Community Health Worker - Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia

Waymark is a team of healthcare providers, technologists, and builders whose mission is to bring the best healthcare to people with Medicaid benefits.  Guided by the communities we serve, we bring support and technology-enabled care to help primary care providers keep Medicaid patients healthy.  We are building the tools and designing an approach to enable care to reach the patients who can benefit most.  

Our core values embody the essence of what makes Waymark a unique team today, and what we look for, nurture, and sustain as a team. We are bold builders, believing that the greatest challenges in care delivery can be solved when we harness the power of community and technology. We are humble learners, seeking feedback and perspectives different from our own, and welcome challenges to our conclusions. We experiment to improve, actively seeking data to inform decisions and to assess our own performance. We act with focused urgency, our commitment to our mission drives us to tirelessly pursue results.

If this vision resonates with you, we hope you consider bringing your creativity, your energy, your curiosity to Waymark.

About this role

As a Community Health Worker, you will be Waymark’s frontline presence in the community, connecting with patients to provide social support, advocate for their medical needs, and help them navigate health needs.. You will work to improve the health of patients from low- income communities, by connecting them with various providers and resources. You will be part of a care team that is multidisciplinary and includes licensed clinical therapists, pharmacists, and care coordinators embedded in primary care offices. 

Key Responsibilities

• Attend a virtual 2-week-long paid training program.
• Meet patients in the community, in the home, and in healthcare facilities (including hospitals) and conduct a needs assessment, including motivating patients to set and achieve health goals.
• Support patients in addressing social challenges such as housing instability, behavioral health concerns, and food insecurity.
• Advocate for their healthcare needs and assist them in navigating and accessing necessary medical services and resources.
• Work with other CHWs and staff to create a directory of community resources (e.g. food banks, housing assistance programs, childcare resources, etc.).
• Manage relationships with the healthcare facility providers and partner with Waymark’s care delivery team (Pharmacists, Therapists, and Care Coordinators).
• Continuously expand knowledge of community resources, services, and programs available to members and build ongoing relationships with these organizations to advocate for members.
• Participate in weekly Waymark care team huddles and partner with the Waymark care delivery team (Pharmacists, Licensed Clinical therapists, and Community Health Workers) to support coordinated patient care.
• Accurately document each patient encounter in detail.

Minimum qualifications

• Highly organized and self-motivated to work independently and manage schedules efficiently.
• Sound judgment and the ability to quickly analyze situations.
• Ability to work with a diverse community in an empathetic, passionate and professional manner.
• ​​Friendly, energetic, and enthusiastic personality
• Desire to help others.
• Cultural competency- able to work with diverse groups of community members.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Must be available to work a set schedule that includes at least one weekend day per week and one late-start shift per week.
• Reside within a commutable distance of Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia.
• Travel required within the surrounding counties (up to 80%).
• Current Driver’s license and access to an insured vehicle. 

Preferred qualifications 

• Community health worker certification.
• Long time resident of Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia and knowledgeable of community resources. 
• Experience conducting home visits and in person / phone outreach. 
• Experience working with managed care patients.
• Knowledge of Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia Medicaid populations.

Hiring Range

$23.00/hr - $26.20/hr

In addition to salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package. Here’s what you can expect:

COVID Vaccination: Waymark has adopted a policy on mandatory full vaccination to safeguard our employees, our partners, and the patients we serve from the hazard of COVID-19.  As a healthcare company, we believe it is important for our employees and actions to reflect the best available science and the interests of public health.  You will be asked to attest to your COVID vaccination status after an offer of employment is made.  Waymark will consider reasonable accommodations for individuals who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief.

Offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Employment history and advance degree verification (when applicable) are included as part of the standard background check process. Do you acknowledge and agree to this condition?

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that some of us may be less likely to apply to jobs unless we meet every single qualification. Waymark is dedicated to building a supportive, equal opportunity, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every preferred qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!