community health specialist - Des Moines, IA , USA, United States - Everystep

Description

Purpose:

Provides outreach services for staff and/or program participants for the Healthy Start and Empowerment Projects, including resource referrals; if bilingual, provides interpretation/translation for EveryStep programs and staff.

Responsibilities:

• Provides outreach services for participants during home visits and at other program related activities as needed and assigned for the Healthy Start and Empowerment Projects, and other EveryStep programs.
• Assists with identifying goals for families and developing/implementing strategies for achieving identified goals and participating in EveryStep programs.
• Work with a caseload of pregnant women and infants/toddlers/children through five years of age and their families as part of a project effort to reduce the infant mortality, low birth weight rates and preterm births as well as ethnic/racial disparities in perinatal outcomes in the Healthy Start/Empowerment Project Areas.
• Utilize language interpretation/translation services and obtain pertinent information according to the culture and primary language of each pregnant or interconceptional woman, infant or toddler and their family as appropriate.
• Provides appropriate referrals with each family, assisting with access to community resources and collaborating with community agencies as appropriate.
• Uses a family-centered, culturally sensitive approach to provide support and assistance to families.
• Connects families to a wide-range of community resources and services responsive to the needs of families with pregnant women and/or young children.
• As needed, conduct child development, depression, and health screenings; monitors and supports health promotion.
• As needed, utilize prenatal, child development and parent education curricula with families during home visits.
• Actively engages in community outreach events and with community organizations for the purpose of client recruitment.
• Participates in various outreach activities that include, but are not limited to street outreach, door to door, canvassing of various communities and other innovative strategies for program recruitment and/or awareness.
• Completes accurate, timely and confidential documentation/records including participant surveys/evaluations as assigned.
• Participates in agency/team meetings, supervision, and other trainings/meeting as identified appropriate.
• Manages time, organization, and scheduling to meet client needs as well as other job duties and responsibilities.
• If bilingual, provides interpretation/translation for participants/staff during home visits as needed and assigned for all EveryStep programs.

Qualifications:

• AA or at least 5 years full time work experience in Nursing; Sociology; Social Work; Child and Family Studies; Psychology or other human service field.
• Ability to accept and work with diverse populations
• Ability to effectively engage with clients and community partners about program services
• Good working knowledge of community resources and accessing these resources preferred
• Complies with accepted professional standards and practice
• Ability to work effectively with a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to work with the management information system and complete data entry
• If bilingual: fluent written and verbal bilingual communication skills in English, Burmese, Chin, Karen, or Spanish as required by the target population; knowledge of written and verbal interpretation/translation techniques; willingness to complete or previous completion of a minimum interpreter-training program (examples include Basic Interpreter Training and Bridging the Gap)
• Must have valid Iowa driver's license, auto liability insurance and reliable transportation if driving is required
• Successful completion of pre-employment physical, drug screen, 2-step TB test and background check

Working Conditions:

• Physical requirements: Light work, sitting most of the time, exerting up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or a small amount of force constantly to move objects.
• Physical activities: Climbing, Balancing, Stooping, Kneeling, Crouching, Crawling, Reaching, Standing , Walking, Pushing, Pulling, Lifting, Talking, Fingering (picking, pinching, typing, etc.), Hearing, Grasping (applying pressure with fingers and palm), Repetitive motions, Feeling (perceiving size, shape, texture, temperature by touching), Visual acuity (field of vision for analyzing data, viewing computer, using measurement devices, operating machines, determining accuracy or neatness, and/or making general observations)
• Environment: Exposure to varied temperatures, communicable diseases, dust, and stairs
• Time: Ability to be flexible with a varying schedule and programmatic requirements
• Travel: Required between locations

These characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Note:
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. You may be required to perform other duties to meet the on-going needs of the organization.

EveryStep is an equal opportunity employer.

Employment practices are implemented without regard to race, creed, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, genetic information or on the basis of age or physical or mental disability unrelated to ability to perform the work required.