UTHealth Houston Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is hiring a seasonal Community Health Worker for HOMES. This role will support UTHealth Houston's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences' HOMES program. The Homeless Outpatient Mental Health Expansion Services (UTHealth Houston HOMES) Program is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The overarching goal of the UTHealth Houston HOMES program is to promote long\-term mental health recovery, reduce substance use and ensure access to primary care, income supports, and permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness with serious mental illness or co\-occurring disorders. Seasonal appointments range in duration, but may not exceed 4\.5 months within a year from the start date. This role will work up to 19\.5 hours weekly.
What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’ resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.
Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:
- 100% paid medical premiums for our full\-time employees
- Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equates to around 37\-38 days per year)
- The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue!
- Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service)
- Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!
- Free financial and legal counseling
- Free mental health counseling services
- Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs
- Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
- Resources for child and elder care
- Plus many more!
We take care of our employees! As a world\-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as...
Position Summary:
Work in coordination with clinical care team members to assist the care team in conducting physical health assessments for people experiencing homelessness, effectively provide patients with internal and external resources, and deliver patient education to address and improve preventative and clinical quality care outcomes.
Essential Functions
1\. Establishes and maintains rapport with physicians, clinical and business staff and patients at program sites.
2\. Responsible for conducting or assisting with program/study intake procedures to identify physical frailty and associated physical health conditions and gaps in primary care for adults experiencing homelessness, many who are aging, and reporting collected data and findings to the clinical care team to improve patient quality outcomes.
3\. Gathers and documents demographic, insurance, health and social needs of patient to address barriers to care that may be affecting their medical condition.
4\. Helps patients utilize resources in their area and assist with applications for eligible programs.
5\. Educates patients and their families of clinical care team roles, expectations of UTHealth HOMES activities and programs serving the homeless population to manage their health conditions, and the importance of preventative health care. Motivates patients to be active, engaged participants in their health care.
6\. Thoroughly documents patient encounter activities and follow up functions of resource distribution and referrals to resolve patient needs.
7\. Maintains a comprehensive understanding of community needs, resources, services and programs available to advocate for patient needs and requests.
8\. Continuously expands knowledge for professional growth and development to meet requirements to maintain State certification and skills competency that supports department goals.
9\. Assists in the planning and/or facilitating of applicable health and wellness programs. Contacts patient to schedule and/or reschedule clinical/wellness program visits.
10\. Maintains confidentiality per HIPAA guidelines in regards to patient information. Adheres to all policies, procedures and standards within the organization.
11\. Assists with enrollment in funded programs/studies.
12\. Performs other duties as assigned.
Certification/Skills:
Must have ability to perform complex and diverse administrative duties that involve application of procedures and demonstrate appropriate judgment within the CHW scope of work.
Community Health Worker (CHW) by Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) required
Minimum Education:
High school diploma or GED.
Minimum Experience:
One (1\) year of relevant work experience in health, social worker or education. May substitute required experience with equivalent years of education beyond the minimum education requirement.
Physical Requirements:
Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds frequently and/or a negligible amount constantly to move objects.
Security Sensitive:
This position is a security\-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51\.215 and Texas Government Code §411\.094\. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117\.001(2\), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791\.4\.
Residency Requirement:
Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.