Health & Wellness Specialist

The Health & Wellness Specialist’s responsibilities fall into three main categories:

(1) Health Case Management: Provide intensive health case management including developing a service plan, accompanying and advocating for high medical needs clients as they navigate the healthcare system and treatment adherence counseling. Conduct thorough assessments, regular follow-up and implement a plan of care for each case. Make appointments, coordinate transportation, and conduct follow up with health centers and other offices to ensure proper care is received.

(2) Community & Individual Health Education: Facilitate a variety of health education workshops for community members in addition to personalized 1:1 health education for clients in case management living with chronic or infectious illness.

(3) Health Capacity Building: In close collaboration with the Health Programs Manager, develop health navigation tools (health education materials, SOPs for securing referrals and appointments etc.) as well as administrative Health Program support. Provide biweekly “health office hours” consultations for AFAHO staff to support them with client health-related challenges. The successful candidate will be a self-motivated team player who is passionate about improving their community’s health outcomes via education, support and advocacy. They will have the ability to thrive in a dynamic and demanding work environment and will have a desire for continuous learning. This position will require some flexibility in schedule to accommodate client needs and will be expected to handle sensitive and confidential client information and situations with integrity and professionalism.

• Comprehensively assess client health needs, strengths, barriers and eligibility for various health programs and screenings
• Schedule health appointments and accompany clients to appointments to provide language interpretation, advocacy, and perform home visits as needed.
• Interact with insurance companies and pharmacies to ensure timely access to medications.
• Create and maintain accurate and comprehensive documentation of services.
• Educate and counsel community members and individual clients on health-related topics.
• Assist in developing and translating health information materials.
• Develop health navigation tools, including health education materials and health navigation SOPs.
• Process medical referrals on an as-needed basis.
• Represent organization at relevant meetings and events.
• Maintain open communication with co-workers, supervisors and outside stakeholders to ensure programs assigned are running smoothly.
• Prepare and submit data and narrative reports as required
• Participate in evening and week-end activities as needed, including local, regional and national trainings
• Provide other administrative and programmatic support as required

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (public health, health education, social work etc.) required.
• Fluency in English and French required.
• Minimum of 2 years medical, community-based or other relevant professional experience.
• Knowledge of and ability to navigate health and social services in the greater Philadelphia area.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with proven ability to establish rapport quickly with others.
• Knowledge of client engagement procedures for assessing needs, identifying resources and making referrals and properly documenting client interactions.
• Ability to work well independently and as part of a team-structure.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with African and/or Afro-Caribbean communities in Philadelphia
• Bi-lingual and bi-cultural abilities required.

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.
1. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will frequently stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or equipment; reach with hands and arms; balance; talk or hear. The employee will occasionally climb stairs; stoop; kneel; crouch or crawl; taste or smell.
2. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
3. Operate related office equipment and use necessary tools.
4. Specific vision abilities required by the job include frequent reading and close vision; distance vision; color vision; peripheral vision; depth perception; and the ability to adjust focus.

The work environment characteristics 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.

1. Although work is primarily indoors, you will be required to travel outside to client and
community locations.
2. Travel in and around AFAHO’s service delivery area to support delivery of services to clients.
3. Position may require occasional trips to attend conferences seminars, and meetings.
4. Certain visits or work-related appointments might be scheduled outside of traditional work hours as necessary.