Community Health Worker

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD · Houston, TX · 5 days ago

OTHRFull-time

Brief Description

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD (“The HARRIS CENTER”) is seeking a Community Health Worker to join their team. The CHW serves as a frontline member of the Integrated Primary Care and Behavioral Health Home, supporting adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI), including those with co-occurring chronic physical health conditions and complex social needs.

Your Role In Action

Conduct proactive, community-based outreach through “channels of reveal,” including emergency departments, inpatient units, crisis services, justice settings, and other community locations.
Engage individuals who are treatment-naïve, disengaged from care, or identified as high utilizers of emergency or inpatient services.
Link individuals with SMI to Integrated Health Home and CCBHC services using warm handoffs.
Support appointment scheduling, care engagement, and follow-through with recommended treatment plans.
Serve as a trusted connector between individuals and the multidisciplinary care team, including behavioral health clinicians, primary care providers, nursing staff, peer support specialists, and external partners.
Avoidable crises and relapse by supporting medication access and adherence in collaboration with the care team.
Identify and address social determinants of health impacting stability and recovery, including housing, food insecurity, transportation, employment, legal issues, and access to benefits.
Connect individuals to appropriate community resources and social service supports.
Support individuals during high-risk transitions such as hospital discharge, emergency department visits, or community reentry following incarceration.
Document outreach, engagement, navigation, and support activities in the electronic health record.
Participate in team huddles, case conferences, and care planning meetings.
Contribute to quality improvement activities and support data collection related to engagement, retention, and utilization outcomes.

Education

High School Diploma or G.E.D required.
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)–Certified Community Health Worker or ability to obtain certification within required timeframe.
Completion of DSHS-approved training and continuing education in accordance with state requirements.
Compliance with Texas CHW Scope of Practice and Code of Ethics.
Experience working with individuals with Serious Mental Illness and complex social needs preferred.

About Us

The Harris Center is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The Harris Center provides care to over 90,000 people and has an annual budget of over $300 million. As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The Harris Center provides a full continuum of services at 80 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 40 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the largest communities in the nation. By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,500 employees, The Harris Center is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.

What Else You Should Know

This posting is associated with position #2837-26113.
The Harris Center not only offers a competitive salary but also a suite of excellent benefits designed to enrich your life both professionally and personally.
Imagining a future with a robust retirement plan complemented by our generous company matching – a testament to our investment in your long-term financial well-being.
Experience the unique advantage of our prior service credit, accelerating your journey towards a more substantial Paid Time Off accrual, empowering you to enjoy well-deserved breaks.
Enjoy Cell Phone Discounts, exclusive entertainment deals through Tickets at Work, and a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness.
Additionally, our Employee Assistance Program supports your overall well-being.
Take advantage of significant financial relief through student loan forgiveness as a valued member of The Harris Center team.
As a qualifying entity, our employees are eligible for various student loan forgiveness programs, designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with higher education.
Contributes to suicide care and prevention by embracing our values and applying a trauma-informed approach rooted in safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.