Community Health Outreach & Navigation Associate (Temporary)

Job Description

Program Description:  The vision of the Greater Newark Health Care Coalition (GNHCC)  is for all residents of Newark, East Orange, and Irvington to have a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health.   GNHCC’s mission is to work collaboratively to improve systems and community and individual conditions for optimal health and well-being.  GNHCC believes that to ensure the health and well-being of the Greater Newark NJ community, every person must have access to affordable, comprehensive health and mental health coverage and the care they need to thrive.

Position Summary: The Community Health Outreach & Navigation Associate will provide community outreach, education, navigation, and training in support of GNHCC priority areas.   Audiences will include, but are not limited to, individuals, key community groups, school leaders, and faith-based organizations. The Community Health Outreach Associate will also work with other GNHCC staff in the on-going planning and execution of GNHCC’s outreach and engagement strategies. This position is grant-funded through June 2024 but may be extended.

Core Responsibilities: 

• Cultivate relationships and engage with community-based organizations (CBOs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and regional provider systems and provider sites.
• Facilitate connections (i.e., outreach) and referrals (i.e., encounters) between individuals and government and community-based partners to address health and social determinants of health (SDOH) needs.
• Identify and communicate local and regional community-based needs related to health and SDOH.
• Conduct outreach education and navigation assistance in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate to the needs of the community being served
• Provide courteous, professional, and confidential assistance to all consumers seeking healthcare access and information.
• Ensure that follow-up and data entry is completed.
• Achieve performance targets, working closely with the other Outreach and Navigation Associates, GNHCC staff, and community partners to identify and overcome challenges.
• Work independently, travelling throughout communities and providing outreach and navigation services in various locations.
• Comply with policy on confidential information in addition to any applicable laws governing the confidentiality of enrollee financial information, social security numbers, personally identifiable information and health information, including Medicaid data.

Required Skills: 

• Effective and strong communication skills, including in-person and telephonic outreach.
• Strong interpersonal skills: must be a team player who works cooperatively and effectively with other staff and community-based partners.
• Respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance; understands and applies principles of cultural competence.
• Must be able to handle multiple assignments and take initiative to plan and complete projects effectively.
• Strong presentation and organizational skills.
• Must be able to work some flexible hours, including evenings and some weekends.
• Must have knowledge of and maintain the standards and requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).  Ensure the protection and security of personal, confidential, and identifiable information in a professional and responsible manner and carry out all measures to prevent unauthorized disclosures.
• Willingness to travel.
• Fluency in Spanish, Haitian Creole, and/or Portuguese strongly preferred.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or a minimum Work-Related Experience of 2 to 4 years
• Minimum Work-Related Experience: 2 to 4 years  

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of the position. Incumbents may be asked to perform tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.