Community Health Worker
UTHealth Houston
Community Health Worker
UTHealth Houston
Health sciences university in Houston, TX
This position is based at UT Health San Antonio, Long School of Medicine, within the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s & Neurodegenerative Diseases. The Community Health Worker (CHW) will serve a vital role in building, maintaining, and protecting trust between participants of the San Antonio Heart and Mind Study (SAHMS), an observational study examining cardiovascular risk factors affecting brain health in our San Antonio community.
The CHW will act as a liaison between the community and the research team, ensuring participants are informed, supported, and empowered to engage in clinical research. By understanding the personal, interpersonal, and social contexts of each participant, the CHW helps to reduce barriers to participation, supports self-care, and ensures the study team maintains cultural and contextual awareness.
Preferred Qualifications:
English and Spanish language proficiency (spoken and written).
Reliable personal transportation for community visits.
Successful completion of a formal Community Health Worker training program from a college or other educational institution.
State of Texas Promotor(a)/ Community Health Worker certification, with renewal as needed.
Supervisory Requirements:
None
Licenses/Certification:
Education and Experience Requirements:
High School Diploma or GED.
One (1) years of related experience.
Basic computer knowledge (Word/Excel/Outlook/Internet browsing, etc.).
Duties and Responsibilities:
Community Engagement & Outreach
Collaborate with the Principal Investigator, Dr. Claudia Satizabal, and the SAHMS team to identify social and structural factors affecting participation.
Conduct outreach and recruitment, including home visits to provide study information.
Participate in the preparation of home assessment visits, obtain informed consent, and conduct core questionnaires as needed.
Establish trusting relationships with community members and study participants.
Participant Support & Health Education
Provide culturally sensitive counseling and education, particularly for individuals newly diagnosed with health conditions relevant to the study.
Identify individual or community health concerns and connect participants with appropriate social or health resources.
Help participants improve health literacy, self-care practices, and study engagement.
Navigation & Advocacy
Assist participants in accessing healthcare and social services and help overcome logistical or structural barriers to care and participation.
Provide appointment reminders and follow up on next steps in the research process.
Serve as a consistent point of contact and advocate for participants throughout the study.
Communication & Team Collaboration
Offer insights to the research team about participants’ lived experiences and contextual factors affecting health and engagement.
Attend regular team meetings and contribute to study planning and progress discussions.
Uphold participant confidentiality, cultural sensitivity, and ethical standards in all communications.
Other Duties as Assigned
Support additional research-related tasks or community initiatives as needed.
Health sciences university in Houston, TX
UTHealth Houston is a public academic health university in Houston, Texas. Its schools educate health professionals and researchers across medicine, nursing, dentistry, public health, biomedical sciences, informatics, and behavioral sciences.
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