Community Health Worker Economic Agency

KKV was founded by community leaders in 1972 in response to a lack of health services for Kalihi's low income, largely-immigrant Asian and Pacific Islander residents. KKV's mission is "work toward healing, reconciliation and the alleviation of suffering in Kalihi Valley through strong relationships that honor culture and foster health and harmony."

Understanding health as wellbeing in the broadest sense, KKV pioneers holistic approaches to addressing the needs and aspirations of its culturally-rich community. KKV's 200+ staff care for more than 15,000 Kalihi residents a year in over 20 different languages and dialects from nine locations.

In 2014, Kokua Kalihi Valley began a process to develop a new framework of health that accommodates the full spectrum of strengths, challenges, desires, and needs of the community. Through careful and continual listening and engagement, a more universal view of health and wellness is emerging centered around what matters to indigenous and island people. This view, named Pilinahā, looks at four vital connections that people seek in their lives:
To your best self, to others, to place, and to past and future.

KKV is recognized nationally as a leader in Social Determinants Of Health (SDOH) programming with a 50 year history of implementing innovative programs, and annually hosts hundreds of visitors and students interested in studying KKV's community-and culturally-based approach.

In 2022, KKV won first place in the Innovations Showcase Competition put on by the Social Determinants of Health Academy. We were recognized for our Hui Hoaka Covid response program. Framed by indigenous Hawaiian values, the program has coordinated staff and volunteers from across KKV and the community to provide a broad array of support for patients and their family members.

The program has been highly successful because of its effort to provide deep listening and culturally safe communication; to give access to resources such as food, supplies, lāʻaulapaʻau, and economic support; and to collect stories and data that will aid KKV in improving care integration and establishing best practices for SDOH services.

One Full Time Position

The Community Health Worker for Economic Agency programs (CHW-EA) is primarily responsible for helping Kalihi and their families navigate and access services, benefits and opportunities that increase their individual and household economic health and agency. Benefits include, for example, unemployment insurance, broadband subsidies, housing subsidies, vocational training, higher education, food and transportation assistance navigation, and other resources that increase economic wealth in ways consistent with the dreams and aspirations of the individual or household.

The CHW supports other KKV programs-both clinical and community-through an approach to economic support, coordination and community outreach that integrates with the spectrum of services and supports offered across the organization.

Special consideration given to multicultural/multilingual candidates, those with a SEAL OF BI LITERACY and those with a connection to the ahupuaʻa of Kalihi.
Salary depends on relevant experience.

• Ability to maintain positive working relationships with multi-cultural staff and client populations, required.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, required.
• Demonstrate problem-solving and organizational skills, required.
• Ability to work in a team setting, required.
• Ability to handle confidential information, required.
• Knowledge of some medical terminology, preferred.
• Basic computer skills, preferred.
• Ability and willingness to provide emotional support,…