Breastfeeding Peer Counselor
About The Position
The Virginia Department of Health’s Pittsylvania-Danville Health District is seeking a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor to promote breastfeeding among WIC participants, health care workers, and the community. The counselor provides breastfeeding information and assistance to WIC clients and works within the scope of practice defined in the WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum. Training through the most current USDA FNS Training Platform is provided. The role includes participating in multidisciplinary case conferencing to develop and implement WIC participant service plans. The counselor may represent the local agency and WIC on interdisciplinary workgroups, taskforces, or coalitions, and may receive supervision from the district Breastfeeding Coordinator or WIC Designated Breastfeeding Expert. This is a wage position funded solely by the Federal WIC Grant for a period ending September 30; continued employment depends on the availability of funding. Wage employees are paid only for hours worked and are subject to state limits on hours worked.
Requirements
- Working knowledge of basic human lactation, breastfeeding practices, positioning techniques, breastfeeding management, manual expression of breast milk, and collection and storage of human milk.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to provide instruction in group and individual settings.
- Ability to recognize breastfeeding problems and make appropriate referrals or interventions.
- Personal breastfeeding experience.
- A valid state driver's license is required to operate a state vehicle or a personal vehicle while conducting agency business.
Nice To Haves
- Current or former WIC participant preferred.
- Breastfeeding Peer Counseling training through the most current USDA FNS Training Platform.
Responsibilities
- Provide breastfeeding encouragement, information, and counsel to prenatal and breastfeeding participants.
- Provide anticipatory education about the normal course of breastfeeding.
- Conduct support group meetings and assist the nutritionist with individual and group sessions.
- Contact participants at intervals set by WIC policy to provide counsel, encouragement, and information to maintain lactation; be available outside usual clinic hours and the WIC clinic environment.
- Identify breastfeeding problems or potential problems that require referral to the nutritionist or WIC Designated Breastfeeding Expert.
- Recruit participants for nutrition education classes through clinic, telephone, and/or mail contacts.
- Maintain logs of patient contacts, complete monthly activity reports and other required health department forms, and use the Crossroads system.
- Plan or participate in community outreach events for WIC participants, particularly during Breastfeeding Awareness Month; plan local agency breastfeeding promotion events and maintain a breastfeeding-friendly environment.
- Participate in multidisciplinary team case conferencing to develop and implement WIC participant service plans.
- Attend local, regional, or state breastfeeding promotion and support training when possible.
- May represent the local agency and WIC on interdisciplinary workgroups, taskforces, or coalitions.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Benefits
- Wage employees are eligible to apply for classified positions for which recruitment has been initiated.
- If hired into a classified position, a wage employee may be eligible to purchase retirement credit for time worked as a wage employee.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
