Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

Fond du Lac County•Fond du Lac, WI

About The Position

Description Essential Duties and Responsibilities Provides peer-to-peer support to prenatal and postpartum WIC participants by providing basic breastfeeding information and encouragement. Counsels prenatal and postpartum participants by telephone as well as face-to-face visits at the home, hospital, and/or WIC clinic at regularly scheduled intervals. Refers participants to the WIC Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE), WIC nutritionist or other appropriate health or social service agency, including outside community breastfeeding resources, for situations outside the peer counselor’s scope of practice. Analytical/Assessment Skills Decisions within the area of responsibility are made independently. Make referrals to other services such as WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Coordinator, CPA, or DBE. Peer must yield in circumstances that are above scope of practice. Referral to DBE should be placed in ROSIE and care plan should reflect yielding and referring Timeliness is essential in charting, observing work schedule, vacation notice or adhering to deadlines. Policy Development/Program Planning Skills Attend meetings with Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Coordinator. Attends WIC and Health Department staff meetings. Completes necessary annual trainings including but not limited to CPR, WIC Confidentiality, ROSE security, mandated reporter and blood borne pathogens. Communication Skills Ability to relate to clients with understanding and compassion for their needs utilizing person centered principles. Help mothers prevent and handle common breastfeeding concerns. Give basic breastfeeding information within scope of practice and support to new mothers, including education on the benefits of breastfeeding, overcoming common barriers, support with pumping, returning to work and getting a positive start with breastfeeding. Cultural Competency Skills Maintain online breastfeeding education platforms such as Linktree in both English and Spanish, if possible. Employ strategies to assure culturally-sensitive public health and health service delivery systems. Community Dimensions of Practice Skills There is significant interaction with WIC mothers and infants. Promote breastfeeding through special projects; such as breastfeeding recognition and the breastfeeding class. Receive a caseload of WIC clients and makes routine periodic contacts with all assigned clients. Counsel WIC Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers by telephone (calling or texting), and WIC clinic visits, at scheduled intervals and document any education provided and care plan notes in ROSIE within 24 hours of the contact. Direct Service Skills Ability to keep accurate records of all contacts made with clients and perform operations on the WIC computer system via ROSIE. Demonstrate a positive attitude, time management skills and respect on a daily basis. Other duties may be required and assigned including responding to an emergency event. Minimum Training and Experience Required to Perform Essential Job Functions Paraprofessional: an individual without extended professional training or licensing/credentialing in healthcare, nutrition, or the clinical management of lactation (ie. IBCLCs, dietitians (RD or RDN), nutrition and dietetics technician, registered (NDTR), registered nurses, CPAs, and nutrition educators). Personal experience with breastfeeding and lactation, having breastfed at least one child for a minimum of 6 months (up to one year or longer preferred) within the last 5 years at the time of hire as a peer counselor. This improves peer relatability and role modeling in peer-to-peer support. Preference given to applicants who are bilingual. This position is grant funded and has potential to change hours dependent on funding each year.

Requirements

Paraprofessional: an individual without extended professional training or licensing/credentialing in healthcare, nutrition, or the clinical management of lactation (ie. IBCLCs, dietitians (RD or RDN), nutrition and dietetics technician, registered (NDTR), registered nurses, CPAs, and nutrition educators).
Personal experience with breastfeeding and lactation, having breastfed at least one child for a minimum of 6 months (up to one year or longer preferred) within the last 5 years at the time of hire as a peer counselor.

Nice To Haves

Preference given to applicants who are bilingual.

Responsibilities

Provides peer-to-peer support to prenatal and postpartum WIC participants by providing basic breastfeeding information and encouragement.
Counsels prenatal and postpartum participants by telephone as well as face-to-face visits at the home, hospital, and/or WIC clinic at regularly scheduled intervals.
Refers participants to the WIC Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE), WIC nutritionist or other appropriate health or social service agency, including outside community breastfeeding resources, for situations outside the peer counselor’s scope of practice.
Make referrals to other services such as WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Coordinator, CPA, or DBE.
Attend meetings with Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Coordinator.
Attends WIC and Health Department staff meetings.
Completes necessary annual trainings including but not limited to CPR, WIC Confidentiality, ROSE security, mandated reporter and blood borne pathogens.
Help mothers prevent and handle common breastfeeding concerns.
Give basic breastfeeding information within scope of practice and support to new mothers, including education on the benefits of breastfeeding, overcoming common barriers, support with pumping, returning to work and getting a positive start with breastfeeding.
Maintain online breastfeeding education platforms such as Linktree in both English and Spanish, if possible.
Employ strategies to assure culturally-sensitive public health and health service delivery systems.
Promote breastfeeding through special projects; such as breastfeeding recognition and the breastfeeding class.
Receive a caseload of WIC clients and makes routine periodic contacts with all assigned clients.
Counsel WIC Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers by telephone (calling or texting), and WIC clinic visits, at scheduled intervals and document any education provided and care plan notes in ROSIE within 24 hours of the contact.
Ability to keep accurate records of all contacts made with clients and perform operations on the WIC computer system via ROSIE.
Demonstrate a positive attitude, time management skills and respect on a daily basis.
Other duties may be required and assigned including responding to an emergency event.