Healthy Steps Specialist I

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The Healthy Steps Specialist I (HSSI) is a child development resource for mothers and fathers in the medical practice. The HSSI is the person in the practice responsible for delivering many Healthy Steps services and facilitating the efforts of all members of the Healthy Steps team to implement “enhanced strategies”. The HSSI serves the Healthy Steps families in collaboration with a physician or pediatric nurse practitioner. The HSSI is responsible for delivering Healthy Steps services to mothers and fathers in a timely and coordinated manner and according to program model parameters. The HSSI is responsible for providing child behavior and developmental information, guidance, and checkups to families and for helping mothers and fathers to develop confidence in their parenting abilities. The HSSI will create a solid relationship between mothers and fathers and the Healthy Steps team. The HSSI will be supervised by the Program Manager.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Recruit and enroll families
• Meet with families at well child visits, either with the physician/pediatric nurse practitioner or separately
• Conduct home visits as required by the program parameters and at requested intervals
• Screen for child’s developmental progress
• Prevent/intervene/manage child development and common behavior problems with sleep, colic, feeding, toilet training, etc.
• Identify quality resources and provide referrals and follow-up as appropriate to foster community connections
• Facilitate/lead parent groups
• Assist with the Child Developmental Telephone Information Line
• Maintain timely and accurate data entry and reporting
• Meet with the supervisor 1 ½ hours each week to staff families
• Be available to serve families in non-traditional work hours if necessary
• Assist with the Reach Out and Read program
• Attend trainings as specified throughout the year
• Perform other duties as assigned which may be necessary to support the organization during times of critical activity

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:

Responsible to:

• Directly supervised by Director of Early Childhood Services

Workers supervised:

• None

Interrelationships:

• Works in cooperation with all staff/providers and effectively serves consumers

This is a grants-based program and dependent on availability of funds.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain an exhaustive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

REQUIREMENTS: All employees of Carolina Health Centers, Inc. are expected to perform the duties of their job and behave in a manner consistent with the Corporate Philosophy which supports the values of: honesty, integrity, openness, the pursuit of individual and collective excellence, and unwavering mutual respect and appreciation.

In addition, this position requires:

Education:

• Prefer a licensed, Masters level social worker or an RN; or Bachelor’s degree with advanced training or education in child development, family studies, nursing, psychology, or related field

Work Experience:

• Experience and knowledge about early child growth and development, parent-child relationships, child health, and family systems
• Experience assessing the growth and development of infants and children less than three years of age
• Experience working with mothers and fathers; experience facilitating parent groups preferred

Licensure and Credentials:

• None required

Skills:

• Demonstrated flexibility to work on an interdisciplinary team; ability to work in various roles and capacities and to respect boundaries in each role
• Ability to establish mutually satisfying relationships with a wide range of people
• Ability to work independently
• Experience working in a medical setting or with health professionals preferred
• Ability to conduct home visits or be on telephone call on a flexible schedule (including Saturdays and evenings) according to the needs and schedules of parents
• Demonstrate oral and written communication skills
• Must possess basic computer skills

Physical Abilities:

• Have the hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity needed to operate a computer, telephone, copier and medical equipment
• Have a normal range of hearing and eyesight to be able to collect data and record where appropriate (i.e. computer and/or paper and telephone)
• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, and to stoop, kneel, or crouch
• Visual abilities required by this job include close vision with periods of extended exposure to a computer screen
• Requirement for out-of-town and/or overnight travel are minimal

Work Environment:

• This position involves exposure to customer/patient elements. The work environment is that of a medical practice that enforces safe OSHA compliant practice. HIPAA rules and regulations are stringently enforced. The position requires staff to work under pressure at times and with a diverse population. As a medical office, exposure to communicable diseases, bodily fluids, toxic substances, sharps, and other conditions are common.
• This job also operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard Office equipment such as computers, telephones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.
• Must be capable of regular travel within the Agency’s service area