CHW Wellness Navigator

Founded in 1958, Dignity Health - Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital is a 104-bed, acute care, nonprofit hospital located in Grass Valley, California. Serving over 80,000 patients annually, the hospital offers a full complement of services including heart care, cancer care, women’s health, and neurology. Additionally, Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, has been recognized as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and is a Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center. It has been named a Top Rural Hospital by The Leapfrog Group for three consecutive years, one of only 16 rural hospitals in the US to achieve this award.

One Community. One Mission. One California 

As a Substance Use Navigator, you will be responsible for interacting and working collaboratively with the healthcare team and directly with patients in both the hospital and Emergency Department settings.

Daily, you will diligently find and connect patients to appropriate drug treatment resources and facilitate smooth outpatient clinic referrals. Your primary focus will be bridging the gap between inpatient care and effective, ongoing substance use treatment.

Success in this role requires strong communication skills, a compassionate approach to patient interaction, and a deep understanding of available drug treatment resources and referral pathways.

• Reviews patient census in the hospital and Emergency Department and determines patients eligible for drug intervention.
• Interacts with patients in crisis and develops trust relationship to connect patient to inpatient and outpatient addiction resources and care.
• Interacts with multiple staff members and obtains patient history.
• Reviews cases with providers in multiple areas of hospital and self-determines workload and schedule of interactions/visits.
• Refers patients to outside resources, interacts with outpatient clinics and develops positive working relationships to improve patient care and follow-up.
• Connects patient to resources such as transportation, inpatient and outpatient drug treatment and pharmacy to obtain needed medications for withdrawal.

Required

• 1 year experience in paid or unpaid role as a Community Health Worker, Lived experience, personal or loved one, impacted by SUD or other behavior health challenges, social inequity, or violence
• CHW Certification or commitment to attain CHW training and certification with 18 months of becoming employed

Preferred

• Associates or Bachelors Degree 
• Knowledge and ability to work with individuals impacted by adverse conditions, including substance use disorders, mental health challenges,justiceinvolvement, housing instability, Possessing a nonjudgmental, energetic, positive approach to assisting patients with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Mental Illness