Working together with its partners The Lower Hudson Valley Perinatal Network (LHVPN) advocates for and educates consumers and professionals about maternal, child and family health. LHVPN also mobilizes the community, to eliminate disparities, and improve the health of women, children and families in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley, which includes Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland & Westchester counties.

Reports to: Community Health Worker Supervisor

Position Summary:
Under the direction of the Maternal Infant Community Health Collaborative (MICHC) Community Health Worker Supervisor the Community Health Worker is responsible for engaging primarily high-risk women ages 14 -44 years (preconception, pregnant and interconception) through regular home visits, conducting regular assessments, assisting with goal planning to enhance overall wellness, while making referrals, advocacy, follow-up and overall service coordination with other providers. The goal of the MICHC is to improve maternal and infant health outcomes (prematurity, low birth weight, infant mortality, and maternal mortality) for high-need women and to reduce racial, ethnic and economic disparities in those outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the CHW Coordinator, the CHW duties and responsibilities include:

• Provide home visiting services
• Identify and assist individuals and families to access needed preventive and primary health care services (e.g., preconception care, family planning, prenatal care, immunization, pediatric care and care for acute, chronic, and communicable diseases, Early Intervention, WIC and other nutrition services, interconception care), with an emphasis on pregnant women not enrolled in health care or supportive services
• Provide assistance and/or referrals to obtain other essential support services such as housing, financial aid, food stamps, emergency food, clothing, transportation, translation, and child care
• Conduct basic health assessments, assists families to identify needs provides basic health information, and make appropriate referrals through monthly home visits
• Provide advocacy, support, and follow-up to determine if services are received and assist families with health behavior changes
• Conducts outreach activities in the targeted neighborhoods to recruit women (in all of the three life course periods: Preconception, Pregnant/Post-Partum and Interconception) for home visiting services
• Identifies and maintains close professional relationships and liaisons within the target area. Builds, encourages and supports partnerships and collaborations among all key stakeholders within the target area including but not limited to: medical providers, community organizations, schools, local businesses, and government agencies
• Distributes and creates (when necessary) promotional materials for MICHC educational messages
• Represents the program/agency at other agencies, coalitions, health fairs, etc.
• Performs other duties as requested.

Skills and Qualifications:
High School diploma/GED with three to five years of work experience in a health or human service agency, including community organizing/outreach, health promotion/prevention, health education or related experience.

• Ability to identify family strengths and foster self-sufficiency and independence in families.
• Strong listening skills.
• Ability to establish trusting relationships and work effectively with women, men and families.
• Knowledge of the community and community resources.
• Emotionally mature and capable of exercising judgment.
• Ability to handle stressful situations.
• Respect for and sensitivity to the needs and rights of others, including those with differing cultural, racial, sexual, or ethnic identities. Non-judgmental approach and have an understanding of the distinct and interrelated issues that affect maternal-child health in urban and suburban populations.
• Recognizes the value of supervision.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Writing ability sufficient to provide adequate documentation in the family record, referral forms, and other service coordination forms, and reading the ability to the level necessary to comprehend training materials and assist others to fill out forms.
• Good computer skills, knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (e.g., Word) at a functional level.
• Bilingual English (Spanish or Haitian Creole).

Other Conditions of Employment:

• A valid driver’s license and reliable personal transportation is necessary to fulfill job requirements.
• Must have schedule flexibility to include occasional early morning, evening, and weekend meetings/activities.
• Ability to meet the following physical requirements with or without reasonable accommodation:
• Walk, bend, kneel, and reach
• Lift 20 – 30 pounds
• Conduct both outdoor and indoor activities, in both warm and cold temperatures.

Salary and Benefits:
CHRF, Inc./LHVPN offers a comprehensive benefits package. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or marital status.

To Apply:
Please submit your resume, cover letter, and salary requirement ASAP to: Cara Stanley, MICHC Coordinator indicating “MICHC Community Health Worker – your name” in the subject line. Please email all documents to stanleyc@lhvpn.net