REACH Program Hep C Community Health Worker

Mount Sinai Hospital

The Community Healthcare Worker (CHW) is a full-time staff member in the Mount Sinai Respectful and Equitable Access to Comprehensive Healthcare (REACH) Program in the Division of General Internal Medicine of the Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The REACH Program at the Mount Sinai Hospital takes a multidisciplinary, team-based, harm reduction approach to primary care for persons using alcohol and other drugs, including buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. We also provide comprehensive treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection,  behavioral health evaluation, and referral to treatment for persons living with substance use and/or mental health conditions.

The CHW’s role will primarily be working out in the community to link individuals in need of hepatitis C evaluation and treatment, as well as substance use treatment, to the REACH Program. In collaboration with REACH’s HCV community testing and education program, the CHW will identify and build trusting relationships with persons in need of linkage to the REACH Program through established partnerships with community based organizations serving populations at-risk for HCV and substance use.

In addition to serving as a bridge between the community and the clinic, the CHW will also escort patients to clinic appointments, participate in community educational presentations, hepatitis C rapid testing (including pre- and post-test counseling), opioid overdose response training, data entry, and attend weekly staff meetings.

This position requires a significant amount of time traveling to and from the program office at Mount Sinai to various community-based programs, mostly in the South Bronx and upper Manhattan area but travel to other boroughs is also possible.

Individuals with knowledge and lived experience with hepatitis C and/or substance use are strongly encouraged to apply.

Specific responsibilities are below:

The Community Health Worker will:

  • Establish positive and supportive relationships with patients
  • Convey the purpose and services of the REACH Program to persons in need of care
  • Escort patients from field to clinic for test results and other follow-up
  • Motivate patients to be active, engaged participants in their health
  • Assess patient barriers to care
  • Conduct Hepatitis C rapid tests as well as consent and conduct pre- and post-test counseling
  • Conduct education on Hepatitis C both one-on-one with clients in the field and with larger groups at community outreach events
  • Conduct opioid overdose response trainings both individually and in larger group settings
  • Attend scheduled outreach activities
  • Coordinate with patient navigators to schedule clinic appointments for patients
  • Assist outreach coordinator with outreach event planning
  • Call patients to remind them about appointments
  • Assist with updating the patient databases in AIRS and ACCESS
  • Provide feedback to the REACH team during weekly meetings
  • Build and maintain positive working relationships with clients, providers, patient navigators outreach staff, community partners and other clinic personnel with the Primary Care clinic at Mount Sinai
  • Option for phlebotomy training to conduct hepatitis C confirmatory blood tests
Qualifications:
  • High School Diploma
  • Organized and able to work independently
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Compassionate and personable
  • Able to work effectively with people of diverse cultural and economic backgrounds
  • Lived experience with substance use and/or hepatitis C
  • Ability to effectively utilize a harm reduction approach in working with persons with substance use disorders
  • Work collaboratively and effectively within a team
  • Willing to travel frequently to work in the field with community members
  • Availability on nights and weekends occasionally required
  • Interest in health disparities
  • Spanish speaking a plus

How to Apply

Please send cover letter and resume/CV to Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, Director, REACH Program, Division of General Internal Medicine

Email preferred: Jeffrey.Weiss@mountsinai.org

Jeffrey J. Weiss, PhD, MS
Associate Professor
Department of Medicine
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
212-824-7575

Last Updated on August 6, 2018 by HepFree NYC

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