Health Guide Associate

firsthand supports individuals living with SMI (serious mental illness). Our holistic approach includes a team of peer recovery specialists, benefits specialists and clinicians, which focuses on meeting each individual where they are and walking with them side by side as a trusted guide, partner, and first call on their journey to wellness.

firsthand's team members use their lived experience to build trust with these individuals and support them in obtaining socio-economic assistance and in reconnecting to primary and behavioral care. Support like this creates substantial savings for managed care organizations (Medicaid providers) and taxpayers by decreasing inappropriate healthcare utilization. This enables us to build solutions that scale and, as a result, change the way our society supports those most impacted by SMI.

We are cultivating a team of deeply passionate problem-solvers to tackle significant and complex healthcare challenges with us. This is more than a job—it's a calling. Every day, you will engage in work that resonates with purpose, gain wisdom from motivated colleagues, and thrive in an environment that celebrates continuous learning, creativity, and fun.

At firsthand, our Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) & Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) are known as Health Guide Associates (HGAs). HGAs are an integral part of our community teams, which includes Health Guides (APPs), Community Resource Guides (social workers) and firsthand Guides (Peer Support Specialists). Our HGAs are passionate about empowering  individuals with complex chronic conditions and serious mental illness, to live their best life possible.

The HGA can quickly prioritize and problem solve. Strong clinical proficiency and patient care skills, organizational skills and dependability are crucial to the success of our community-based teams and to the individuals that we support. The HGA functions to promote firsthand’s clinical initiatives which advance the health and well-being of the individuals we serve.The HGA reports to and works alongside the Health Guide, to ensure the delivery of quality care.

• Prep medical charts: entering in medications, allergies, past medical, past surgical, family history
• Assist with checking individuals in for in-person appointments and facilitating appointments for telehealth visits with Health Guide
• Measure and record vital signsAssist with care management of chronic diseases
• Assist with scheduling appointments for routine visits, post hospital discharge visits, and unscheduled care appointments
• Request current medication list from pharmacies and coordinate pharmacy consolidation 
• Order DME (glucometer, nebulizer, medical supplies)
• Coordinate individual’s transportation to outside lab 
• Perform in-home and in-clinic phlebotomy, as needed
• Coordinate referrals and schedule appointments with specialty providers, when ordered by the Health Guide Follow up with individual prior to appointments to ensure they keep appointments
• Follow-up with patients after their appointments and update chart of any treatment changes (medications, upcoming procedures)

• Passion for empowering individuals with serious mental illness, substance use disorder, and complex medical conditions
• The ability to maintain schedules, prioritize, and/or escalate series of tasks accordingly
• Are self-directed and committed to follow-up and follow-through
• Comfort in navigating multiple technology systems including but not limited to Google Suite, EHRs, and Slack.

• 3+ years' experience in primary or behavioral health
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)

Benefits 

For full-time employees, our compensation package includes base, equity and a bonus potential.Our benefits include physical and mental health, dental, vision, 401(k) with a match, 16 weeks parental leave for either parent, flexible vacation, and a supportive and inclusive culture.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer sponsorship at this time.

Vaccination Policy

Employment with firsthand is contingent upon attesting to medical clearance requirements, which include, but may not be limited to: evidence of vaccination for/immunity to COVID-19, Hepatitis B, Influenza, MMR, Chickenpox, Tetanus and Diphtheria. All employees of firsthand are required to receive these vaccinations on a cadence/frequency as advised by the CDC, whereas not otherwise prohibited by state law.

New hires may submit for consideration a request to be exempted from these requirements (based on a valid religious or medical reason) via forms provided by firsthand. Such requests will be subject to review and approval by the Company, and exemptions will be granted only if the Company can provide a reasonable accommodation in relation to the requested exemption. Note that approvals for reasonable accommodations are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis and availability of a reasonable accommodation is not guaranteed.