Patient Engagement Specialist I

Company: Family Health Centers of San Diego
Location: San Diego
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

For more than 55 years, Family Health Centers of San Diego’s (FHCSD) mission has been to provide caring, affordable, high-quality health care and supportive services to everyone, with a special commitment to uninsured, low-income and medically underserved persons. FHCSD is one of the top 10 largest federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in the country. We operate more than 90 sites across San Diego County, including 29 primary care clinics, 23 behavioral health facilities, 10 physical rehabilitation clinics, nine dental clinics, five vision clinics, four outpatient substance use treatment programs, three mobile medical units, two mobile counseling centers, two urgent care centers, and a pharmacy. Our staff provides care to over 227,000 patients each year, of whom 91% are low-income and 29% are uninsured. FHCSD provides care to all. Services include, but are not limited to adult care, chronic disease management, pediatrics, comprehensive women’s care including obstetrics, dental, vision, case management, physical rehabilitation, speech therapy for children, vaccinations, infectious diseases, behavioral health, substance use counseling and a host of specialty services including cardiology, podiatry, endocrinology, dermatology, among others. FHCSD also offers supportive services to those who are unsheltered and in need of intensive case management. The breadth of our clinic locations, services and programs has grown over the last five decades, making us the largest community clinic provider of health care to the uninsured in the county and one of the top 10 largest community clinic organizations in the nation. We are also the largest health care safety-net provider, largest school-based health care provider and the largest mental health provider in the San Diego region. General Job Description *Under general supervision, provides patient engagement services to recruit patients into the program's system of care. The Patient Engagement Specialist I participates in, and supports, the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of services in accordance with contractual and departmental requirements and guidelines. Specific assignments vary depending on program, grant, and patient demographics, with a focus on connecting the medically underserved to community based healthcare services. Job Roles *Develops, identifies, and provides referrals, within and outside of FHCSD, and effectively monitors and tracks such referrals. *Effectively communicates with and recruits new patients into the clinic’s or program’s system of care, interacting well with community members and patients from diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. *Effectively leverages community resources in raising awareness of FHCSD, establishes and maintains good working relationship with community partners, and uses the community resources to connect new and existing patients with FHCSD. *Is an effective, productive, and collegial team member. *Participates in and supports the effective planning, development, execution, and evaluation of patient engagement plans. Effectively investigates leads for patient recruitment and engagement opportunities. *Performs other duties as assigned. *Written work (such as plans, flyers, reports, etc.) is accurate and timely. Effectively uses computer resources available as required to meet organization’s demands. Education/Certifications/Licenses/Registrations *At least 1 year of experience working in sales, patient engagement, community education, community health, or providing outreach programs is required; specific experience in program area may be required depending on assignment. * Associate's Degree with a focus on psychology, sociology, social work, communication, public health or a related field strongly preferred or relevant work or life experience may substitute for the degree. *High School diploma or GED equivalent required or equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the skills, knowledge and ability to perform the essential job duties, and which meets any required state or federal certification requirements. *Traveling between sites and other locations is required as an essential function of the job. Must have a car, a valid California driver’s license, and proof of minimum levels of car insurance as required under California law, although limits of $100,000 are recommended. An acceptable driving record is also required. California law requires all drivers to obtain a valid California driver’s license within ten days of establishing residency. Mileage and other reimbursement governed by policy. Experience/Specialized skills (including Language) *Ability to maintain good interpersonal interactions with clients and co-workers as a member of a multi-disciplinary community health team with a diverse multi-cultural population. *Ability to multi-task, be flexible, ensure accuracy, and meet changing priorities in a fast-paced, high-workload environment. *Basic computer literacy ability to comply with department needs and expectations (i.e., inputting information into a database and Microsoft Office Suite experience). *Bilingual (Read, Speak & Write) in English/Spanish required. *Communication skills, such as reflecting, active listening, and paraphrasing. *Intermediate ability to investigate leads for patient recruitment and engagement opportunities. *Intermediate written and verbal communication skills. *Knowledge of the community resources, health and social service systems in San Diego County and skill in establishing working relationships with community partners. *Knowledge of the current science and practices related to the health topic for the assigned program. We are excited to share that the salary range for this position is: $24.00 - $28.60 Information on our extensive benefits package can be found here: FHCSD Wellness – Employee Hub (gobenefits.net) FHCSD provides Equal Employment Opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.

Keywords: Family Health Centers of San Diego, El Centro , Patient Engagement Specialist I, Healthcare , San Diego, California