Community Health Worker

Position Summary:

Commonwealth Care Alliance's (CCA) Community Intensive Care (CIC) programing is responsible for providing care delivery and care management to a specific panel of high risk and complex people. This panel of CCA's patients incorporates the care of individuals with significant medical, behavioral, and social complexities that require intensive care management and care delivery.

Within the CIC Program, the Community Health Worker (CHW) functions as an integral member of an interdisciplinary team for care delivery and care coordination for the most complex medical and behavioral health patients. The CHW participates in aiding the patients around all social determinants of health (SDOH) needs in the context of the patient centric individualized plan of care. The CHW uses evidence-based resources, knowledge of community-based care and support, trauma/recovery skills, and health coaching/education to influence the outcomes of assigned patients by impacting acute care utilization, ensuring optimal treatment and closing gaps in care through connecting patients with community supports.

The CHW will help the patient to access the best types of care for their needs including community long-term services and supports. They will focus on reducing gaps in preventive care interventions, optimize patients' engagement with primary care, behavioral health, and substance use services. The CHW will play an integral role supporting patients with frequent utilization of Emergency Departments and acute admissions with the goal of identifying SDOH factors that may be contributing, and partnering with the patient to identify more efficacious and appropriate supports that empower the patient and meet his/her needs.

This position reports to the CIC CHW Clinical Manager

Supervision Exercised:

• No, this position does not have direct reports.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• The primary function of the CIC CHW role is delivering care to CCA's most complex patients, providing care management and care coordination support, and collaborating with external providers with the goal of delivering comprehensive care.
• Essential Duties Include - best in class patient care; clear, concise, and effective communication and documentation; and interdisciplinary collaboration with a variety of stakeholders internally and externally.

Patient Care:

• Engage in regular assessments pertaining to patients Social Determinants of Health
• Conduct visits/outreaches to patients telephonically, virtually, or in-person at regularly scheduled intervals.
• Conduct urgent follow-ups to address patients' significant social needs (medical or behavioral health)
• Conducts coaching and education towards the promotion of wellness, and the prevention and reduction of health risks.
• Supports the health education needs of the patient in collaboration with the interprofessional care team and PCP
• Assess health risks, identify gaps pertaining to SDOH issues that create barriers to care and/or contribute to unmet needs
• Conducts closed loop communication with patients' external providers including the PCP and CCAs interprofessional team to identify areas of opportunity, define resources, and coordinate implementation of care plan.
• Collaborate with patients on SDOH goals in care plan and provide support and education for key care management or coordination decisions
• Support efforts to decrease hospitalization utilization such as admissions, readmissions, and emergency department use
• Supports patient retention and connection to Medicaid and Medicare benefits
• Conducts health education on key quality measures including preventative health maintenance and routine medical screenings
• Assists patients in obtaining or stabilizing housing, finances, food, utilities, educational/vocational opportunities, and community supports
• Engages with community agencies and service providers to build relationships to support patients
• Addresses issues regarding substance misuse/abuse, if indicated, in conjunction with Behavioral Health Clinicians and supports
• Uses recovery strategies such as motivational interviewing, harm reduction, positive behavioral support techniques, limit setting, and strengths-based approaches to support patients in attaining stated goals
• Provides 1:1 health education to patients regarding chronic disease self-management to prevent and manage health conditions and encourage development of healthy behaviors/habits
• Serve as a tech literacy coach and support enabling, coaching, and supporting patients with technology to optimize care delivery and care coordination. At times, the CHW will provide 1:1 support for patients in virtual visits with licensed clinicians.

Documentation and Accountability:

• Documents all visits with focus on clear, comprehensive, and concise charting. Must be able to document in English.
• Completion of all tasks within appropriate timelines as outlines in Scopes of Practice and CCA Guidelines.
• Comply with organization policies and procedures.
• Communicates clear loop closure to HICM interdisciplinary care team and plans for patient centric follow-ups as indicated.
• Identify and initialize a plan to resolve areas of opportunity to meet Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Maintain patient and employee confidentiality.
• Actively participates in the evaluation of own performance and progress
• Provide input to patients care team on key care management/care coordination decisions.

Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration:

• Proactively and collaboratively work with patient's Primary Care Provider (PCP) and other external providers to ensure a cohesive medical treatment plan is delivered.
• Conduct on-going and effective collaboration and communication with external providers, including but not limited to Primary Care staff, specialty services, LTSS coordinators, Aging Service Access Points (ASAPs), visiting nurse services, care attendants, patient designated contacts, and next of kin.
• Conduct on-going and effective collaboration and communication with interdisciplinary team including but not limited to, Health Plan Care Team, Community Advanced Practice Clinicians, Community Health Workers, Community Behavioral Health Clinicians, Medical Directors, Palliative Care Team, Psychiatric services team, Rehab Team, Crisis Response workers, Patient Services representatives, administrative staff, and CCA Leaders.
• Participates in weekly interprofessional care team meetings and ad hoc case conferences as needed
• Provides consultation and support to other patients of CCA Care Team
• Participates in ongoing education and training to improve skills and role-specific certifications or specialization.
• Participates in CCA quality improvement efforts
• Assists CCA management and leadership with the development, refinement and enhancement of clinical programs, initiatives, processes, policies, workflows, and projects
• Participates in committees and workgroups that promote clinical excellence and help to advance CCA's mission and business objectives
• Provides clinical care to patients via telehealth technologies (i.e., video, chat) for clinically appropriate clinical care and care management services

Other duties as assigned

Working Conditions:

• This position requires in person visits to patients in their homes and will support patient across various locations.
• This position requires travel to CCA sites and offices per required need for various team meetings.
• Valid driver's license with no restrictions. Ability to be active and mobile across assigned catchment area.
• COVID-19 vaccination is required
• Compliance with all Community Clinician Occupational Health Requirements

Other:

Standard office equipment

Physical Requirements:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus

Required Education (must have):

• Associate's Degree or Equivalent Experience

Desired Education (nice to have):

• Bachelor's Degree

Required Licensing (must have):

Desired Licensing (nice to have):

• CHW Certification
• Housing Specialist
• Certified Application Counselor (CAC)
• Certified Addiction Recovery Coach (CARC)
• Health/Wellness Coach Certification

MA Health Enrollment (required if licensed in Massachusetts):

• Yes, this is required if the incumbent is licensed in Massachusetts.

Required Experience (must have):

• 3+ years' experience in community-based care

Desired Experience (nice to have):

• 5+ years of minimum experience working in outreach or in the community with patients who have high behavioral health needs and high medical complexity
• Experience with electronic medical record strongly preferred (eCW)

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (must have):

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to utilize an Electronic Medical Record
• Ability to use on-line training platforms
• Demonstrated understanding of Mass Health benefits
• Ability to review welcome packets and obtain consent forms
• Demonstrated understanding of LTSS
• Proven skills and judgment necessary for independent decision making.
• Strong organizational, time management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to function effectively within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Effective oral and written skills. Strong interpersonal and customer relations skills.
• Comfort working with DME vendors, verifying accuracy of products and quotes.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook
• Willing to learn and utilize telehealth technologies (video, chat, etc.), when appropriate, for a variety of clinical care and care management services.

Required Language (must have):

• English

Desired Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Language (nice to have):

• Bilingual or multi-lingual (Spanish preferred)