Job Information
Beth Israel Lahey Health Community Health Specialist in Boston, Massachusetts
Job Type: Regular
Time Type: Full time
Work Shift: Day (United States of America)
FLSA Status: Exempt
When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.
Funded as part of the Mass General Brigham Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Equity Grant, the Community Health Specialist (CHS) will play a crucial role in working with community residents, leaders, and businesses. Their primary responsibility will be to provide information on Bowdoin Street Health Center substance use services and the importance of SUD education and awareness. Additionally, the CHS will provide ongoing support and follow-up to community businesses and spaces already or newly connected with for future collaboration events and other SUD awareness and education opportunities.
The Mass General Brigham Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Equity Grant hopes to increase access to and retention in SUD treatment and recovery support services for Black, Hispanic, Latine, and Native and tribal-identified people.
Develops relationships with constituent partners, establishes relationships between community resources and primary and specialty care at the health center and keeps abreast of important community health issues.
Job Description:
Primary Responsibilities:
Develops and implements survey tools in the health center neighborhood to determine the demographics and health needs of community residents. Surveys may be conducted through door to door efforts; group facilitation; and assessment of existing literature. (essential)
Leads dialogues with residents, business owners, and other community organizations through individual meetings and group meetings to assess community need. Meets one on one or in groups to facilitate discussion about community needs. (essential)
Prepares a comprehensive list of identified community needs. Reviews these needs with health center clinicians and administration to help determine new projects and programs to address them. Organizes, coordinates and implements such projects, in partnership with other health center staff, external organizations and community residents. (essential)
Develops and implements outreach strategies to diverse populations in the community. Provides leadership in organizing numerous street groups and neighborhood associations to address community need. Actively participates in existing organized, groups that support community health, serving as the health center's ambassador in these efforts. (essential)
Creates and develops community resources, along with health center community partners, to support healthy behaviors for residents and patients. Represents the health center in the development of a community center on Bowdoin Street working with residents, community agencies and city officials. (essential)
Organizes community events such as health fairs, community festivals, symposiums and workshops. Develops and leads a planning team for each event including other health center staff, community residents, and external organizations. (essential)
Assists residents to problem solve, organize for change, and increase knowledge of community health issues. Educates staff and community about public health issues. Prepares and presents oral presentations, written reports, and data reports. (essential)
Required Qualifications:
High School diploma or GED required. Associate’s degree preferred.
1-3 years related work experience required.
Minimum 2 years of related work experience without a related Associate's degree.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Experience with computer systems required, including web based applications and some Microsoft Office applications which may include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Access.
Competencies:
Decision Making: Ability to make decisions that are guided by precedents, policies and objectives. Regularly makes decisions and recommendations on issues affecting a department or functional area.
Problem Solving: Ability to address problems that are highly varied, complex and often non-recurring, requiring staff input, innovative, creative, and Lean diagnostic techniques to resolve issues.
Independence of Action: Ability to set goals and determines how to accomplish defined results with some guidelines. Manager/Director provides broad guidance and overall direction.
Written Communications: Ability to summarize and communicate in English moderately complex information in varied written formats to internal and external customers.
Oral Communications: Ability to comprehend and communicate complex verbal information in English to medical center staff, patients, families and external customers.
Knowledge: Ability to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of concepts, practices and policies with the ability to use them in complex varied situations.
Teamwork: Ability to act as a team leader for small projects or work groups, creating a collaborative and respectful team environment and improving workflows. Results may impact the operations of one or more departments.
Customer Service: Ability to provide a high level of customer service and staff training to meet customer service standards and expectations for the assigned unit(s). Resolves service issues in the assigned unit(s) in a timely and respectful manner.
Age based Competencies: Employees in this job must be competent to provide patient care to the following age groups: Young adult: 16-30 years, Middle Age: 30 - 60 years, Elderly: 60 - over.
Social/Environmental Requirements:
Work requires close attention to task for work to be accurately completed. Intermittent breaks during the workday do not compromise the work.
Work is varied every day, and the employee needs to be adaptable to respond to these changes and use independent judgment and manage priorities.
Potential exposure to adverse environmental conditions
Several times a month: Protective equipment required (Respirator, earplugs, mask, gloves, eyewear etc.), Potential exposure to infectious diseases and/or airborne pathogens.
Health Care Status: HCW1: Regular, day-to-day contact; both face-to-face and hands-on (having close contact within three feet for at least five minutes). Examples: physicians, clinical nurses, phlebotomist, medical assistants, PFT tech, and x-ray tech.
- Health Care Worker Status may vary by department.
Sensory Requirements:
Close work (paperwork, visual examination), Color vision/perception, Visual monotony, Visual clarity > 20 feet, Visual clarity <3 feet, Conversation, Telephone.
Physical Requirements:
Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force frequently to move objects. Some elements of the job are sedentary, but the employee will be required to stand for periods of time or move throughout the hospital campus.
This job requires: frequent sitting, walking, standing, power grasping using one hand, fine manipulation using one hand, keyboard use.
As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) and COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Learn more (https://www.bilh.org/newsroom/bilh-to-require-covid-19-influenza-vaccines-for-all-clinicians-staff-by-oct-31) about this requirement.
More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled