Health Educator

Health Educator -

The State Personnel System is an E-Verify employer.

Requisition No: 879544 Agency:
Department of Health

Working Title:

Health Educator -  Pay Plan:
Career Service Position Number:  Salary: $38,000.00-$50,000.00 Open Salary based on education and experience. This position is primarily based in Jackson County but will be required to report to other WIC clinics as necessary.

• Serves as a breastfeeding staff member with experience helping mothers with breastfeeding problems.
• Promotes breastfeeding as optimal infant nutrition and operates within the policies and procedures of the WIC program.
• Promotes breastfeeding through the counseling sessions with prenatal clients.
• Assists with the counseling of WIC mother/infant dyads with breastfeeding challenges and provides follow-up breastfeeding support to participants by phone and in clinic.
• Refers mothers and infants with severe breastfeeding complications to a health care provider or IBCLC for further assessment and medical care, as appropriate.
• Acts on referrals from Peer Counselors and other WIC staff regarding breastfeeding challenges beyond their scope of practice.
• Assists Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Coordinator with distribution, upkeep, and inventorying of breast pumps.
• Provides breastfeeding support outside the usual 8 to 5 working hours to WIC clients experiencing breastfeeding problems.
• Routinely communicates with the WIC Coordinator about all relevant activities, request and update.
• Completes Florida Department of Health, WIC and Breastfeeding trainings.
• Assists in teaching prenatal breastfeeding classes.
• Documents education contact in FL-WiSE for clients attending prenatal breastfeeding class.
• Assists breastfeeding leadership in updating breastfeeding class lesson plan at least annually.
• Assists in ensuring the clinic environment clearly endorses breastfeeding.
• Promotes breastfeeding in the community.
• Maintains lactation trainings, certifications, and ongoing continuing education to stay updated on current lactation profession information and enhance skills.
• Performs and records accurate measurements (heights/lengths and weights) and Hgb as needed for certification or follow-up.
• Acts as a backup for certifying low-risk participants for program benefits based on established criteria.
• Provides individual nutrition counseling for low-risk WIC participants based on nutritional assessments, anthropometric and laboratory data.
• Identifies high-risk clients and refers to a nutrition educator or licensed nutritionist for counseling and medical food prescription changes according to established guidelines in DHM 150-24.
• Documents counseling in the participant's FL-WiSE record as appropriate.
• Utilizes established criteria to make standard food package changes for WIC contract formulas.
• Makes referrals to appropriate providers according to established procedures.
• Attends and actively participates in monthly breastfeeding conference calls, monthly WIC staff and Florida Department of Health meetings.
• Reviews, analyzes and reports on breastfeeding indicators at least quarterly.
• All other duties as assigned.

Must be willing to further breastfeeding education. Experience counseling breastfeeding mothers and infants who experience complex breastfeeding challenges Experience providing breastfeeding training and education Compassion and desire to help mothers resolve breastfeeding challenges Active listening, rapport building and communication Collaboration with other WIC staff and community partner(s) Literacy and Language skills appropriate to address the needs of a diverse population Proficiency in computer communication skills and applications.

Minimum
-All Florida Department of Health positions require the incumbent to be able to learn and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in English. Applicants who do not meet this requirement will not be considered. Preferred: A Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition or Nutrition-related field is preferred. Preferred Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) Preferred Minimum of one year of experience in counseling breastfeeding women.