Resident Advisor Community Health Worker

The Resident Advisor Community Health Worker (RACHW) is a part-time role (24 hours a week) that provides health-based services, resources, and navigation assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness who are served by the Give Hope Street Outreach program and the Respite Center at Brian’s Place. This position integrates non-clinical recuperative care support within a daytime Respite Center with mobile community health work.

The primary goal of the RACHW is to maintain a safe and secure Respite Center environment while working to increase participant access to health and social services both on-site and within the community to improve the overall quality of life for individuals served. The RACHW bridges conversations between participants and providers, removes barriers to care, and supports participants in understanding their responsibilities within the program and within their case management plan.

This position is part of an integrated care team and requires the ability to work flexibly across both facility and community settings. Scope of Duties:

1. Develop trusting, person-centered relationships with participants. Demonstrate knowledge and professionalism while interacting with participants, team members, partner agencies, and the community.
2. Report to work at the Respite Center at Brian’s Place each shift to serve individuals dropped off by the outreach team for daytime shelter and coordinate with the outreach team to visit participants off-site in encampments and other uninhabitable locations as needed to perform community health work.
3. Interact with participants regularly in the Respite Center and where they live to evaluate their health-based needs, assess their progress toward goals, and provide referrals, navigation assistance, and interventions as necessary.
4. Assess participant health-related social needs (SDOH) with a focus on healthcare access. Develop a person-centered plan for participants within 15 days of intake and ensure participants are connected to a primary care physician within 30 days of intake.
5. Provide care coordination of physical health and other health services. Advocate for participants to ensure they are connected to services and assist them in applying for services and navigating social and healthcare resources.
6. Build participant independence in interacting with providers and increase their sense of self-efficacy. Enhance communication among all supports, including case managers, physicians, peers, and family.
7. Assist participants with understanding their personal responsibilities, maintaining program compliance, and addressing concerns. Escalate issues to the Program Manager as appropriate.
8. Transport self to appointments and meetings using either employee’s personal vehicle or an agency vehicle, depending on availability.
9. Transport participants in either personal or agency vehicles for goal-related purposes, including accompaniment to medical appointments and goal-related community events.
10. Maintain a safe, secure, and welcoming facility within the Respite Center at all times. Monitor the entrance and exit of all guests and visitors.
11. Enforce all security guidelines, plus respite and housing policies and procedures. Ensure compliance with standards related to physical safety. Escalate issues to the Program Manager as appropriate or utilize VOAPA’s Critical Incident Policy and Procedure.
12. Maintain the respite and residential spaces' physical appearance as needed to ensure safety and enjoyment. Facilitate the smooth operation of on-site activities.
13. In emergencies or when any policy is questioned, contact the Program Manager immediately.
14. Keep paper and digital program files, case notes, and other program documents updated and accurate.
15. When providing case management, assess and track participant progress to ensure their person-centered plan addresses all health and social needs.
16. Assist with developing reports and maintaining program statistics as directed.
17. Develop working relationships with community resources, healthcare providers, and insurance providers to increase participant referral options and provide ongoing education.
18. Attend and participate in staff meetings, community-based meetings, and follow directives accurately. Provide reports when requested.
19. Act as a liaison for Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania by demonstrating a positive and professional image toward participants and agency representatives.
20. Conduct yourself to promote dignity and respect for all staff, residents, volunteers, and the general public.
21. Assist with administrative duties, including answering doors or phones, filing, copying, data collection, reporting, scheduling, and maintaining program materials.
22. Respond appropriately to crises and consult with supervisory staff when policy clarification or emergency intervention is needed.
23. Clock in and out daily and ensure accurate submission of working hours.
24. Perform other duties as needed. Hard Skills:

• Advocacy: connecting participants to services and educating entities and organizations about the issues experienced by the community served.
• Cultural Competency: understanding the nuances of cultural sensitivities and how they may impact healthcare, with special focus on individuals with mental illness.
• Health Literacy: the ability to understand and replicate basic health concepts as they relate to the participant and their care.
• Strength-Based Interpersonal Skills: Apply verbal and nonverbal communication techniques to build rapport and collaborative relationships with participants, peers, and partners.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: the ability to mitigate inequities and reduce barriers to health equity for all.
• Communication: strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Technical Proficiency: working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite and the ability to learn new software and technological updates as required.

Required Skills

• Integrity, discretion, and respect for confidentiality and privacy
• Critical thinking skills and an ability to work autonomously
• Excellent oral communication skills and the ability to de-escalate misunderstandings, errors, or conflicts in a diplomatic manner
• Typing, computing, and data entry skills
• Strong empathy and interpersonal skills
• Good communication, interpersonal, and customer service skills
• Analytical skills
• Ability to prioritize and work under pressure
• Ability to provide trauma-informed care
• Time management
• Organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Strong spelling, math, and financial skills
• Documentation skills Qualifications To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions. ADA Essential Functions:
• Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb stairs, talk, hear, and smell.
• Must be able to withstand being outside in all weather conditions
• Regularly lift and move up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to identify and/or distinguish between people, places, and things.
• Ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while remaining fixed on a given point.
• Must have a Pennsylvania driver’s license. Credentials/Abilities: The employee in this position must possess a High School Diploma and/or a combination of 2 years of experience in a similar social service setting and/or healthcare setting. A valid Pennsylvania driver’s license, valid insurance on a personal vehicle, and a positive driving history are required. Pennsylvania State Police Clearances and PA Drivers History Record are required annually. The employee must possess a strong ability to make immediate decisions when faced with crisis or unusual situations. The employee must have working knowledge of computer software, specifically the agency’s online system navigation sites such as Relias, PUPS, and Microsoft Office systems including Outlook, Excel, and Word, as well as effective written and verbal communication skills. EEO of "Participants with Disabilities" and "Veteran Status"/AA Work Environment: The individual will report to the Respite Center at Brian's Place. This is a daytime shelter environment designed to provide a safe space for medically fragile individuals who are experiencing homelessness. While the kitchen, bathroom, and living spaces are shared with participants, team members have access to designated office spaces. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. The role relies heavily on the use of internet and technology for documentation and referrals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. This role also involves driving to pick up and drop off individuals before and after the program.