About Casa Esperanza

Casa Esperanza, Inc. is a bilingual/bicultural behavioral health treatment provider serving Boston and the Merrimack Valley. Our mission is to empower individuals and families to recover from addiction, trauma, mental illness, and other chronic medical conditions; overcome homelessness and discrimination; and achieve health and wellness through comprehensive, integrated care.

About the role

Casa Esperanza is currently seeking Bilingual Community Health Worker who is passionate about public health and understands the impact social determinants of health have on a person’s ability to recover.   The Bilingual Community Health Worker will be a part of Casa’s new PALS: Promotores Amplificando La Sabidura initiative focused on reducing rates of drug overdose deaths and suicide in a social and community context.  PALS is an innovative Promotores Model collaborative that incorporates culturally appropriate and linguistically accessible Community Health Workers into a trauma-informed continuum of care to build the capacity of Latines to address health quality problems in their communities. 

The PALS Bilingual Community Health Worker will address health equity and access to health for Latines struggling with mental health and substance misuse using strategies that combine innovative outreach service delivery models and community engagement. Outreach strategies and action plans are oriented towards the completion of pre-established objectives and involve many cross-sectoral collaborations with internal organizational partners and external partners in the community. 

What you'll do

• Service Delivery: 
• Work with Promotores Project Manager to develop and implement outreach and community mapping strategy for reaching at risk Latines.  

• Conduct weekly outreach to individuals in hotspot locations to educate and support individuals in varying stages of recovery and assists with referrals for food, clothing, shelter, detoxification, and/or medical services.  

• Deliver educational presentations to community groups, and events regarding signs of substance abuse and mental illness; recovery resources; medical consequences of addictions and medically assisted treatments; and available family support resources  

• Provide bilingual health education services to promote engagement in healthy activities.  

• Provides peer health education through health education records and home visits to assess client needs and concerns as they relate to their family, their community, and their health. 

• Provide supported referrals to Casa's Continuum of Care, including Outpatient, ATS/CSS, OBAT, and Residential Treatment.   

• Collaborate with community partners on outreach and infection control strategies. 

• Plans and leads group sessions and discussions on assigned health topics.  

• Makes referrals to family support, health, and social service agencies in area, and follows up with individuals to ensure they receive needed services.  

• Reduces stigma and other barriers to initiating or continuing health care by providing good information to both community members and health care providers.  

• Develops relationships with local health care and social service providers to facilitate information sharing and service provision.  

• Represent the agency by providing education and participating in Boston community health events. 

General:  

• Maintain all client records and necessary reports within Casa’s Electronic Health Record, Evolv. 

• Participate in weekly clinical meetings and Multidisciplinary Team meetings.  

• Actively participates in, and successfully complete, trainings provided by Casa and other agencies 

• Bi-weekly supervision with Program Coordinator. 

• Assist in all reporting as required by Program Coordinator.  

• Other duties as required. 

Qualifications

• Knowledge of the local healthcare system and community resources. 

• Must be available to work weekends and evenings, as needed. 

• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team. 

• Experience doing outreach to individuals at risk for addiction, mental illness, trauma and violence.  

• Crisis management skills. 

• Ability to provide education, service planning, and health navigation. 

• Knowledge of care coordination and community resources. 

• Familiarity with substance use field including Motivational Counseling, Cognitive Behavioral Theory, AA/NA 12 Step Philosophy, and Stages of Change Theory. 

• Knowledge of co-occurring disorders. 

• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills. 

• Strong verbal and written communication skills. 

• Computer skills, minimum Microsoft Word. 

• Experience in group facilitation 

• Awareness of the intersection of culture, addiction, mental illness, trauma, health, and homelessness.   

• Ability to meet the physical and training requirements of the position. 

Experience required/preferred for the position: 

• Bilingual, English/Spanish skills required. 

• Two years’ experience in community-based outreach. 

Education/Training required: 

• Equal to completion of 4 years of high school plus additional specialized courses or training 

• Community Health Worker certificate required or willing to obtain within one year of hire  

• Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor/Certified Alcohol Counselor, preferred.  

• CPR certified. 

• Solid knowledge of community resources and effective teaching/coaching skills. 

• Verifiable excellent driving record. 

• Valid Massachusetts Driver’s License required. 

• A clear DMV driving record is also required. 

• Must be fully vaccinated against seasonal Influenza and the COVID 19 virus or to be exempt from the requirement for medical or personal reasons by signing a statement certifying you are choosing to be exempt from vaccination once hired. 

Work Type:  On-Site, Full-Time 

Work Schedule:  Rotation Schedule Requirement: every other weekend 

Supervisory Responsibilities: None 

What we offer:

Casa Esperanza Benefits Package:

• Compensation:  $22.00 - 24.00 per hour
• Holiday Pay (12 days per year + 1 floating holiday)
• Paid Time Off (PTO) - 18 days year one, 20.5 days at year 2, 23 days at year 5
• Sick Pay - 10 paid days per year
• Long / Short Term Disability 
• Paid by Company Life Insurance
• Health Insurance (Medical Dental, Vison)
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• FSA/DCA (Flexible Spending Account & Dependent Care)
• ComPsych Guidance Resources - EAP
• Educational Opportunities
• Tuition Remission
• Employee Ticket at Work (Discounts for Entertainment, travel, movies; etc.)
• Career Advancement Opportunities
• Increased Salary for Credentials
• and more....

Physical & Mental Requirements

While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to walk, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include distance vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception.

At Casa Esperanza, Inc., the health and safety of our people is our number one priority. That’s why all offers of employment are contingent on the candidate showing proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID 19 (currently one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and boosted, when eligible) to pass the pre-employment requirements. Individuals with medical issues or religious beliefs that prevent them from getting the vaccine may request an exemption from the vaccine requirement.

Casa Esperanza’s EEO Statement

Casa Esperanza, Inc. values its diverse workplace and encourages women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, older members of society, and others from minority groups and diverse backgrounds to apply.

We recruit, hire, employ, train, promote, and compensate individuals based on job-related qualifications and abilities. Casa Esperanza, Inc also has a longstanding policy of providing a work environment that respects the dignity and worth of each individual and is free from all forms of employment discrimination, including harassment, because of race, color, sex, gender, age, religion or religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.  All employees, interns, volunteers and contractors of Casa Esperanza, Inc. are responsible for maintaining a work culture free from discrimination and harassment by treating others with kindness and respect.

Casa Esperanza, Inc. also provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities or based on a sincerely held religious belief, in accordance with applicable laws. If you need to inquire about an accommodation, or need assistance with completing the application process, please email hr@casaesperanza.org.