Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, Inc. (HACAP) is a diverse, community-focused nonprofit dedicated to empowering and improving the lives of families living with the everyday barriers of poverty.

What we are proud to offer you:

• Health and Dental Insurance
• Retirement Savings (IPERS and/or 403(b))
• Paid time off and 9 company paid holidays
• Short Term Disability after 1 year of employment
• Basic Life and AD&D coverage
• Employee Assistance Program
• Optional benefits: Flexible Spending, Long Term Disability, Voluntary Life and Voluntary Accident

 POSITION GOAL

The 1^st Five Developmental Support Specialist position requires personal contact with families and providers that allows for individualization of care and family-centered decision making to meet the needs of each family.  This communication may be carried out through face to face visits, telephone contacts, or written correspondence. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Familiarity with all community-based intervention services needed for 1st Five referrals.
2. Maintain an on-going relationship with referred families to track their compliance and progress.
3. Provide assistance to referred families in accessing community-based services to include, but not limited to: developmental screening and treatment for children, counseling, community resources, appointment setting, transportation assistance, physician communication.
4. Attend meetings with community partners to develop and maintain relationships with community referral sources.
5. Attend required training in a timely manner in accordance with 1^st Five policies.
6. Educate families about the importance of preventive medical and dental care for children.
7. Remind families that periodic screenings are due.
8. Assist families in locating medical and dental providers.
9. Remind individuals and families about appointments.
10. Provide linkages to support services such as transportation and child care.
11. Arrange follow-up on missed appointments.
12. Assist the families when referrals for further medical, dental, or community services are indicated.
13. A follow-up to determine if all medically necessary diagnostic and treatment services have been received.
14. Assist clients and families in making and keeping referral appointments.
15. Provide follow-up education and monitoring of medical and dental plans.
16. Link families to other health-related community services.
17. Serve as a client advocate.
18. Provide support and assistance as families become independent health care consumers.
19. Check client information in state and agency database or other pertinent files for needs identified at the last contact and determine if follow-up is needed.
20. Review the state database record identifying missing demographic information that needs to be recorded; prepare materials for the client based on previous contact information, needs identified, current screening and immunization schedules, and other information as determined by 1^st Five’s protocol.
21. Contact the client as specified by 1^st Five’s protocol, which may include making phone calls, sending written information, and/or making a home visit to those families without phones, or who are otherwise hard to reach.
22. Complete documentation in the state database and for services provided needs met, and/or needs to be identified
23. Update and maintain program forms and training records to reflect necessary changes.
24. May be assigned both Title V EPSDT care coordination and 1^st Five care coordination as additional duties.

EXPECTATIONS

1. Support the organization's mission, vision, values, policy, and procedure by exhibiting the following behaviors: excellence and competence, collaboration, innovation, respect personalization, commitment to our community, and accountability and ownership.
2. Consistently work in a positive and cooperative manner with fellow Team Members
3. Consistently demonstrate an ability to respond to changing situations in a flexible manner in order to meet current needs, such as reprioritizing work as necessary
4. Consistently come to work on time, working as scheduled, and leaving at the scheduled time
5. Maintain appropriate attire and good grooming habits to support HACAP’s desire for safe and efficient operations, providing greater service and better customer relations.
6. Ensure confidentiality of any information concerning an employee, client, family, financial condition or personal peculiarities is strictly maintained
7. Ensure that personal health information is protected during its collection, use, disclosure, storage and destruction within HACAP as required by HIPAA.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

1. Must have one of the following qualifications:

i:     Registered nurse

ii:    Health professional with a bachelor’s degree or higher in health education, social work, counseling, nursing, sociology, or psychology or

iii:   Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or paraprofessional working under the direct supervision of the 1^st Five Site Coordinator or CH Project Director.

2. Must possess basic knowledge of child health development and related community services.
3. Must complete core competency staff training requirements within 6 months of hire as 1^st Five Developmental Support Specialist to include, but not limited to: Traumatic Stress on Brain Development, Post-Partum  Depression, Active Listening/Motivational Interviewing, Child Development and Attachment, Working with Families Affected by Substance Abuse Disorders, Working with Families Affected by Domestic Violence, ASQ and ASQ:SE Developmental Screening Tools, Title V Maternal Child Health online training modules (CH/EPSDT, Informing, Care Coordination, CAReS, EPSDT Billing) and Adverse Childhood Experiences. 
4. Experience or education demonstrating competency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Access.

Skills and/or Abilities

1. Strong written and verbal communication skills

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stand.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The work environment characteristics described here 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.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

1. Complete Child Abuse Reporter training within six (6) months of employment and update every five (5) years.
2. Complete bloodborne pathogen training within 1 year of employment and update every year.
3. Receive clearance by the Iowa Department of Human Services on child abuse and criminal records checks upon employment and resubmit/receive clearance every two (2) years.
4. Valid driver’s license
5. Valid car insurance
6. Reliable transportation for on-the-job use
7. Maintain required continuing education hours to retain state licensure