Manager of Child Health & Wellness

Start Early is an energized, future-focused organization devoted to providing quality early learning and care across the country.

Our desire to close the opportunity gap and build more equitable early learning experiences for our youngest learners guides everything we do. As a leader in early learning and care, we scale our deep expertise across program, policy and research through partnerships across the country.

We are recruiting individuals who want to join us in this mission and share a commitment to our core values of appreciation & respect, empowerment, diversity, excellence, learning and communication.

Become part of our rewarding, mission-driven culture! We want our employees to feel empowered, motivated, energized, and passionate about the work they do!

The Manager of Child Health & Wellness provides support and guidance in developing and maintaining the content, structure, and delivery of health, nutrition, mental health, environmental safety and nutrition services. In addition, this individual monitors Early/Head Start network agencies to ensure all requirements in health, mental health, safety, and nutrition services are met according to Head Start Standard. The Manager of Child Health & Wellness provides technical assistance, training and support to two EHSN programs to support the timely and effective delivery and documentation of health-and wellness services to children.

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Child Health and Wellness you will:

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Data Monitoring:

• Monitors health, dental nutrition, mental health, and environmental safety services and ensures and delivery of quality services. Assists the Health and Wellness Assistant Director in the triage high-risk medical concerns: assist staff at the Sub-Recipient, Community Partner, and Directly Operated Programs in abiding by all public health guidelines and recipient policies and procedures.
• Assists all programs with identifying resources, assisting with training needs, building organizational monitoring capacity. Assure programs by identifying medical and dental home resources, Nutritionists, and Mental Health Consultants.
• Serves as program support to two recipient programs recipient and programs by assisting in program planning, identifying resources, assessing training needs, and monitoring program progress.
• Develops improvement plans for compliance adherence for areas that are not meeting health and wellness requirements.
  
  

Implement Systems:

• Ensures the implementation of health, mental health, nutrition and environmental safety systems to ensure consistent, high quality child development and mental health services at all Head Start and Early Head Start programs in accordance with all Head Start Performance Standards.
• Collaborates with Early/Head Start Network Health and Wellness team to:
• Monitor and improve the database system(s), including the modification of recipient policies and procedures.
• Coordinate the provision of services for children, together with Early Child Development.
• Ensure developmentally appropriate activities are being carried out in the Head Start/Early Head Start Programs.
• Conduct regular scheduled site visits to monitor and inspect health and wellness checklists for all programs.
• Assures that all Head Start and Early Head Start facility outdoor learning environments are well maintained and have no safety issues.
• In collaboration with the HB Supervisor or Director, identifies Nutrition Consultant to support the program's nutrition services and coordinate the schedule of the nutrition visits ensuring at a minimum of eight to ten hours of service per year, if assigned to the directly operated home visiting site.
  
  
Communication:


• Maintains a system of communication, accountability, and engage in opportunities for supporting the improvement of existing sub recipient, directly operated and Partner health and wellness systems.
  
  
T/TA:


• Conducts recipient training for health services staff from all program options. Deliver training on health, mental health, nutrition and environmental safety standards for healthy practices and routines, providing safe and supportive environments for the program’s children.
  
  
Resource and Referrals:


• In collaboration with the HB Supervisor or Director, ensures consultants (nurse, Mental Health, and dietitian) provide services to children, families, and staff as needed or requested, if assigned to the directly operated home visiting site.
  
  
Risk Management:


• Ensures the maintenance of up-to-date medical, dental, nutrition, mental health and environmental safety tracking systems in the ChildPlus database to ensure completion and timely submission of documentation to ensure children receive services in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Identifies irregularities in the data, anticipates areas where there is potential for inaccuracies, and provides technical support to Early/Head Start Network and other staff, as needed, to correct errors in the database and build their skills and knowledge of data management.
  
  
Reporting:


• Assists in the preparation of statistical analysis of health, dental, nutrition, mental health and environmental health and safety data, to comply with regulatory standards and measure outcomes.
• Works with the health and wellness team to prepare reports, records, and correspondence related to health services.
  
  
Collaboration:


• Collaborates with Sub-Recipient, Partner and Directly Operated agencies to ensure outside health professionals are established and partnerships support children and families to receive all necessary medical, dental, nutrition and environmental safety services; provides support in the content, structure, and delivery of health services to the children, families, and staff.
• Works closely with the Early/Head Start Network Health and Wellness Managers in ensuring emergency procedures pertaining to health and safety emergencies, disasters, fire, OSHA, licensing, and program requirements are monitored, updated, and practiced throughout the program year.
  
  
Supports Early/Head Start Network with other projects related to data analysis, compliance monitoring, program evaluation, record-keeping and reporting, planning, communication, and project management. Perform other job-related duties as requested.

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND EDUCATION:

• Education: Master’s Degree in public health services or related field and or equivalent experience.
• Related Experience:
• Minimum 3 years of public health experience.
• Experience working with families of children ages 0-5 in low-income communities supporting health, mental health, nutrition and environmental safety goals.
• Training, and experience in health sciences.
• Training or Competency:
• Working knowledge of the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and other federal, state, and local requirements regarding health and safety in early care and education.
• Knowledge of early childhood programs and practices.
• Understand the general principles of health and wellness, including nutritional services, environmental safety and mental health promotion, prevention, early identification, and intervention.
• Knowledge and experience in data collection and information processes and systems along with general knowledge of policy and procedure compliance.
• Strong interpersonal, relationship building and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with potential agencies with a high level of professionalism.
• Ability to keep abreast of new developments in the Head Start industry to ensure that all verbal and written communications align with changing needs.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks and projects in a fast-paced work environment while prioritizing and meeting multiple deadlines
• Share culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate science-informed health and wellness education materials with children, families, and staff.
• Must be able to travel to recipient sites.
  

Base Annual Salary: $77,400.00-90,000.00

Grade: 16

As of the time of this posting, this is the expected base annual salary range. The base annual salary will be based on a wide range of factors, including skills, qualifications, experience, as well as business needs and limitations.

Our generous benefits plan includes:

Comprehensive Health Plans, Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Holistic Wellness Program, Professional Development Program, 401k Contribution, Paid Volunteer Days, 6 months paid parental leave, and much more.

Start Early is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to our core values by creating an inclusive environment for all staff.