Peer Counselor - Joplin Health Department

Primary Purpose

Under general supervision; serves as a breastfeeding paraprofessional giving breastfeeding information, support, and encouragement to pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. Serves as a role model for breastfeeding women.

Essential Job Functions

Management reserves the rights to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. Regular and consistent attendance for the assigned work schedule is essential.

1. Counsels pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers by telephone and in the Women, Infants, and Children’s (WIC) office at scheduled intervals determined by the local agency.

2. Provides information and support for women managing common maternal and infant breastfeeding problems.

3. Issues manual or electric breast pumps as needed and within guidelines. Processes returned pumps, completes and scans paperwork, and enters information into the Missouri WIC Information Systems (MOWINS) database.

4. Contacts Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Coordinator or local agency lactation expert when a situation occurs that is outside scope of practice or additional guidance is needed.

5. Responds, when available, to new mothers who experience breastfeeding problems and need assistance outside normal working hours via after-hours phone line.

6. Maintains accurate records of contacts made with WIC participants using MOWINS database.

7. May teach prenatal and breastfeeding classes with approved lesson plans.

8. May attend and assist with prenatal classes and breastfeeding support groups.

9. Reads assigned books and materials on breastfeeding that are provided by the supervisor.

10. May assist WIC staff in promoting breastfeeding through special projects and other duties as assigned.

11. Maintains the confidentiality of participants, files, records, and reports as required by law, City policy, and procedures.

Other Duties

*Contributes effectively to the Health Department; communicates effectively with co-workers, both within Health as well as outside the department. Maintains satisfactory attendance to ensure duties are performed without negatively impacting co-workers or delivery of service to the public.

• Attends and participates effectively at departmental staff meetings.
• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge of: Breastfeeding techniques and practices; communicating the positive rewards of breastfeeding for the mother and infant; effective remedies to breastfeeding barriers; maintaining accurate records in an electronic format; Windows Explorer; Microsoft Office Suite.

Skill in: Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with medical professionals, WIC and other health program participants, and the public; working with administrative computer systems for the State and the City; providing positive communication regarding breastfeeding; utilizing varied communication strategies to effectively relate and communicate with participants in varied socioeconomic, cultural and language backgrounds; Windows Explorer; Microsoft Office Suite.

Education: High school diploma or GED equivalent required.

Experience

Must have personal experience with breastfeeding. Prior or current WIC participation is preferred.

Licenses and Certifications: Possess and maintain a valid state issued driver’s license.

Physical Demands Requirements and Working Conditions

This is primarily an office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required.

Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone.

Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset members of the public or their representatives while enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Miscellaneous Requirements

Requires successful post-offer completion of a background investigation, physical exam, and drug test as a condition of employment with the City of Joplin. Must complete initial and annual State and local agency required training for breastfeeding and peer counselors, in addition to informal training sessions, observing other peer counselors or lactation consultants, and approved conferences or seminars.