Mental Health Community Health Worker

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Full Time West Baden, IN, US

Salary Range: $16.00 To $20.00 Hourly

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER

JOB DESCRIPTION

REPORTS TO :
Mental Health Department Manager/Office Manager

PRIMARY

DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Mental Health Community Health Worker serves as a trusted bridge between patients, the behavioral health and primary care teams, and community resources. The MHCHW provides culturally responsive, patient-centered, trauma-informed outreach, education, advocacy, practical support, and follow-up to improve access, engagement, and continuity of care.

The MHCHW helps patients identify goals and barriers, understand available services, strengthen self-management and coping skills, and connect with needed healthcare and social supports. This is a non-clinical role. The MHCHW does not diagnose, provide counseling or medical advice, make independent clinical decisions, or perform duties outside approved training and scope.

Essential Functions

1. Relationship-Based Patient Support and Education

• Establish trusting, respectful relationships with patients and provide consistent, nonjudgmental support using trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices.
• Help patients identify personal goals, barriers, strengths, and practical next steps toward improved mental health and overall wellness.
• Provide approved, non-clinical education regarding mental health, wellness, coping, self-management, available services, and stigma reduction using clear, plain language.
• Review and respond to assigned patient messages and telephone calls within the position's scope; recognize concerns requiring prompt escalation to licensed clinical staff or established crisis resources.

2. Resource Navigation and Referral Follow-Up

• Identify non-clinical barriers involving housing, food, transportation, employment, finances, insurance, social support, safety, technology, or access to healthcare and behavioral health services.
• Connect patients with approved community resources and refer patients to Navigator Services for insurance information and enrollment assistance.
• Follow up on referrals and missed or overdue appointments, help patients address access barriers, and identify alternative resources when the original connection is unsuccessful.
• Maintain an accurate Mental Health Department resource directory and current working relationships with community agencies, schools, hospitals, healthcare providers, and other partners.

3. Outreach, Advocacy, and Community Engagement

• Conduct assigned telephone, approved electronic, in-person, and community outreach; document contacts, attempts, referrals, barriers, and outcomes within required time frames.
• Participate in approved health fairs, organizational events, mental health awareness activities, school or community partnerships, and presentations using approved information and materials.
• Help patients understand available services, prepare questions, communicate concerns, and participate in care while respecting patient choice and self-determination.
• Develop and sustain community relationships that expand access to reliable mental health information and resources; provide or assist with approved mental health education for SICHC employees.

4. Team Collaboration, Documentation, and Improvement

• Coordinate closely with the Mental Health Department Manager, Mental Health Director, licensed clinical staff, primary care teams, Navigators, and community partners.
• Complete routine correspondence, forms, record requests, outreach tracking, and other approved non-clinical mental health documentation accurately and on time.
• Support data collection and quality measures related to patient access, engagement, referral completion, and follow-up; participate in meetings, training, quality initiatives, and departmental activities.
• Immediately escalade emergencies, potential harm to self or others, abuse or neglect, safety threats, significant clinical concerns, or any issue outside the MHCHW role according to SICHC procedures

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

High school diploma or GED required. Completion of an approved Community Health Worker certification program within six months of hire is required; the employee must maintain all required certification.

Experience:

One to two years of experience in behavioral health, healthcare, social services, community health,…