Community Health Worker, School Based

Esperanza Health Centers offers benefits to all its full-time employees:

BCBS Medical PPO Plans| Ameritas Dental |Eye Med Vision |Tuition Reimbursement up to $5,000 per year|10 Paid Holidays and 16 Days of Paid Time Off

Compensation (Based on experience and qualifications): $19.00-$23.00

Esperanza Health Centers is looking for a Community Health Worker – School Based Health Center (CHW-SBHC) who will be responsible for helping students and their families at the School Based Health Center to navigate and access health services, community services, other resources, and adopt healthy behaviors. The CHW will be located at the School Based Health Center and will work to promote, maintain, and improve the health status of students through a holistic and integrated approach with the school. The CHW-SBHC will provide social support, advocate for individuals and community health needs, and provide linkages to medical and behavioral health services. They will act as a patient advocate and liaison between the student/family/medical home and community service agencies. Additionally, the CHW will deliver education on and provide resources around COVID19 community health topics and any other topics needed to support students and families.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for establishing trusting relationships with students, their families and school personnel.
• Work closely with school staff to help ensure students have comprehensive, coordinated care, and assists with ensuring timely school based medical compliance.
• Facilitate COVID19 recovery activities, which primarily include re-connecting students and their families to primary care services. Examples of this work include helping families establish a medical home; scheduling well child, school physicals, behavioral health, and other visit types; delivering COVID19 education; and supporting students and families stay up to date with vaccinations, including annual influenza vaccination and COVID19 vaccination when younger patients become eligible.
• Assist students and their families with benefits enrollment and other health and social-service related forms.
• Provide referrals for services to community agencies as appropriate.
• Provide general health education to students and their families and connect families to Esperanza resources when appropriate.
• Responsible for communication between school and Esperanza.
• Record patient care management information in the electronic medical record system.
• Attend regular staff meetings, parent teacher conferences, report card pick up, trainings and other meetings as requested.
• Participate in school lead health initiatives like health fairs, resources fairs, etc. and proactively planning wellness activities for students, parents, and families.
• Work closely with behavioral health provider to align efforts, connect students to care, and help to address mental health stigma.

Esperanza Health Centers is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) according to Title 44, Ill. Administrative Code, and Subpart C Section 750.150.

• Written and oral fluency; Bilingual English and Spanish preferred.
• A close understanding of the community being served and knowledge about community resources appropriate to needs of patients/families.
• Commitment to and enthusiasm for working in a school setting.
• Collaborative nature, able to initiate and maintain positive working relationships with school and medical home staff and other community organizations.
• Good communication skills, such as active listening, sincerity, and tact.
• Ability and willingness to provide emotional support, encouragement and motivation to students and families.
• Flexible disposition and growth mindset.
• Complete all required trainings and background checks.