Community Health Worker - Health Access

Cooley Dickinson Hospital, part of Mass General Brigham, is a not-for-profit organization supporting patient care, research, teaching, and community service. We strive to provide exceptional care through high-performing teams and invite applicants to join us in advancing our mission.

About the role

The Community Health Worker - Health Access is a key member of A Positive Place's interdisciplinary HIV care and prevention team, integrating community health work into clinical care by addressing social determinants of health and health equity. This role partners with individuals living with HIV to manage medical care, coordinate social services, provide disease education, support trauma and recovery, promote sexual health, assist with housing, and reduce substance use risks. The Community Health Worker collaborates with clients, APP Care team members (case management, housing, recovery coaching, peer advocacy, health navigation), Infectious Disease specialists, PCPs, and other providers to ensure equitable access to health insurance, the HIV Drug Assistance Program, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) medications.

This position requires patient care.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Infectious Disease Specialists and patients to ensure equitable access to health care via assistance in completing and updating applications to MassHealth, Health Connector, Health Safety Net, and the statewide HIV drug assistance program.
• Conduct needs assessments and co-create health and well-being plans with individuals, addressing clinical and psychosocial drivers of health and barriers to access.
• Facilitate communications and serve as a point of contact between clients, medical providers, insurers, and the statewide HIV Drug Assistance Program to support clear decision-making, problem-solving, and meeting health goals.
• Navigate complex local, state, and federal resources/programs available to clients, bridging gaps in access to services and improving client experience.
• Offer advocacy and support to amplify the voice of clients, empower individuals to understand their rights, and achieve self-identified goals.
• Provide ongoing follow-up and support to individuals to ensure continuity of care and successful achievement of health and well-being goals.
• Provide supportive referrals to community health centers for primary care, behavioral health, and dental services.
• Advance health equity by bridging gaps between minoritized communities and health systems.
• Collect data and maintain accurate records of interactions and outcomes to improve client outcomes, reduce health disparities in diverse populations, inform improvement strategies, and design new services.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or Equivalent required (experience cannot substitute for this requirement).
• 1-2 years of experience working with individuals living with HIV, and/or unhoused individuals/families, people in recovery, trauma survivors, members of Black, Latine, GBTQ communities, formerly incarcerated individuals, and/or other historically minoritized populations with cultural humility.
• 1-2 years of experience in financial counseling for uninsured/underinsured, case management, client advocacy, systems navigation, or other related community health work.
• 1-2 years of experience in crisis intervention, goal planning, mediating, sexual health promotion, substance use harm reduction, disease management, or medication education.
• 1-2 years of experience in community-based and/or clinical care work settings, home visits, and other off-site locations.

Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of local resources and government programs available to support individuals who are uninsured/underinsured.
• Skilled in strength-based, people-first, harm reduction, culturally humble, and restorative approaches to equitable community health care and prevention.
• Current driver’s license, good driving record, and reliable transportation.
• Bilingual (Spanish) required.
• Lived experience of populations served is a plus.
• Strong cross-cultural interpersonal, organizational, and oral and written communication skills.
• Basic-Intermediate digital literacy.

Physical Requirements

• Standing: Frequently
• Walking: Frequently
• Sitting: Occasionally
• Lifting: Frequently
• Carrying: Frequently
• Pushing: Occasionally
• Pulling: Occasionally
• Climbing: Rarely
• Balancing: Frequently
• Stooping: Occasionally
• Kneeling: Occasionally
• Crouching: Occasionally
• Crawling: Rarely
• Reaching: Frequently
• Gross Manipulation (Handling): Frequently
• Fine Manipulation (Fingering): Frequently
• Feeling: Constantly
• Foot Use: Rarely
• Vision - Far: Constantly
• Vision - Near: Constantly
• Talking: Constantly
• Hearing: Constantly

Schedule

• Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40
• Work Shift: Day
• Employee Type: Regular
• Remote Type: Onsite
• Work Location: 2 Conz Street

Pay

Pay Range: $17.71 - $24.40/Hourly (Grade 3). Offers will consider skills, relevant experience, education, certifications, and other factors. In addition to competitive base pay, we offer comprehensive benefits, career advancement opportunities, differentials, premiums, bonuses, and recognition programs.