Working at PHLP

Posted September 14, 2020

Download a copy of this announcement here.

The Pennsylvania Health Law Project (PHLP) seeks energetic, confident, and culturally sensitive individuals for an exciting and new initiative: Nurse Consultant, who will be paid hourly to work collaboratively with our legal team to ensure people with chronic health conditions have access to Medicaid-funded in-home services and supports.    

This is a part-time position with flexible scheduling (approximately 5-14 hours per week) because it involves visiting clients to assess and document their health care needs.  The successful applicant will collaborate with PHLP attorneys and paralegals.  Travel within a 90-minute driving range is needed.  PHLP plans to hire multiple Nurse Consultants to visit clients in different parts of the state (e.g., Delaware Valley, Lehigh Valley, Southwest, Northwest, Capital Area, Northeast).  

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling and expedited basis. 

 

PHLP Mission and Strategies: PHLP is a non-profit law firm and the designated state-wide health advocacy project of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network.  PHLP has a single focus: to protect and advance the health rights of low-income and underserved individuals.  In support of this mission, we primarily counsel and represent clients seeking health insurance coverage or services through Medicaid (known in Pennsylvania as “Medical Assistance”). 

 

About the Position: The Nurse Consultant will meet some of our clients where they are, assess the merits of their requests for in-home services and supports (e.g., skilled nursing, home health, personal assistance), and present that information in legal proceedings as an expert witness.  The Nurse Consultant will be deployed to conduct face-to-face client assessments in clients’ homes (often) and/or skilled nursing facilities (less frequent).  This position does not involve direct care.

 

Duties and Description: The position will require some or all the following:

• Pediatric/Adult/Geriatric assessments to determine clients’ need for in-home services and supports
• Document clients’ needs through interview, assessments, videography, and photography.
• Obtain and review clients’ medical and clinical history; gather and analyze health care records
• Consultation with PHLP attorneys and paralegals about client needs
• Collaboration with client’s case managers, family members, care givers and other support personnel
• Testify at proceedings, including administrative hearings, about the medical need for and type of in-home services and supports
• This position does NOT involve direct care

 

Required Qualifications

• Experience assessing the medical needs of pediatric, adult, or geriatric patients.
• Ability to use computer and electronic medical records effectively
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including but not limited to writing reports and correspondence as well as speaking effectively with clients, providers, families, and staff
• Excellent active listening skills to understand the challenges facing clients and their care givers and to recall this information in follow-up conversations
• Possess compassion, positivity and patience, and willingness to build authentic relationships with low-income people and their advocates
• Ability to work independently and demonstrate initiative and self-motivation
• Have strong organizational skills, including demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, and use time effectively and efficiently
• Preferred: Spanish-language proficiency
• Preferred: Knowledge of Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program

 

Minimum Experience & Training

Three years of professional nursing experience in home care, case management or discharge planning and a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (a Master's Degree in Nursing or Public Health may be substituted for one year of professional nursing experience);

OR

An equivalent combination of experience and training, which includes two years in an administrative, supervisory, consultative, or quality assurance capacity in professional nursing;

OR

A Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) with experience in Family/General Medicine.

 

Travel Requirements

• Willing to travel within a 90-minute radius of your home location (PHLP will pay for travel time and travel expenses)
• Possess a valid state driver license
• Proof of adequate automobile insurance coverage for Pennsylvania

 

Compensation:  Up to $100 per hour, depending on experience, for up to 14 hours per week.

 

How to Apply: Please submit a resume and a cover letter by email to hr@phlp.org.  In your cover letter we invite you to tell us about your unique background and about your experience with underserved communities.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling and expedited basis.  All applicants will be contacted to confirm acknowledgment of the materials and then contacted only if selected for an interview.  Address cover letter to:

Mr. Laval Miller-Wilson, Executive Director
Pennsylvania Health Law Project
123 Chestnut Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106

 

PHLP is committed to a diverse staff.  People of color, persons who are bi-cultural or bi-lingual, women, persons with disabilities, and persons who identify as LGBTQI are encouraged to apply.

Please note, the hiring process for this position is finished. 

The Pennsylvania Health Law Project (PHLP) seeks an energetic, confident, and culturally sensitive individual for an exciting and new initiative: identifying marginalized communities struggling to get tested and treated for COVID-19, targeting outreach efforts to these communities to increase awareness of testing and treatment sites and resources, and helping individuals in these communities connect to COVID-19 related services as well as other health care services and/or health care coverage. 

Low-income and marginalized communities—especially Black communities—are being hardest hit by COVID-19.  Infection and mortality rates remain high.  Testing and treatment remain too low.  PHLP is seeking to hire navigators to help us partner with community-based organizations to develop and disseminate information about testing and treatment for COVID-19 and to drive individuals to PHLP’s legal services for assistance as needed. 

This position is a temporary full-time position.  Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the successful candidate is expected to work remotely but will be communicating with communities throughout the state (e.g., York, Harrisburg, Reading, Allentown, Pittsburgh).  All required training will be provided. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling and expedited basis. 

PHLP Mission and Strategies: PHLP is the designated state-wide health advocacy project of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network.  PHLP has a single focus: to protect and advance the health rights of low-income and underserved individuals.  In support of this mission, we primarily serve clients seeking health insurance coverage or services through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. 

About the Position: The Outreach and Community Navigator position is new.  We are hiring at least two navigators.  Both will spend time investigating the availability of testing and treatment for COVID-19 in vulnerable communities as well as insurance coverage for the same, and then communicating those results to trusted local community partners. Navigators are also expected to help people enroll in health coverage programs like Medicaid or help them stay enrolled by completing application or renewal forms.  Excellent communication skills are a must.  This position is a short-term and temporary position and is expected to end November 30, 2020. 

Duties and Description: The position will require some or all the following:

• Researching, investigating, and documenting resources for various marginalized populations to get tested and treated for COVID-19 (e.g., marginalized populations in York, Harrisburg, Reading)

• Creating education materials such as fact sheets, newsletter articles, and presentations/trainings to professional and lay audiences

• Building and maintaining contacts with trusted community-based organizations

• Basic knowledge of Pennsylvania Medicaid and ability (or capable of becoming) to describe about services and supports available through Medicaid and how people get Medicaid coverage

• Generating referrals to PHLP’s Helpline by working with community-based service organizations and media outlets (e.g., newspaper reporters covering COVID-19)

• Help uninsured individuals fill out Medicaid application paperwork and (with other PHLP staff) advocate on their behalf to help them overcome enrollment barriers

Required Qualifications

• Associate’s or higher degree required; Bachelor’s degree and relevant professional work experience preferred
• Background in community organizing strongly preferred
• Knowledge of Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent active listening skills to understand the challenges of getting tested for COVID and to recall this information in follow-up conversations
• Possess compassion, positivity and patience and willingness to build authentic relationships with low-income people and their advocates
• Ability to work independently and demonstrate initiative and self-motivation
• Have strong organizational skills

Salary: Starting salary is up to $3,500 per month with opportunity for health insurance coverage and other benefits through November 30, 2020.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume and a cover letter by email to hr@phlp.org.  In your cover letter we invite you to tell us about your unique background and about your experience with underserved communities.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling and expedited basis.  All applicants will be contacted to confirm acknowledgment of the materials and then contacted only if selected for an interview.  Address cover letter to:

Mr. Laval Miller-Wilson, Executive Director
Pennsylvania Health Law Project
123 Chestnut Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106

 

PHLP is committed to a diverse staff.  People of color, persons who are bi-cultural or bi-lingual, women, persons with disabilities, and persons who identify as LGBTQ are encouraged to apply.

PHLP’s Philadelphia office welcomes school-year internship applications from undergraduate, graduate, and law school students. We require a 10-20 hour per week commitment and will work with your institution, if applicable, to arrange for course credit.

Interested students should send a cover letter and resume to hr@phlp.org.

PHLP evaluates candidates for sponsorship for post-graduate fellowships on a rolling basis. Candidates interested in applying for an Independence Foundation Fellowship, Skadden Fellowship, Equal Justice Works Fellowship, Philadelphia Bar Foundation Fellowship, Martin Luther King Fellowship, or other post-graduate public interest law fellowship to work in the health law field may apply.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter indicating your interest in health law and any ideas you have for fellowship project proposals to Laval Miller-Wilson lmillerwilson@phlp.org.

While ideas for project proposals are welcome, they are not required.

PHLP invites summer internship applications from rising 2Ls and 3Ls. Interns are based in our Philadelphia office. Intern tasks include client interviewing and intake, handling Medicaid eligibility and service denial cases under the supervision of a Staff Attorney, assisting Attorneys and Paralegals with case preparation, observation of both in-person and telephonic Administrative hearings, research projects with a legal or public policy focus, and statewide health policy advocacy.

PHLP is unable to offer payment for summer internships, but we will happily work with your law school to award you credit for your internship hours, if applicable.

The successful candidate will be a “self-starter” who has little need for supervision, an interest in experiencing non-profit legal/advocacy work from the inside, and commitment to improving access to quality health insurance coverage and services for all Pennsylvanians.  PHLP particularly welcomes summer internship applications from law students interested in later seeking a post-graduate fellowship.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. To apply, send a cover letter and resume to Pamela Silver at psilver@phlp.org.