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:
- Retirement Savings (IPERS and/or 403(b))
- Employee Assistance Program
POSITION GOAL
Under the supervision of the Maternal Health Coordinator/Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Coordinator, conducts all aspects of the Loving Support Peer Counseling Program and process of assessing normal breastfeeding concerns and challenges associated with the WIC and Maternal Health Programs in full compliance with federal, state and local regulations to provide breastfeeding support services to target women in the community.
SCHEDULE AND WAGE
Varied schedule 5-10 hours per week; $15.17 hr
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Counseling pregnant and breastfeeding WIC and Maternal Health mothers at scheduled intervals determined by the local WIC agency.
- Making established periodic contacts with all assigned clients.
- Providing basic breastfeeding information, support, and encouragement to new mothers including the benefits of breastfeeding, overcoming common barriers, and getting a good start with breastfeeding.
- Educating mothers on how to prevent and manage common breastfeeding concerns.
- Referring mothers to the WIC Lactation Consultant and other lactation services in the community according to agency protocols.
- Attending and assisting with prenatal breastfeeding classes and breastfeeding support groups for WIC participants.
- Assisting WIC staff in promoting the breastfeeding peer counseling program through special projects, outreach activities, and duties as assigned.
- Attend and participate in regular WIC staff meetings, state breastfeeding conferences, and programs that serve to enhance training and skills.
- Work with the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor to evaluate individual and program needs.
- Maintain accurate records of all contacts made with assigned mothers using the WIC electronic data system, and completing and submitting activity reports as required by the local WIC agency.
EXPECTATIONS
- 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.
- Demonstrates personal commitment to HACAP through quality job performance, a sense of responsibility for high achievement, professional appearance, awareness of current events throughout HACAP, and positive promotion of HACAP.
- Consistently work positively and cooperatively with fellow Team Members.
- Consistently demonstrate the ability to respond to flexibly changing situations to meet current needs, such as reprioritizing work as necessary.
- Consistently come to work on time, working as scheduled, and leaving at the scheduled time.
- Maintain appropriate attire and good grooming habits to support HACAP’s desire for safe and efficient operations, providing greater service and better customer relations.
- Must possess high integrity and ensure confidentiality of any information concerning an employee, client, family, financial condition, or personal peculiarities is strictly maintained.
- Ensure that personal health information is protected during its collection, use, disclosure, storage, and destruction within HACAP as required by HIPAA.
QUALIFICATIONS
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
A breastfeeding peer counselor must currently be a WIC participant or must have been a WIC participant in the past and must have successfully breastfed at least one baby for a minimum of four months. She must have a telephone and be willing to make contacts from home. Breastfeeding peer counselors must also be available outside the usual clinic operating hours to mothers who are breastfeeding.
DESIRED EXPERIENCE
The following experiences and skills are desirable:
- Enthusiasm for breastfeeding and desires to help other mothers enjoy a positive breastfeeding experience.
- Good communication skills.
- Basic computer skills.
- Demographic similarities with the WIC participants served by the local agency such as age, ethnicity, and language.
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 regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, feel, and grasp; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally use the repetitive wrist, hand, and finger movements to operate a computer keyboard. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, stoop, bend, kneel, squat, twist, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally climb stairs or steps. The employee is occasionally required to sit and taste or smell. The employee must be able to work/play with children on their level, specifically on floor level. The employee must regularly lift, move, push, or pull up to 10 pounds; frequently lift, move, push, or pull up to 25 pounds; and occasionally lift, move, push or pull up to 50 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.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
- Must be able to communicate and work effectively with a diverse population of low-income individuals with possible language/cultural barriers.
- Complete Child Abuse Reporter training within six (6) months of employment and update every three (3) years.
- Complete bloodborne pathogen training within ten (10) days of employment and update every year.
- Valid driver’s license.
- Valid car insurance.
- Completion of required breastfeeding peer counseling training.
- TB testing at hire.
- Willing to work flexible hours including early evenings and some weekends