Breastfeeding Peer Counselor - Wage

Virginia Information Technologies Agency • Henrico, Virginia, VA

2d • $15 - $18 • Onsite

About The Position

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of Virginians. The VDH is made up of a statewide Central Office in Richmond and 35 local health districts. The Richmond & Henrico County Health Districts (RHHD) are on the forefront of Public Health and Population Health. Our mission is to protect health, champion equity, and partner to address local needs. We accomplish this by exposing and addressing the root causes of health disparities and protecting health through disease prevention and monitoring, providing clinical services, nutrition services, environmental health services, vital records, emergency planning, and building health equity by partnering with communities and working collaboratively across sectors. WE ARE PUBLIC HEALTH!

Breastfeeding Peer Counselors promote breastfeeding among WIC participants, health care workers and the community per USDA guidelines. They attend local, regional, or state breastfeeding promotion and support training when possible. They operate within the BFPC scope of practice as defined in the WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum. Participates in multidisciplinary team case conferencing to develop and implement WIC participant service plans. May represent Local Agency and WIC on interdisciplinary workgroups, taskforces, or coalitions.

To maintain and increase Breastfeeding rates in Henrico County WIC program, this position is critical for Breastfeeding support and Education. Henrico County WIC has a mission to promote Breastfeeding and provide education to pregnant and breastfeeding women to increase the number of mothers who initiate breastfeeding as well as to increase the duration of breastfeeding amongst the WIC population. USDA requires all States to have a breastfeeding plan within each district and therefore, a peer counselor is necessary to meet the plan’s goal and objectives. WIC advocates Breastfeeding as the norm due to the benefits of Breastfeeding for both maternal and child health. Peer counselors are an important component to strengthen strategies to support Breastfeeding in the health care system and in the community. Breastfeeding peer counseling represents a model of mother-to-mother support as a community – based resource to provide mothers with the support and assistance needed to establish and maintain Breastfeeding in the early weeks and months Postpartum. To meet this goal there is a need for a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor to assist the WIC community. This position requires an individual who has previously Breastfed an infant for at least 6 months.

This position is based out of the Henrico WIC Office: 7740 Shrader Road, Ste B, Henrico, VA 23228.

Wage employees are subject to the following conditions of employment:

• Wage employees serve at the will and pleasure of the appointing authority.
• Continuing employment is based on available funding and business need.
• Wage employees are not covered by the provisions of the Virginia Personnel Act. Therefore, they are not eligible for benefits which are provided to salaried employees, such as leave credits, holiday pay, insurance, access to the grievance procedure, etc.
• Wage employees are paid only for the hours they actually work.
• Virginia state law currently requires that agencies not permit wage employees to work in excess of 29 hours per week on average over the course of a year. Wage employees may not work for VDH beyond 1,500 hours during the period of May 1 – April 30 of the following year (the Standard Measurement Period).
• Once a wage employee works the maximum of 1,500 hours during the Standard Measurement Period, the employee may be rehired as a wage employee of VDH only after the next Standard Measurement Period has begun.
• Wage employees are eligible to apply for all classified positions for which recruitment has been initiated, including those limited to State Employees Only.
• If a wage employee becomes employed in a classified position, he/she will be eligible to purchase retirement credit for the time worked as a wage employee.
• Continuing employment is based on available funding and business need.

This is a restricted position which is funded by federal grants for a year period ending September 30, 2026. The availability of funding is scheduled for review annually and periodically thereafter. Continued employment is contingent on the continued availability of grant or non-general funds.

Requirements

• Demonstrate a Working Knowledge of: Basic human lactation.
• Breastfeeding practices
• Various positioning techniques.
• Basic breastfeeding management.
• Manual expression of breast milk.
• Collection and storage of human milk.
• Good communication skills.
• Personal breastfeeding experience required (at least 6 months of breastfeeding an infant).
• Demonstrated Ability to: Instruct in a group and individual setting.
• Recognize problems related to breastfeeding and make appropriate referrals/interventions.

Nice To Haves

• Current or former WIC participants preferred.

Responsibilities

• Promote breastfeeding among WIC participants, health care workers and the community per USDA guidelines.
• Attend local, regional, or state breastfeeding promotion and support training when possible.
• Operate within the BFPC scope of practice as defined in the WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team case conferencing to develop and implement WIC participant service plans.
• May represent Local Agency and WIC on interdisciplinary workgroups, taskforces, or coalitions.
• Provide breastfeeding support and education to pregnant and breastfeeding women to increase initiation and duration of breastfeeding.
• Assist the WIC community with breastfeeding support.
• Instruct in a group and individual setting.
• Recognize problems related to breastfeeding and make appropriate referrals/interventions.

Benefits

• Wage employees are not eligible for benefits which are provided to salaried employees, such as leave credits, holiday pay, insurance, access to the grievance procedure, etc.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed