outreach and community health worker

About the Role

Hamilton-Madison House (HMH) is the leading provider of behavioral health services for New York City's Asian community and the second largest provider in the country. HMH serves nearly 1,000 community members through a comprehensive program model that understands and incorporates the strengths of individual cultures and addresses the stigma related to mental illness. Services range from psychological services; personalized recovery-oriented services for individuals with mental illness; recovery programming for addiction in six languages and seven dialects; supportive housing for people with mental health issues; and training and internship opportunities for graduate students in social work, mental health counseling, and psychology. Our team of over 40 full-time and 16 part-time staff speak Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Cambodian.

The Outreach & Community Health Worker works closely with the Clinical Coordinator to advance community-based initiatives that expand access to mental health care and support services for the community. This role integrates traditional outreach with peer-informed approaches to reduce stigma, increase engagement, and strengthen pathways to culturally responsive care. The worker will identify barriers to services, promote cultural and linguistic responsiveness, and conduct targeted outreach across youth, adults, caregivers, and older adults. The position collaborates with community organizations, schools, healthcare partners, and faith based institutions to ensure mental health and peer support resources reach high need community members.

• This is a 1 year grant funded position

Key Responsibilities:

Outreach, Engagement & Community Relationship-Building

• Build and maintain partnerships with schools, social service agencies, clinics, hospitals, housing providers, and faith-based organizations to strengthen referral networks.
• Conduct outreach at community events, schools, cultural organizations, and local businesses to promote mental health and peer support services.
• Assist the Clinical Coordinator in identifying service gaps and implementing strategies to improve access and engagement.
• Support the development of social media and digital outreach campaigns to raise awareness and reduce stigma

Peer Support Expansion & Education

• Introduce and promote peer support concepts through culturally responsive outreach.
• Support the growth of culturally and linguistically appropriate peer services within Hamilton-Madison House programs.
• Assist in recruiting Peer Specialists by identifying potential candidates, sharing opportunities through community networks, and participating in outreach to expand the peer workforce.
• Share information about recovery and coping resources while maintaining clear boundaries and a non-clinical support approach. Client Support, Navigation & Collaboration

Client Support, Navigation & Collaboration

• Serve as a first point of contact for individuals seeking behavioral health or support services.
• With supervisor guidance, conduct pre-admission screenings, address Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN), and connect individuals and families to appropriate resources.
• Facilitate referrals to internal and external community-based services.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation according to agency and regulatory standards.
• Participate in interdisciplinary meetings, case conferences, trainings, and assist with special projects assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum Bachelor's level in a social service discipline and 2 years of experience in the related field
• In-depth knowledge of Lower East Side community resources and mental health service providers
• Experience working with Asian immigrant communities and understanding of cultural and linguistic needs
• Bilingual fluency required, with a preference for proficiency in Mandarin/Cantonese.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and electronic medical records (EMR) software; willingness to learn new systems as needed.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to racial and social justice and to promoting equity in healthcare access.

Compensation: $26.50 per hour

Hours: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours/week

Excellent benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 3 personal days, and 12 paid agency-wide holidays.annually

Hamilton-Madison House is an Equal Opportunity Employer