Spec, Health Nutrition

Specialist, Health Nutrition

The primary responsibility of the Specialist, Health and Nutrition is to provide a comprehensive health and nutrition service program promoting prevention and early intervention. This includes ensuring that all children are growing and developing in a healthy manner, recognizing any concerns, and addressing them. Communicating with parents about healthy practices and assisting them in selecting health providers. Developing and implementing community health programs together with the rest of the Head Start team.

As a front-line representative of Save the Children the position holder is required to ensure the safety and security of children and families that he/she come in contact with and represent the agency values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity.

What You'll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Monitors health and nutrition services within assigned location(s). Provides guidance and technical assistance to Head Start/Early Head Start program staff.
• Meets federal, state, and program documentation requirements by maintaining accurate, objective, complete, timely, and well-organized child and family records, both on paper and in designated on-line systems. Maintains confidentiality regarding students and families.
• Administers medications in accordance with policy. Provides first aid when needed.
• Coordinate the scheduling of health and dental examinations with contracted physicians and dentists. Provides or arranges transportation for appointments or emergencies as needed.
• Participates and/or conducts screenings on children, including children with disabilities, as well as in developing individual service and health plans. Monitors records to make sure children are up to date on preventive and primary health care.
• Establish and maintain Health Services Advisory Committee and works collaboratively with a range of community specialists (e.g., medical, dental, speech, nutrition, and mental health) by identifying approaches to solving issues and making recommendations on the development and/or revisions of policies and procedures.
• Promotes a unified approach to sharing child information with families by engaging in joint planning with teachers and other specialists to prepare for home visits and other family contacts. Participates in case management and transition meetings.
• Assists education staff in implementing health, dental, mental health safety, and nutrition activities within the classroom.
• Provides information and education to parents and the community about available programs and other community resources. This can be done in-person, by telephone, or a group presentation format.
• Ensures the documentation and implementation of safety policy and procedures at center level in accordance with program and corporate policies/procedures.
• Where applicable, responsible for the proper documentation and implementation of food services to meet USDA CACFP requirements.
• Where applicable, responsible for overseeing food service operation at center, including menu planning, monitoring food budgeting and purchasing, scheduling health and safety inspections and scheduling of food service staff.
• Protects the safety of children by ensuring the implementation of active supervision techniques to ensure no child is left alone or unsupervised at any time.
• Ensures the mobilization and documentation of matching/in-kind funds.
• Provides health and nutrition training and technical assistance to staff and parents.
• Inventories and orders health related supplies.
• Assist with recruitment of children, including children with disabilities.
• Participates in staff and parent meetings, committees and training sessions.
• Visit each site and classrooms on a regular basis (4-6 hours per month per site) to conduct observations, provide training and technical assistance and build capacity by working directly with staff, parents and community partners to ensure high quality services.
• Assists education staff in implementing health, dental, mental health safety, and nutrition activities within the classroom and where applicable, home-based program socializations.
• Summarize concerns observed by teachers…