Reading Hospital's Community Connection Project Internship

2020 Spring Internship (January – April) Internship Opportunity

Introduction

In May 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) awarded Reading Hospital a 4.51 million dollar 5- year grant to implement and test the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) model, known as the Community Connection Project (CCP). The Reading Hospital’s CCP team is looking for dedicated students or other qualified persons to serve as CCP Screening and Referral Interns. Please find information about the CCP and the critical role of the screening and referral process below.

What is the Community Connection Project (CCP)?

Using the AHC model, the CCP team will seek to address gaps between health care delivery and community services to improve health outcomes and impacts costs of care. The CCP team will produce data to CMS to assess whether systematically identifying and addressing the health-related social needs (HRSNs) of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries impacts health care quality, utilization and costs. For more information, please visit: https://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/ahcm.

What does the project look like in action?

When a beneficiary enters a clinical delivery site (i.e. Reading Hospital Emergency Department, Reading Hospital primary care providers, THMG practices, etc.), he/she will be screened for unmet HRSNs using the CMS standardized HRSN screening tool on paper or iPad tablet. Beneficiaries with unmet HRSNs will receive a tailored community referral summary (CRS). The CRS is a list of community resources that may be able to address unmet social needs.

Internship basics

The Reading Hospital is offering internships for students pursuing public health, behavioral health or any other related discipline to assist in the screening and referral process of beneficiaries and work with Community Connection Specialists as outlined in the following job description. Other qualified persons are also welcome to apply.

JOB DISCRIPTION

Job Summary

This position will conduct HRSN screenings with Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries at various clinical delivery sites using the CMS-approved screening tool, provide a tailored community referral summary to eligible beneficiaries and assist Community Connection Specialists in providing high-risk beneficiaries navigation intervention services. Navigation intervention services may include conducting personal interviews and follow- up phone calls.

Intern Candidate MUST be available for (2) full days of training:
 January 13th & January 14th, 2020
 Interns who are not available during the times listed above will not be considered

Position Requirements:

• Bi-Lingual (English and Spanish) preferred
• Desire to serve the community
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Personality/demeanor to work with diverse individuals in a variety of settings
• Reliable transportation
• Computer skills and ability to work on iPad tablets
• Ability to work a minimum 8-20hrs/wk.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality

Time Block: January-April
o Specific Shifts to be determined.

Reading Hospital provides:
• Fall/Spring/Summer Internships
• Comprehensive training
• Opportunity to learn valuable interviewing skills and interact with a diverse population
• Opportunity to make a positive difference by connecting beneficiaries to needed community services

For more information or if you are interested in this internship opportunity, please submit your resume to the CCP Project Coordinator, Ali.Williams@towerhealth.org or call (484) 628-8011