Community Health Worker

**About Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo (The Health Centre)**

The Health Centre provides a broad range of services aimed at improving the health of individuals and the wider community. Our services include medical and dental care, health promotion, illness prevention and outreach programming. Our expertise and resources are focused on working with those who experience health inequities and barriers to accessing health services. Collaborating as an interdisciplinary team, we provide services and supports that address the social determinants of health including factors and barriers such as poverty, inadequate housing, food insecurity, substance use, language and culture, as well as stigma and social exclusion.

The Health Centre works with the most complex client population served by primary health care professionals within Waterloo Region. Our highly skilled and diverse team works from a strength-based approach with individual clients as well as the broader community. We collaborate with many partner agencies and organizations within Waterloo Region. Our team consists of Family Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Social Workers, Dietitians, Chiropodists, Pharmacists, Psychiatrists, Health Promoters, Community Health Workers, Administrative Staff and Volunteers.

We invite you to consider this opportunity to join our team and contribute to this important work.

The Health Centre is currently recruiting for the following position:
**COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER - OUTREACH**

**Full-time Permanent - 1.0 FTE**

**Salary: $50,630.07 - $61,000.00**

**Job Summary**:
The Community Health Worker primary focus of this position is to support CHCKW outreach teams that serve individuals who are homeless and precariously housed. Often, these individuals are more complex due to mental health and addiction issues. This position works closely with outreach clients and provides support to mobile primary care teams & will participate in the HART hub locations. In addition, our outreach teams work with other partners of the Inner City Health Alliance that serve the same clients.

**Responsibilities**:

- Work with clients using a Determinants of Health framework, building trust-based relationships and aligning with clients' goals. Ensure the approach is rooted in anti-oppressive practice and harm reduction, respecting clients' autonomy and addressing social and systemic factors affecting their well-being.
- Participate in direct client service and service coordination as appropriate in cooperation with other members of a person’s circle of support.
- Support the development of client care plans by providing case management and system navigation, working collaboratively with both the client and their primary care providers.
- Provide support to clients both in community agency settings and through mobile outreach services.
- Maintain accurate health records and up to date notes in the Electronic Medical Record in a timely manner and adheres to all CHCKW policies and Privacy legislation.
- Act as a point person for client support as determined in specific client care plans or in emergent situations
- Act as a resource to, and advocate for individuals and groups who are homeless or precariously housed and their community. Support the client in accessing resources including accompaniment and advocacy when necessary.
- Establish and maintain up-to-date knowledge of local community resources and build strong relationships with external agencies and partners to connect clients with relevant support services.
- Facilitate the transfer of knowledge across the team to foster growth and development.
- Work during both regular and extended hours (evenings/weekends) and in Outreach locations within Kitchener as determined by Community Healthcaring KW.
- Partner with health wellness team to develop and potentially facilitate groups that are relevant to our unhoused/ precariously housed community
- Support the ID clinic as needed.
- Represent the agency/outreach team at the WR Connectivity Table as required.
- Maintain a valid driver’s license, access to a reliable personal vehicle and adequate insurance for work-related travel in accordance with Community Healthcaring KW.
- Participate in team and staff meetings and other meetings and committee work as appropriate to support both service delivery and organizational goals.
- Work individually and collaboratively in the development and implementation of quality improvement initiatives and activities
- Work in a manner that preserves privacy and confidentiality.
- Work in a manner that ensures client safety and minimizes risk to clients, volunteers and the Centre.
- Work in a manner consistent with the Health Centre’s Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles
- Work in a manner consistent with the Health Centre’s policy and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in all processes and practices.
- Work in a manner that demonstrates self-reflection and personal accountab