Community Health Worker

Position Summary

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.

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

Collaborate with local health departments, tribal health

organizations, community centers, and faith-based groups.

Conditions of Employment

Minimum Qualifications

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.

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Requirements Campus

Health Sciences Center (HSC) - Albuquerque, NM Department

IM Hospital Medicine (852H) Employment Type

Staff Staff Type

On-Call Term End Date Status

Non-Exempt Pay

Hourly : $18.09 - $23.58 Benefits Eligible

This is not a benefits eligible position.