Community Healing Unit - Community Health Advocate - Asian Health Services

Essential Job Functions

• Coordinate with Community Healing Unit staff and CHU Program Manager to provide direct services to victims impacted by crime, hate, and violence.
• Conduct intake assessments on new referrals.
• Develop rapport and support clients with mental health needs.
• Connect clients to financial resources and assist with applications as needed (e.g. California Victims Compensation Fund).
• Link clients to services and referrals within AHS and to external providers and agencies as needed.
• Assist clients in navigating systems, including law enforcement, the court process, District Attorney's office, and more.
• Conduct accurate documentation of patient information and records in electronic health records system and other tracking procedures.
• Conduct and document health education and outreach activities on various health topics (e.g., access to health care/health insurance, destigmatize mental illness, promote healing and alternative therapies to healing, etc.) in a linguistically and culturally appropriate manner with small-large groups and individuals.
• Refer clients who are in crisis or requiring a higher level of care to appropriate mental health service providers.
• Support and participate in program projects (e.g. organizing support groups, cultural healing activities).
• Attend necessary staff meetings and trainings as designated by CHU Program manager.
• Conduct community needs assessments and evaluation activities through various formats (e.g., focus groups, community surveys, patient surveys, key informant interviews) and participate in planning effective programs and services for AHS patients and Asian immigrant communities.
• Develop and maintain contacts and working relations with staff at other organizations serving the Asian immigrant community.
• Represent AHS in various community forums, events, presentations, workshops, coalitions, and meetings.
• Coordinate and participate in health education materials development: a) Develop or adapt educational materials for cultural appropriateness in a variety of formats (written, video, displays/posters, PowerPoint presentations, etc.), b) Translate, c) Design, d) Duplicate, e) Review materials for readability, translation quality, and cultural appropriateness, and f) coordinate or participate in Clinic-Health Ed Materials Committee meetings.
• Assist in collection and analysis of data for funding, grants, and reporting requirements.
• Provide interpreting or translation services during educational workshops and activities, special events, meetings, hearings, media events, educational materials and other organizational activities.
• Observe current codes of ethics and standards of practice for health care interpreting (e.g., interprets all speakers' messages accurately and completely; transparently carry out various interpreter interventions, such as cultural brokering, to facilitate clear communication between speakers; etc.)
• Provides advocacy for AHS patients/members around community safety, healing, mental health access, and public health priorities.
• Conduct administrative, clerical, and organizational tasks for the department.

General Agency/AHS Duties

• Fosters an environment that promotes trust and cooperation among clients and staff.
• Enforces clinic policies and procedures, including maintenance of client confidentiality under HIPAA privacy rules, to ensure that the principles of AHS are implemented.
• Plays an active role in planning organization-wide activities such as AHS general membership meetings, fundraisers, special clinic days, and other events.
• Participates in general membership meetings, fundraisers, and other public events, as required.
• Participates in outreach activities, and agency advocacy, and serves on ad hoc committees, as requested.
• Attends AHS staff retreats and Board of Directors meetings, as required.
• Participates in agency-wide quality improvement program processes and performance improvement teams to ensure excellence in the quality of services provided across the agency.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related field (i.e., social work, psychology, etc.) or equivalent experience
• -OR-
• Four years of relevant work experience in a health setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree majors: health, social service, or other closely-related fields.
• Experience working in the community health field.
• Basic understanding and familiarity with concepts such as Motivational Interviewing, client-centered care, and trauma-informed care.
• Ability to speak, read, and write at a high proficiency level in an Asian language (Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Tagalog or Khmer strongly desired).

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• The relationship between advocacy and improving the health of the Asian community.
• Cultural, socioeconomic and political factors affecting health in immigrant and refugee Asian communities.
• Health, social services, and community resources/leaders in at least one API community.
• Leading and working with diverse staff and community members respectfully and collaboratively.
• Innovative, cooperative, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Planning and coordinating small-medium scale projects and events.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills both oral and written.
• Organizing and engaging immigrant communities in education and advocacy activities.
• Proficiency in or ability to learn English and Asian language word processing.
• Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple tasks.
• Ability to exercise good judgment.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Available to work on weekends and evenings as needed.
• A high level of concentration is required, to coordinate multiple program tasks, problem-solving with external organizations, and coordination with other departments and programs of the entire organization.

Physical & Work Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Rapid, intense especially when faced with program and advocacy activity deadlines. Standing required about 20-25% of the time including walking around. Time, speaking, and listening require about 75-90% of the time, mainly in communicating with patients, staff, and outside agencies and organizations. Environmental and health hazards, minimal exposure however will face job stress periodically.

PI253990715