Community Health Worker

Description

CORE VALUES

The core values of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Inc. (CHC/SEK) are dignity and stewardship. Each staff member is expected to perform their job duties in a way that preserves dignity for our patients and maintains good stewardship of CHC/SEK’s resources. 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The CHW – School Truancy will assist youth and families by connecting them to the appropriate services within the community to prevent further entry into the system for the youth, provide family support and education to help reduce barriers, monitor youth attendance to verify compliance and assist youth and families as they navigate through the system. This position will work with youth and families who experience chronic attendance problems to establish better communication, reduce conflict between the youth and family, improve parental skills and help the youth better engage with their families and in their school environment. 

The CHW- School Truancy will work with the court, school, youth, family, Court Services and any other party identified to collaborate and build a creative plan that is a family-driven, strength-based, solution-focused planning and problem-solving process by providing Family Support (also known as Wraparound). Youth and families assigned to the Truancy Intervention Program (TIP) will receive Family Support and parents/caregivers will be required to complete Preparing Kids for Success through The Parent Project. This position will work with youth ages 5-17 who have been identified with excessive absences or tardies at school and been ordered to TIP. Youth will be referred to the TIP by the Crawford County District Court or the Crawford County Attorney’s office.  

Requirements

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

1. Collaborate and Coordinate Services: Build and maintain relationships with families, schools, court officers, community partners, and local agencies to ensure coordinated care and service delivery.
2. Provide Direct Support and Advocacy: Offer individualized support to youth and families through phone, in-person meetings, educational advocacy, and accompaniment to appointments as needed.
3. Assess Needs and Develop Plans: Conduct assessments to identify needs, develop service plans, and implement evidence-based programs tailored to each youth and family.
4. Deliver Programming and Interventions: Facilitate classes, groups, and individual programming, ensuring programming fidelity and arranging neutral locations when appropriate.
5. Crisis Intervention: Provide crisis management and immediate support to youth and families in urgent situations.
6. Access and Referral to Resources: Assist youth and families in obtaining referrals, accessing community services, and bridging service gaps.
7. Monitor and Report Progress: Verify school attendance/behavior, collect required data, complete reports (monthly, quarterly), and maintain accurate documentation of all contacts and interventions.
8. Training and Meetings: Attend staff meetings, complete required training, and communicate with supervisors regarding updates and program needs.
9. Support for Additional Programs: Provide assistance with juvenile programs (Intake and Assessment, Immediate Intervention, Intensive Supervision, and Case Management) as assigned.

The essential functions listed are not an exhaustive list of every task that the employee is required to complete. Employees are expected to perform all other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Must be at least 21 years of age, be qualified for access to any Kansas Criminal Justice Information System (KCJIS) data
2. Submit and pass a Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), Kansas Child Abuse Registry and Kansas Adult Abuse Registry- upon hire, annually, and as needed. No felony convictions or adjudications.
3. Valid Driver’s License. Must not have more than two (2) moving violations in the past three (3) years.
4. Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Criminal Justice and/or Corrections, Sociology, Counseling, Human Relations or related field strongly preferred.
5. Successfully complete all required training from CHC/SEK, Kansas Department of Corrections, and any other training associated with the grant and/or position.
6. Must possess Basic Life Support certification upon hire or within six (6) months of date of hire.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

1. Social and cultural sensitivity appropriate to ethnically and economically diverse patient-and employee-base.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the rationale of appropriate patient care.
3. Must be organized and able to manage/prioritize tasks to meet deadlines, adapts to change in a positive manner, able to work as a part of a team.
4. Must be able to work independently with little to no direct oversight and flexible with last minute changes in schedule.
5. Promotes a positive experience that represents CHC/SEK in a manner that reflects the mission.
6. Communicates through appropriate channels. Use proper chain of command for patient complaints.
7. Ability to handle emergency situations calmly and effectively.
8. Must be computer literate, especially with Microsoft Office products and be proficient with the Electronic Health Record software.
9. Must be able to maintain good inter-personal relationship with co-workers and other members of the health care team and the organization.
10. Provide customer service in accordance to the organization’s mission.
11. Be courteous and respectful when interacting with patients and family members.
12. Maintain patient confidentiality in accordance to organization’s policy and procedure and HIPAA requirements.
13. Comprehensive knowledge of truancy court practices, family’s role and responsibilities, available community-based services and supports for families including what referral processes are like and what the youth or family will need to access such services, youth and family agencies and how they function (such as schools, mental health, social services, child welfare, etc.) and evidence-based programs.
14. Skilled in working with youth and their families to provide client interaction and how to advocate for youth and families, relations and communication with other professionals in and out of the agency.

WORKING CONDITIONS

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Travel is required throughout the service area. Visual acuity to read signs, watch traffic, estimate distances and color discrimination to distinguish traffic lights. Aural acuity to detect motor malfunctioning and hear traffic sounds. The employee may frequently be involved in or respond to high stress environments.