Community Health Worker - Housing

Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Inc., part of Mass General Brigham, relies on a diverse team of professionals to advance its mission as a not-for-profit organization supporting patient care, research, teaching, and community service. We are committed to building high-performing teams that drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us.

About the role

The Community Health Worker - Housing is a key member of A Positive Place's interdisciplinary HIV care and prevention team. This role integrates community health work into clinical care by addressing social determinants of health and health equity. The CHW partners with individuals living with HIV to manage medical care, coordinate social services, provide disease education, support trauma and recovery, promote sexual health, secure housing, and reduce substance use risks. The role involves collaborating with clients, the A Positive Place care team (including medical case management, health insurance, recovery coaching, peer advocacy, and health navigation), and external housing partners to ensure safe, affordable housing and improve health outcomes.

This position requires patient care.

Responsibilities

• Partner with clients/tenants living with HIV to provide housing search and advocacy, leasing support, landlord-tenant negotiations, rental/utilities arrearage assistance, rep-payee services, and homelessness prevention strategies.
• Conduct in-depth needs assessments and co-create housing and health & well-being plans to help clients overcome barriers to health access.
• Facilitate communication and serve as a liaison between clients, landlords, housing authorities, housing court personnel, and tenants’ rights organizations to support decision-making, problem-solving, and health goals.
• Navigate complex local, state, and federal housing resources/programs to bridge gaps in access and improve client experience.
• Provide advocacy and support to empower clients, amplify their voices, and help them understand their rights to achieve self-identified goals.
• Offer ongoing follow-up and support to individuals to maintain stable housing, ensuring continuity of care and successful achievement of health and well-being goals.
• Conduct outreach to identify new landlords and strengthen existing housing partnerships.
• 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, 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 unhoused individuals/families, and/or individuals living with HIV, 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 housing search, advocacy, navigation, leasing up, rental start-up, homelessness prevention, and utilities arrearages.
• 1-2 years of experience traveling to/from units and community partners.
• 1-2 years of experience conducting intakes, goal planning, crisis intervention, mediation, and providing health-related supportive services.
• Experience working with a “housing first” framework, knowledge of tenant’s rights and responsibilities, and familiarity with some HUD rules and regulations.

Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of local, state, and federal housing resources available to support individuals/families.
• 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) preferred.
• Lived experience of populations served is a plus.
• Strong cross-cultural interpersonal, organizational, and oral and written communication skills.
• Basic to 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 (United States of America)
• Employee Type: Regular
• Remote Type: Onsite
• Work Location: 2 Conz Street

Pay

Pay Range: $17.71 - $24.40/Hourly (Grade 3)

At Mass General Brigham, base pay is determined by skills, relevant experience, education, certifications, and other essential factors. The provided range is an estimate based on minimum job qualifications and does not encompass all elements of total compensation. In addition to competitive base pay, we offer comprehensive benefits, career advancement opportunities, differentials, premiums, bonuses (as applicable), and recognition programs.