Youth Services Community Health Worker

The Mission Neighborhood Health Center is a non-profit, multi-site community health organization offering comprehensive health services in the Mission and Excelsior Districts of San Francisco.  The center offers primary health care services, adult medicine, pediatrics, family planning, OB/GYN, HIV and homeless services. 

We advocate for health equity and deliver innovative, high-quality services responsive to the neighborhoods and diverse communities we serve with a focus on the Latino Spanish-Speaking Communities.

We are currently looking for qualified candidates for our Youth Services Community Health Worker (Roadmap to Peace Initiative) role. This position reports to the Youth Services Program Supervisor and is a regular, full time, non-exempt role with a starting hourly range of $22.44 to $25.26 with full benefits. 

Primary Objective:

The Youth Services Roadmap to Peace (RTP) Community Health Worker (CHW) is part of an interdepartmental, interagency 5-year citywide initiative to address the needs of Latinx-identified US born and immigrant youth ages 13-24 citywide that are disconnected from services and in high-risk situations such as gun/gang violence or involved in the criminal justice system.  Mission Neighborhood Health Center (MNHC) is the primary healthcare partner of the collaboration in which Instituto Familiar de la Raza is the lead agency. The RTP Community Health Worker will conduct outreach, recruit participants, and connect RTP participants to primary, behavioral health, sexual and reproductive health services, and dental and vision services at MNHC. The RTP Community Health Worker will also engage participants in direct services including health coverage enrollment and health education. The RTP Community Health Worker will also facilitate health education groups to encourage healthy lifestyles and facilitate youth connection to services. In addition, the RTP Community Health Worker will work as part of the Youth Services team at MNHC to connect youth ages 12-24 to confidential sexual and reproductive health services.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

Outreach & Recruitment Activities (35%)

1. Conduct outreach and recruitment of youth ages 13-24 for the Roadmap to Peace program with a focus on youth who are out of school, who have had contact with or are at risk of entering the juvenile justice system, or are at risk for negative street activity;
2. Increase awareness and utilization of RTP services through outreach to agencies that serve youth in detention facilities and organizations that target youth at risk of entering the juvenile justice system or at risk for negative street activity;
3. Identify potential participants among patients at MNHC Teen Clinic and Pediatrics Clinic, inviting them to enroll in the RTP program;
4. Conduct “in-reach” to raise program awareness among MNHC staff (to increase referrals and build support for program);
5. Cultivate collaboration with, and support for Youth Services programs among community members, including parents/guardians, other Community Based Organizations, funders, MNHC staff and Board and RTP partners.

Direct Client / Patient Care (40%)

1. Conduct screening and comprehensive assessments of youth participating in Roadmap to Peace, to determine challenges, strengths and readiness for RTP services
2. Using the “warm hand-off” approach, link RTP participants to primary, behavioral, and sexual and reproductive health services as well as dental and vision services at MNHC;
3. Assist RTP participants in becoming patients at MNHC, registering them in MNHC’s Teen, Pediatric, and/or Adult Medicine Clinics;
4. Educate RTP participants that have enrolled at MNHC about how to access medical services and how to communicate effectively with their medical providers as well as other clinic staff;
5. Conduct intake and needs and assets assessment for clients to help determine most appropriate referrals;
6. Connect RTP participants to other RTP services and/or other community resources as appropriate to address client needs such as tattoo removal, career coaching, housing, and academic support;
7. Follow up on referrals;
8. Assist RTP participants and Teen Clinic patients in enrolling in health care programs such as Family PACT, Minor Consent Medi-Cal and primary care coverage;
9. Achieve and Maintain status as a Family Planning Health Worker through completion of a course and passage of certification process to provide contraceptive counseling to MNHC patients;
10. Engage RTP participants/Teen Clinic patients in client-centered, non-judgmental, individual health education sessions on sexually transmitted infections, reproductive health, family planning, contraceptive use, Minor Consent Law, healthy relationships, nutrition and physical activity; conduct screening for Intimate Partner Violence /Adolescent Relationship Abuse; make referrals as needed in Teen Clinic;
11. Chart individual encounters in electronic health record.

Community Health Promotion (15%)

1. Work with MNHC Teen Clinic and RTP staff to create and lead group sessions designed to support youth health and wellness;
2. Provide health education classes at community venues where youth congregate or access services in coordination with community partners, as requested. Health education topics will include accessing health care, sexual and reproductive health, and health and wellness;
3. Attend community events (e.g. health fairs) in coordination with other MNHC staff to provide health promotion materials to potential RTP participants and Teen Clinic patients.

Administrative (10%)

1. Participate in RTP care management team meetings to ensure coordinated service planning and holistic approach to youth and family needs;
2. Participate in collaborative meetings, inter-agency trainings and meetings, violence prevention activities, and other events as requested;
3. Attend team and agency-wide meetings at MNHC;
4. Participate in weekly check-in meetings with Youth Services Program Supervisor;
5. Document all encounters/contacts in an online contract management system and maintain statistical data as requested; accurately chart all patient assessments, interventions, and referrals in the electronic health record;
6. Submit monthly reports, statistical data, and program reports as  needed to multiple parties including funding sources, as required by RTP program, or as requested by supervisor;
7. Support other Youth Services team and agency- or site-wide efforts as needed;
8. Assignments that may arise during project implementation or other requirements of the RTP collaborative.
9. Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: 

1. Bilingual – Fluent in English/Spanish required.
2. Minimum high school or GED required or some college and experience working with youth in high risk situations.
3. A combination of college education and life experience will be considered.
4. Minimum of 2 years providing health education services to diverse populations.
5. Proficiency using computer programs is required. Experience using Electronic Health Records is preferred. 
6. Flexibility in scheduling and occasional evening and weekend work is required.
7. Department of Justice Fingerprint screening required.
8. Ability to work professionally and ethically within multi-cultural settings, including ability to maintain confidentiality and privacy of persons, documents, data, and communications.
9. Good written and oral communication skills required.
10. Experience working with Latinx and immigrant communities.
11. Experience working in Primary Care setting preferred, in particular counseling in sexual and reproductive health as well as nutrition and wellness.

To learn more about our organization, please visit our website at www.mnhc.org. We offer a full range of benefits which includes the following:

• Medical Insurance – MNHC pays 90-100% based on plan
• Dental and Vision Insurance – free to employee
• Life Insurance – free basic policy plus voluntary option
• Flexible Spending Accounts for health & dependent care expenses
• Commuter benefits for public transportation expenses
• Vacation – 2 weeks (3 weeks after 5 yrs; 4 weeks after 8 yrs)
• 12 Paid Holidays plus your birthday and 12 Sick Days each year
• 40 hours Paid Educational Leave
• 401k Retirement Savings Plan with Company Contribution

Mission Neighborhood Health Center is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive environment for our diverse workforce. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment for qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.