Community Health Specialist – Addiction and Recovery - South Shore Hospital
REPORTS TO: Director of Behavioral Health
FLSA Status: Non – Exempt
Organizational Overview:
Manet Community Health Center (Manet) serves the broad health needs of patients and residents across our service areas by delivering high quality, individualized, culturally sensitive primary care, behavioral health, and supportive services for families and individuals of all ages. A federally qualified health center (FQHC), Manet is fully licensed by the Department of Public Health and accredited by The Joint Commission. Manet has four locations in Quincy, two in Taunton, and one each in Hull and Attleboro, Massachusetts.
General Definition and Scope of Job:
The Community Health Specialist – Addiction and Recovery (CHS) will work within the Emergency Department and closely with the Addiction Consult Service (ACS) and Bridge Program at South Shore Health. The CHS will serve as navigator and recovery coach to link people using drugs and/or alcohol with community resources, such as SUD treatment, primary care, housing assistance, and child welfare. A focus will be on engaging drug users and helping them access outpatient evidence-based addiction treatment through medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) or office-based addiction treatment (OBAT) programs.
Core Responsibilities
- Document care/intervention in the EMR for coordinated care across the system.
- Provide a combination of Community Liaison/Peer Recovery support.
- Develop knowledge of community-based MOUD programs providing evidence-based treatments.
- Perform intake in the ED and assess barriers to accessing treatment.
- Conduct patient outreach and engagement activities.
- Support patient continuity of care.
- Assist patients in understanding care plans and instructions.
- Provide informal counseling and promote patient treatment adherence.
- Assist patients with navigating health care and social service systems.
- Monitor and evaluate patients’ needs.
- Identify available community-based resources and manage referrals.
- Collect and report on data for program evaluation.
- Provide information on patients to care managers and team members.
- Document in medical record patient information and interventions.
- Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Skills, Experience and Educational Requirements
- High School diploma or GED required; Associate’s degree preferred in Human Services field.
- 1-3 years related work experience preferred.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Experience with computer systems required.
- Lived experience with MOUD preferred.
Critical Demands of the Job
- Bi-lingual capacity preferred for outreach to underserved populations.
- Manage multiple requests and prioritize appropriately.
- Demonstrate integrity, compassion, and respect.
- Ability to function in a fast-paced setting.
- Attention to details and prompt follow-up.
- Includes walking and standing for long periods of time.
Required Certifications and Licenses
- Community Health Worker Certification is required.
- Valid driver’s license; frequent local and occasional state-wide travel.
Working Conditions
- Works in well-lighted environment with comfortable surroundings.
- Stressful at times due to competing demands.
Required Availability
May be required to work evenings, holidays, or weekends.
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