Community Health Worker Maternal Mortality VDHWP023

Title: Community Health Worker Maternal Mortality VDHWP023

State Role Title: Direct Services Associate III

Hiring Range: $40,000 - $55,000

Pay Band: 3

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: WEST PIEDMONT HQ

Agency Website: www.vdh.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Consider joining the Virginia Department of Health as we foster healthy and resilient communities. This is your opportunity to serve the public in the Population Health Program as a Community Health Worker focusing on maternal mortality in the West Piedmont Health District.

The Community Health Worker (CHW) is an integral member of the health district public health team, providing support to individuals and families both in clinic settings and within the community. The CHW works to connect community members to essential resources and services, with the goal of improving overall health and enhancing quality of life. Serving as a liaison between the community and healthcare services, the CHW focuses on providing culturally sensitive care and communication, especially to priority populations.

Key responsibilities include facilitating health improvement initiatives, health promotion and education, and the development and support of health programs. The CHW plays a critical role in disease prevention activities, capacity building, and service coordination. They are also involved in program evaluation to assess effectiveness and community impact. The CHW collaborates with community networks and partners to identify, prioritize, and implement public health initiatives that have the greatest potential for positive impact.

This position requires strong community engagement skills, the ability to navigate and coordinate services, and a commitment to fostering health equity and improving the overall well-being of the population.

Community Health Education

· Develops and delivers individual and community-based education on diseases, prevention and health promotion practices to encourage clients to adopt positive health behaviors for maternal clients and their families.
· Educates individuals and communities on how to navigate health and social services systems to achieve improved health outcomes.
· Fosters relationships and works with community partners to provide a wide range of educational activities for vulnerable populations.
· Participates in and collaborates with local coalitions and groups focused on health, aligning efforts with the agency’s needs.
· Documents and responds to requests from community groups and organizations for information on health department programs and services.
· Coordinates and supports community-based initiatives focused on the social determinants of health to address health disparities, especially those influencing maternal and child mortality.
· Develops and/or acquires educational materials from credible healthcare and community sources

Service Coordination & Client Care

• Assists clients in completing forms/applications, eligibility documents, and referrals required to receive needed services or community resources, as required by state/federal agencies.
• Assist clients with navigation of the healthcare systems and processes.
• Participates in care coordination and/or case management for district core programs.
• Speaks with diverse populations in a sensitive and culturally competent manner.
• Performs administrative tasks related to client navigation and outreach event management.

Clinical/Community Outreach & Engagement

• Utilizes evidence-based strategies to improve population/community health.
• Employment policy, systems, and environmental change strategies to effectively address health disparities.
• Identifies target audiences, strategies, interventions and programmatic problems. Provides guidance in determining effective resolutions.
• Integrates building health literacy and cross-cultural communication across all sectors of work.
• With proper training and competency validation, may perform client measurements (temperature, pulse, blood pressure, height, weight), support comprehensive risk reduction strategies, and assist with point of care testing/laboratory specimen collection.
• Supports the clinical and outreach teams with inventory management of outreach and educational supplies.
• Serves as a liaison between district programs, schools, community and other local agencies.

Community health Assessment Support

• Participates in the design, implementation and analysis of individual-level and community level assessments, community health assessments (CHA) and improvement plans (CHIP).

Program Support

• Participates in the evaluation of CHW services and programs.
• Assists in preparing required reports for local, state, and/or federal funders.
• May support the team in preparing requests for proposals during the grant application process.
• Participates in the sharing of results and findings through various methods of communication (oral presentation, social media posting, journal article, etc.) to identified stakeholders.
• Assists with language interpretation services.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of Social Determinants of Health: Knowledge of the various social, economic, and environmental factors that influence individual and community health, including disparities in access to resources and services.
• Knowledge of Mental/Behavioral Health: Familiarity with the impact of mental and behavioral health on physical health outcomes, including an understanding of common mental health issues and how they intersect with physical health needs.
• Knowledge of Public Health Principles: Basic knowledge of public health practices, epidemiology, disease prevention, health promotion, and social service systems, including the roles of government agencies and community organizations in addressing health needs.
• Community Experience: Experience working with priority or underserved communities, with an understanding of relevant unique challenges and resources.
• Cultural Competency: Ability to communicate effectively with diverse populations, recognizing and respecting cultural norms, practices, and values within the community.
• Effective Communication Skills: Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in both written and verbal formats using plain language that is accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds. This includes the ability to adapt communication styles to meet the needs of different communities served.
• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues, community members, and stakeholders. Strong team collaboration skills and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Technology Proficiency: Ability to operate a personal computer and use internet-based tools and applications for data entry, communication, and research.

Additional Considerations

• Proficiency in a second language (especially relevant languages in the community served) is highly preferred to effectively communicate with a broader population.
• Previous experience in a public health or community-based agency environment, with familiarity in coordinating services and supporting public health initiatives.
• Community Health Worker (CHW) certification, or the ability to obtain one after hire.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

VDH accepts only on-line applications. Faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications will not be considered. Applications are accepted until 11:55 p.m. on the job closing date. Applications and/or resumes should include relevant work history which indicates your qualifications for this position.

Employment is contingent upon satisfactory results of a state and federal criminal history background check and the Department of Social Service’s Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check, U.S. HHSIG Exclusion List check, employment reference check and E-Verify. Other financial, credit, driving, background checks or completion of Statement of Economic Interests may be required for certain positions.

It is the policy of the Commonwealth and VDH that all aspects of human resource management be conducted without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists); sex; color; national origin; religion; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; age; veteran status; political affiliation; disability; genetic information; and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. VDH employees have a shared Code of Ethics, which can be found in the bottom banner of our website: www.vdh.virginia.gov.

If you have been affected by DHRM Policy 1.30 layoff and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Card) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Card), you must submit the card before the closing date for this position. The Card may be submitted with the state application as an attachment.

As a V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) employer VDH welcomes Veterans to apply!

Supplemental Questions: You may be required to respond to position-specific questions at the end of this application. This information will help us evaluate your credentials and qualifications for the job. Failure to respond to any questions may disqualify you from further consideration.

VDH requires all Health-Care Personnel (HCP) to provide documentation of immunization or evidence of immunity to the following: hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella; a one-time dose of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine regardless of the interval since the last dose of tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine was administered (Td or Tdap boosters shall be received every 10 years); and the current year's seasonal influenza vaccination.

Contact Information

Name: Chris Niblett

Phone: 804-310-1388

Email: christina.niblett@vdh.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.