Community Health Worker - Behavioral Health (4404)

 

SUMMARY: 

The Community Health Worker must be able to provide direct care services to a diverse patient population. This position reports to the Associate Behavioral Health Director or Center Director. 

 

This position is represented by SEIU-UHW. Salaries and benefits are set by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), and an employee in this position must remain a member in good standing of SEIU-UHW, as defined in the CBA. 

 

JOB DUTIES: 

• Facilitates and manages patient referrals to therapy and psychiatry. Contacts, screens, triages, and connects patients to both internal and external behavioral health resources. Maintains and shares in-house waitlist if appropriate. 

• Maintains mental health provider schedules with a focus on optimizing productivity. Fills provider schedules and manages templates. 

• Conducts warm hand offs of patients from medical providers to facilitate integration of care, to connect high risk/high priority patients to behavioral health services, and/or for patients who have a positive screening for unhealthy alcohol use. 

• Assists in establishing and maintaining smooth functioning of the site’s Behavioral Health Team. Actively participates in behavioral health meetings. 

• Supports behavioral health patient panels by making reminder calls, tracking patient attendance, and following up on no-shows to support and improve continuity of treatment. 

• Supports behavioral health providers in having patients complete screening questionnaires and other paperwork. 

• Tracks patients’ progress and alerts providers to need for outreach and for enhanced services. 

• Assists in coordinating and supporting behavioral health patient groups. 

• Ensures appropriate consent and parental involvement for pediatric patients in behavioral health (at sites serving pediatric patients). 

• Provides basic support to patients in connection to patient portal and video telehealth visits. 

• Contacts community agencies and maintains updated resource lists of BH resources in the community. 

• Responsible for data collection, entry and generation of reports. 

• Participates in special projects under the direction of supervisor. 

 

JOB QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Strong organizational, administrative and problem-solving skills, and ability to be flexible and adaptive to change while maintaining a positive attitude. 

• Ability to prioritize tasks, work under pressure and complete assignments in a timely manner. 

• Ability to effectively present information to others, including other employees, community partners and vendors. 

• Ability to seek direction/approval from on essential matters, yet work independently with little onsite supervision, using professional judgment and diplomacy. 

• Work in a team-oriented environment with a number of professionals with different work styles and support needs. 

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written skills and ability to effectively work with people from diverse backgrounds and be culturally sensitive. 

• Conduct oneself in external settings in a way that reflects positively on LifeLong Medical Care as an organization of professional, confident and sensitive staff. 

• Ability to see how one’s work intersects with that of other departments of LifeLong Medical Care and that of other partner organizations. 

• Make appropriate use of knowledge/ expertise/connections of other staff. 

• Be creative and mature with a “can do”, proactive attitude and an ability to continuously “scan” the environment, identifying and taking advantage of opportunities for improvement. 

• Commitment to working directly with low-income persons from diverse backgrounds, in a helpful, supportive manner. 

 

Job Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Health or Human Services field or equivalent combination of education and/or experience. 

• Administrative experience in health or social service setting. 

• Knowledge of East Bay health and social service resources. 

• Previous work providing services to persons with mental health disorders, substance use disorders, physical health conditions and/or disabilities, and/or who are experiencing homelessness. 

• Proficient in Microsoft Office with ability to manage databases.  

 

Job Preferences: 

• Experience and sensitivity working with people who are low-income, have histories of trauma, have mental health and/or substance use disorders, and/or who are HIV positive. 

• Epic experience.