Community Health Worker

The Division of General Internal Medicine - Geriatrics is seeking a part-time
candidate who is detail-oriented and results-driven to join the New Mexico
ICOPE program as a Community Health Worker. ICOPE is a World Health
Organization (WHO) program implemented in China, India, Mexico, France, and
other countries, but not in the United States. New Mexico has the most rapidly
growing percentage of adults aged 65 and over, with 26.4 percent of the
population as Seniors in 2030. New Mexico also ranks in the top three among the
US states in poverty rates among this age group. New Mexico (NM) will be the
first US state to implement ICOPE. The program takes a community-based approach
to building person-centered, long-term care systems with a coordinated model of
care. Every six months, the program assesses vision, hearing, mobility,
cognition, psychological well-being, and malnutrition risk in each enrolled
member aged 65 years or older to identify any decline in these intrinsic
capacities and to provide early interventions that contribute to healthy aging.
Key factors for healthy aging include social care support, caregiver support,
and urinary incontinence. Seniors will be offered resources and services
available in New Mexico. We are looking to implement the program with a target
~42,000 seniors across the state, with close to half of them outside the
Albuquerque area.
The ICOPE
program requires close communication and engagement with the community for the
success of its implementation, as the program is tailored to put seniors'
perspectives first and provide them with personalized care plans for healthy
aging. One key role for this engagement will be achieved with a Community
Health Worker to extend the reach of the program to our extensive rural areas
in New Mexico.

The ideal
candidate for the Community Health Worker position will have experience working
with the community of New Mexicans. The candidate will also have a good
understanding of the challenges and opportunities to reach out to community
services, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with a variety of university and
community stakeholders. The stakeholders might include health care providers,
funding agencies, university and federal researchers, and patients.

Specific responsibilities and duties:

• Community Engagement & Outreach
• Build trust and maintain relationships with older adults,
  families, and local organizations in rural communities.
• Conduct outreach activities to raise awareness about
  the ICOPE program and available services.
• Organize or participate in community events, health fairs,
  and local meetings to engage and educate residents

Health Screening & Assessment Support

• Assist with basic health screenings aligned
  with ICOPE's domains (mobility, cognition, vision, hearing,
  nutrition, psychological well-being).
• Help identify older adults at risk or needing more
  comprehensive care or referrals.
• Care Navigation, Promotion & Coordination
• Help seniors navigate ICOPE resources
  from healthcare and social service systems.
• Support ICOPE activities
  for local nurses, primary care providers, and social workers.
• Provide culturally sensitive information on healthy aging,
  chronic disease management, fall prevention, nutrition, and other relevant
  topics.
• Distribute ICOPE educational
  and promotional materials and facilitate small group discussions with local
  seniors.

Data Collection & Reporting

• Provide regular reports to supervisors and contribute to
  evaluations of program effectiveness.

Collaboration & Training

• Participate in ongoing training related to ICOPE, community health, and aging-related issues.
• Collaborate with local health departments, tribal health
  organizations, community centers, and faith-based groups.

See the Position Description for additional information.

• Possession of a valid New Mexico driver's license is a requirement for this job.
• Must pass a pre-employment criminal background check.
• Fingerprinting, and subsequent clearance, may be required for this position depending on assignment.
• May be required to obtain a Community Support Worker (CSW) certification within six months of hire.
• Employees who provide services or work in patient care or clinical areas are required to be in compliance with the University's influenza vaccination requirement.
• Successful candidate must submit to post-offer, pre-employment physical examination and medical history check.

High school diploma or GED; at least 1 year of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

• Ability to effectively adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to effectively connect with community services in New Mexico to promote ICOPE.
• Experience working in rural areas of New Mexico.
• Ability to communicate effectively with New Mexican seniors.
• Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and understanding of rural New Mexican communities' unique values, beliefs, and practices, including tribal and Hispanic populations.
• Communicate in seniors' preferred language (English/Spanish) when possible.

Only applications submitted through
the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job
advertisement on a 3rd party site, please
visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.