Queensbridge Health Advocacy Partners Program (HAPP):  Full-Time Community Health Worker (CHW) (6-month project)

Organization Overview: CMS is a comprehensive community service organization dedicated to providing a wide range of support to at-risk adolescents, vulnerable communities and families in need. Through evidence-based programs, crisis intervention, mentoring, coaching, and community engagement initiatives, we strive to meet the unique needs of diverse communities throughout the five boroughs of New York – creating positive and sustainable change in the lives of the individuals and families we serve. Our goal is to empower every member of the community by promoting effective approaches to problem-solving. We believe that providing programs that foster self-determination and positive decision-making is key to achieving this goal. We also strive to inspire organizations and institutions to implement innovative solutions that respond to the unique needs of the individuals they serve.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW: The NYC Public Health Corps (PHC) is a citywide investment in and commitment to the public health workforce and just recovery from COVID-19 with and for communities that have been disproportionately impacted. Following several years of COVID-19 specific work, the next phase of PHC aims to focus on chronic disease prevention and management through decreasing inequities in health and social outcomes for residents of public housing.

The Health Advocacy Partners Program, a component of PHC, will drive equitable pandemic recovery in priority public housing communities that have experienced longstanding health inequities. The program is funding community-based organizations to build up and utilize a workforce of community health workers (CHWs) to deeply engage with targeted NYCHA neighborhoods in preventing and managing chronic conditions like asthma, hypertension and diabetes. The program will work with NYCHA residents to help them better manage their chronic illnesses through:

• One-on-one health coaching sessions
• Individual and group-level educational workshops
• Assistance in acquiring and navigating health insurance
• Referrals to clinical and social support services in the community
• Advocacy and community organizing

HAPP community partners will be working in the following neighborhoods and NYCHA developments:

Queens Long Island City Queensbridge (north and south)

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Community Health Worker will serve as a liaison to residents identified as having high rates of poorly controlled asthma, hypertension and diabetes of specified housing developments in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. Community Health Workers will be trained to provide one-on-one coaching sessions to help resident participants implement realistic and culturally appropriate lifestyle changes. Sessions will be held either at the home or at convenient community settings. With shared life experience, Community Health Workers will serve as role models, educate participants about self-help techniques and self-help group processes, teach effective coping strategies and symptom management skills, assist in clarifying rehabilitation and disease management goals, and assist in the development of community support systems and networks. Community Health Workers will also directly impact participants’ ability to advocate for appropriate care and healthy neighborhood conditions.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide peer health coaching support to chronically ill participants including goal setting, creation of a participant action plan, and reinforcement sessions to help participants achieve their health goals
• Maintain a caseload of approximately 30 active participants
• Connect participants to community clinical and social service supports
• Model positive health management behavior
• Occasionally accompany participants to medical and social services visits as needed
• Complete tasks including documentation, coaching and health education and data entry in accordance with organizational guidelines
• Prepare case-related reports including but not limited to: outcomes, successes and challenges.
• Engage in case conferencing with Community Health Worker Supervisor, HHAP Program Manager, and Program Director to allow for feedback and collaborative solution planning to improve participant health outcomes
• Communicate health complications and risks to Community Health Worker Supervisor when necessary
• Participate in group advocacy and community mobilization activities of the program and serve as a positive example and representative of the organization internally and externally

REQUIREMENTS:

• Flexible work schedule, regular evenings and weekends required
• Ability to work independently, be flexible, and handle changing workload with multiple projects and changing priorities
• Working Conditions: 70% Community, 20% Office, 10% Clinical/Social Service Partners
• A strong commitment to engage residents on a personal level and be able to get agreement on future health commitment/goals
• Must be Bilingual (Spanish)

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High school diploma or GED
• Must have at 1 -2 years of previous experience as CHW or related titles (PaPent Navigator, Resource Navigator, Outreach Specialist, Health Coach, Health Educator, Case Manager, Peer Specialist, Recovery Peer
• Advocate, Promotora)
• Community Health Worker certification preferred
• Residents from the specified neighborhoods preferred
• NYCHA residents strongly encouraged to apply
• Strong relationship builder with excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience providing coaching, mentoring, adult learning, counseling, outreach, workshop facilitation, and/or group/community presentations preferred
• Experience working with marginalized populations preferred
• Healthcare related experience is a plus
• Knowledge and familiarity with NYCHA systems is a plus
• A commitment to collective action and community organizing

Salary: $50,000 (6 months)

Please email a resume to REESpostings@nycha.nyc.gov with the job title “Full-Time Community Health Worker (DV)” in the subject line to apply!

(Ongoing recruitment until position is filled)