional services.
• Self-motivated.
• Ability to work both independently and as a team member in multicultural settings.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to multi-task.
• Ability to plan and structure workday.
• Comfortable with community visits and outreach.
• Strong time management, organizational and planning skills.
• Must have two references.
• Must successfully pass a background check and pre-employment physical exam.
• Must be willing to commit to the full time period of employment.
• Proficient in all Microsoft applications, including MS Word and Excel.
• Able to perform computer data entry.
• Able to navigate virtual care platforms, like Zoom and Doximity.

Remote Type: Hybrid

Work Location: 22…