Community Health Worker

Department Overview

The Community Health Worker (CHW) serves as a bridge between the healthcare system and the community, supporting both in-clinic and community-based work with a focus on underserved populations. The CHW plays a key role in identifying and reducing social determinants of health, barriers to care, promoting health education, supporting resource navigation, and coordinating services.

The Community Health Worker demonstrates strong verbal and written communication skills, is self-directed, and is skilled at developing relationships quickly. The incumbent is efficient and effective in assessing and delivering direct patient care, has an in-depth knowledge of local community resources, is innovative, thinks creatively, and demonstrates flexibility.

OHSU Family Medicine at East Portland is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located on the Adventist Hospital campus. East Portland joins our existing health center, Richmond Clinic, in providing excellent care to Portland's most vulnerable communities.

We are committed to providing an open and equitable recruitment process with the goal of recognizing diverse lived experience that will contribute to the success of the organization and goals of this position. We are deeply committed to a community of excellence, equity, and diversity and welcome applications from candidates who will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core values and accountability to these values helps us better serve our diverse community.

Function/Duties of Position

Direct Patient Services and Documentation

• Respond to care team referrals and patient self-referrals for care coordination, individual and family support, health promotion, and resource system navigation.
• Supports individuals and families with complex biopsychosocial needs in coordinating care with external providers and serves as system navigator and point of contact.
• Assumes advocate role on patient's behalf to ensure receipt of timely and appropriate services.
• Assists patients in problem solving issues related to health care delivery, financial or social barriers.
• Assist with coordination and follow-up for patients participating in the Collaborative Care Model, working closely with care managers and behavioral health consultants.
• Assists patients in gaining access to community services.
• Collaborates with care teams to meet patient/family and program goals.

Health Education, Prevention and Outreach

• Deliver trauma-informed and culturally appropriate health education to patients, community members, and healthcare providers. Topics may include system navigation, chronic disease self-management, nutrition, and practical life skills (e.g., budgeting, cooking).
• Design and implement community-based interventions and home visits to promote engagement and behavior change.
• Conduct outreach and screening to identify social determinants of health and coordinate responses accordingly.

Documentation

• Complete timely, accurate documentation in the electronic health record (EHR), including collaborative care plans, progress notes, outreach activity, and billing-related notes as applicable.
• Ensure services provided are documented to support quality improvement and data tracking.

Clinic Access and Engagement

• Support patients in scheduling, understanding care instructions, arranging transportation, accessing language services, and overcoming other logistical barriers.
• Serve as a patient advocate and liaison between the patient and care team to promote engagement and trust.

Care Team Meetings and Development

• Participate actively in care team huddles, case conferences, staff meetings, and team development opportunities.
• Offer the CHW perspective on patient needs and potential system improvements.
• Engage with patient advisory groups to strengthen community voice and bridge relational gaps in care.

Community Engagement

• Build and maintain effective relationships with community organizations and service providers.
• Facilitate referrals and collaborative efforts to address resource gaps and innovate service delivery.
• Participate in community needs assessments and the development of programs responsive to those needs.
• Collaborate with Patient/Consumer Advisory Councils to improve systems of care.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 2 years relevant work experience in mission-driven organization with one of those years being work experience with underserved populations with complex medical and social needs. Preferred experience in community outreach services providing health information, advocacy, social support, and assistance engaging with the healthcare system.
• Certification as Traditional Healthcare Worker (THW) required. Traditional Health Worker types include Doula, Peer Support Specialist (PSS), Peer Wellness Specialist (PWS), Personal Health Navigator (PHN) and Community Health Worker (CHW). Type preference may be determined by service need.
• Fluency in written and spoken English. Must be able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. Excellent telephone communication skills.
• Must possess a valid motor vehicle driver license in good standing and must be eligible to operate a motor vehicle owned by OHSU or other agency; or demonstrate the ability to access transportation to meet the requirements of the position.
• BLS/CPR certification within 6 weeks of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated skill in community outreach, resource navigation, and patient advocacy.
• Familiarity with Epic or other electronic health record (EHR) systems.
• Experience facilitating health education classes or supporting group interventions.
• Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian, Arabic, Korean

Additional Details

• Hours: Variable. Five 8-hour shifts, Monday-Friday, with possibility of evening or weekend hours as needed for program needs.
• The work is performed in a medical setting and in the community. The position involves interactions with people who have a wide variety of physical and behavioral health conditions. Some travel may be required.
• The physical demands are typical of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.
• Standing: On concrete, vinyl, or carpeting up to 4 hours per day and intermittently.
• Sitting: Chair or stool continuous up to 8 hours per day and intermittently.
• Changing Position: Intermittently, as needed.
• Walking: Intermittently up to 8 hours per day on concrete, vinyl, and carpeting.
• Bending: From the waist and knees, frequently throughout the day.
• Reaching/Handling: Fine manipulation, repetitive, gross motor requiring full ROM in upper extremeties, including overhead reaching.
• Twisting: All ROM required, intermittent periods, throughout the day.
• Climbing: Staircase, intermittently throughout the day.
• Travel: Capacity to travel by public transportation or drive to support program needs including meeting with patients in the community.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon''s only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland''s largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu