WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

Under general supervision, acts as a positive role model in good parenting skills and breast feeding skills and as a positive representative for clients utilizing theCounty’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: -- Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills.   This is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class; employees may be assigned duties which are not listed below; reasonable accommodations will be made as required.  Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change at any time by the employer. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Available to WIC clients outside usual clinic hours and outside the WIC clinic.
• Travels to work at other WIC clinics, hospitals or other required sites as needed.  Makes home visits when client needs or clinic hours do not permit providing service in the clinic setting.  May have to provide own transportation.
• Complete clinic duties as needed, including but not limited to: answering phones, making participant appointments, issuing benefits, shredding participant documents. 
• Learns techniques for approaching pregnant women about breastfeeding without making them feel defensive or inadequate.
• Teaches classes on the advantages of breast feeding and the management of normal breast feeding experiences.
• Addresses specific concerns of expectant mothers, and corrects misinformation which may prevent a pregnant woman from breast feeding.
• Supports women during a normal breast feeding experience.   Enables new mothers to avoid common breast feeding problems.
• Counsels pregnant and breast feeding mothers on a one-to-one basis in the WIC clinic.  Counsels breastfeeding clients over the telephone and in the hospital. Follows up on all counseling as necessary.
• Identifies breast feeding experiences that are not the norm and makes immediate, appropriate referrals.
• Provides support and information to breast feeding mothers who may need help or advice to continue breast feeding while working or going to school.
• Issues manual and electric breast pumps according to WIC policy.
• Instructs clients on use, cleaning and assembly of WIC-issued and other breast pumps.
• Instructs clients on expression and storage of human milk. 
• Makes weekly calls to clients to assess breast feeding situation when breast pumps have been loaned.  Contacts clients to attempt retrieval of overdue loaned pumps.
• Maintains the inventory of all types of breast pumps, pump attachment kits and breastfeeding aids. 
• Keeps an accurate running inventory of pumps and kits.  Completes monthly inventory reports.  Reconciles physical inventory against running log balance at least monthly.
• Completes all counseling forms, pump and kit inventory logs, and home phone logs accurately.
• Documents all counseling encounters.
• Performs breastfeeding-related recordkeeping and administrative duties as directed by the clinic supervisor, Breastfeeding Coordinator or WIC Director, e.g., prenatal bags, bulletin boards, breast pump order information.
• Mentors new Breast Feeding Peer Counselors.
• Communicates effectively with other Peer Counselors about meetings and announcements.  Coordinates breast feeding outreach and community events with other Peer Counselors, Breastfeeding Coordinator and other WIC co-workers.
• Works cooperatively with WIC administration, clinic staff and other Peer Counselors.
• Attends required monthly in-services on breastfeeding topics.
• Attends WIC staff meetings as required: Peer Counselor, all-staff or clinic meetings.
• Conducts Breast feeding outreach in the community monthly.
• Attends and participates in meetings and conferences as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education, Experience and Training Guidelines:

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); AND Current or previous WIC participant who has had a successful breast feeding experience, and who has completed specific WIC training, IE., Breast Feeding Peer Counselor Training; OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience as determined by Human Resources.  

Knowledge of:

• Modern office procedures and systems.
• Modern office equipment. 
• Basic bookkeeping practices and methods.
• Department policies, procedures and regulations covering specific areas of assignment. 

Skill in:

• Bilingual preferred.
• Communicating effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with managers, supervisors, employees, external public agencies and organizations, vendors, suppliers and the general public. 
• Using initiative, discretion and decision making within established procedures, guidelines and rules.
• Defining problems, collecting data, establishing facts and drawing valid conclusions.
• Performing effectively under stressful working conditions.
• Performing basic mathematical calculations.
• Providing effective customer service.
• Multi-tasking.
• Operating a personal computer and various software applications.

LICENSE & CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Valid Texas Driver’s License.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Work is typically performed in an office work environment. May be required to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds. Exposure to communicable diseases is possible. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms.   Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

DISCLAIMER

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification.  They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

Salary : $16