New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) is seeking applications for an Immigrant Health Advocate in its Health Justice program. NYLPI is a nonprofit civil rights law firm committed to advancing equality and civil rights through community lawyering and partnerships with the private bar.
The Health Justice (HJ) program brings a racial justice and immigrant rights focus to health care advocacy in New York City and State. In partnership with individuals and community-based organizations, we use a wide range of advocacy tools – including community organizing, coalition-building, individual representation, impact litigation, and legislative advocacy – to advance four broad goals: (1) challenge health disparities; (2) eliminate racial and ethnic discrimination and systemic and institutional barriers that limit universal access to healthcare; (3) promote immigrant and language access to healthcare; and (4) address the social determinants of health so that all New Yorkers can live a healthy life. Current campaigns focus on promoting language access and immigrant access to health care; improving access to medical care for people confined to immigration detention; providing immigration representation and health advocacy for undocumented and uninsured immigrants with serious health conditions (UndocuCare); improving access to physical education in public schools; defending and protecting Medicaid and the ACA; improving access to healthcare for women with disabilities; and addressing social determinants of health, including outreach and education on addressing unhealthy housing conditions.
The Immigrant Health Advocate will be an integral part of the Health Justice team, working alongside attorneys, community organizers, and other advocates. The Advocate will work directly with clients, most of whom are undocumented and uninsured or currently confined to immigration detention facilities, and suffering from serious or chronic health conditions. The advocate will carry out case management duties and, where applicable, provide first level immigration evaluations. The Advocate will perform HJ or client-related administrative work related to HJ’s immigrant health programs. They will perform telephone intake with callers seeking assistance from NYLPI, help in responding to crisis situations and assisting UndocuCare clients and families in navigating the immigration and healthcare process. The Advocate will be a point of contact for the client and medical providers, and advocate for the client in different spaces. The Advocate will coordinate and track intakes and caseloads for NYLPI’s immigrant health programs. They will be the liaison for non-legal partnerships, such as community health centers. The Advocate will compile evidence and documents for clients, such as requesting medical records, completing Freedom of Information Requests, and evidence necessary for immigration applications and healthcare advocacy.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Demonstrated commitment to health justice, racial justice, and/or immigrant rights.
- Strong organizational, analytic, and interpersonal skills.
- Experience working with individual clients.
- Ability to work both collaboratively and independently and to juggle multiple tasks under time constraints.
- Flexibility, creativity, and initiative.
- Experience working with community-based organizations and healthcare providers a plus.
- Experience in social work and/or basic knowledge of immigration law or systems a plus.
- Strong interpersonal and communications skills and ability to work and communicate with a diverse audience: staff, organizational partners and community members.
- Fluency in Spanish required.
NYLPI pioneered the practice of community lawyering in the five boroughs of New York City. Our interdisciplinary teams of advocates use every tool available – community organizing, impact litigation and individual representation, policy advocacy, media, pro bono partnerships, and public education – to solve seemingly intractable problems, develop leaders, and build collective power to achieve justice and equality. We strive to create equal access to health care, achieve equality of opportunity and self-determination for people with disabilities, ensure immigrant opportunity, strengthen local non-profits, and secure environmental justice for low-income communities of color. The Immigrant Health Advocate will work both independently and in collaboration with other advocates, immigration lawyers, community organizers, staff attorneys, and social workers.
How To Apply
Please send applications by May 22, 2017 to jobs@nylpi.org with the words “Attention: HJ Advocate Position.” Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and must include a cover letter, resume, short writing sample (3-5 pages, preferably an advocacy piece such as a blog or op-ed) and three references (including daytime telephone numbers). Please mention where you saw this posting in your cover letter. To learn more about NYLPI, visit www.nylpi.org.
