Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

State of Virginia•Danville, VA

39d•$15 - $15

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 Virginia Department of Health Pittsylvania-Danville Health District is seeking a qualified candidate for a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor role. Breastfeeding Peer Counselors promote breastfeeding among WIC participants, health care workers and the community. 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. May receive supervision from the district Breastfeeding Coordinator or WIC Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE). Breastfeeding Peer Counseling training via the most current USDA FNS Training Platform is provided. Typical Duties: 1. Provides breastfeeding encouragement, information, and counsel to prenatal and breastfeeding participants. 2. Provides anticipatory education about the normal course of breastfeeding. 3. Conducts support group meeting and assists the nutritionist with individual and other group sessions. 4. Contacts participants at predetermined intervals per WIC policy to provide counsel, encouragement, and information to maintain lactation. Is available to participants outside of usual clinic hours and the WIC clinic environment. Identifies problems or potential problems necessitating referral to the nutritionist, or WIC Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE). 5. Recruits participants to attend nutrition education classes by making clinic, telephone, and/or mail contacts. 6. Maintains logs of patient contacts, completes monthly activity reports and other health department forms as required. Utilizes the Crossroads system. 7. May plan and participate in community outreach events for WIC participants, particularly during Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Plans local agency breastfeeding promotion events. Creates and maintain a breastfeeding-friendly environment. 8. Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor. May be required to perform other duties as assigned. May be required to assist the agency or state government generally in the event of an emergency declaration by the Governor. May be required by VDH to adjust work hours, location, and job duties and participate in training to meet public health business needs, including emergencies. If this position is designated as a mobile worker, this includes both working in the field and teleworking at an alternate location when not in the field or during an emergency closing. You may be required to periodically come into your assigned office to attend meetings or training. This is a restricted position, which is solely funded by the Federal WIC Grant for a period ending September 30th. The availability of funding is scheduled for review annually and periodically thereafter. Continued employment is contingent on the continued availability of funds 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.

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 and interpersonal skills
Instruct in a group and individual setting
Recognize problems related to breastfeeding and make appropriate referrals/interventions
Personal breastfeeding experience required
Basic computer skills and technical proficiency
Can make and receive phone calls from home
Ability to work a minimum of 5 hours per week, but not to exceed the hourly allotment assigned by the local agency
A valid driver's license and reliable transportation

Nice To Haves

Current or former WIC participants preferred
Breastfeeding Peer Counseling training via the most current USDA FNS Training Platform

Responsibilities

Provides breastfeeding encouragement, information, and counsel to prenatal and breastfeeding participants.
Provides anticipatory education about the normal course of breastfeeding.
Conducts support group meeting and assists the nutritionist with individual and other group sessions.
Contacts participants at predetermined intervals per WIC policy to provide counsel, encouragement, and information to maintain lactation.
Is available to participants outside of usual clinic hours and the WIC clinic environment.
Identifies problems or potential problems necessitating referral to the nutritionist, or WIC Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE).
Recruits participants to attend nutrition education classes by making clinic, telephone, and/or mail contacts.
Maintains logs of patient contacts, completes monthly activity reports and other health department forms as required. Utilizes the Crossroads system.
May plan and participate in community outreach events for WIC participants, particularly during Breastfeeding Awareness Month.
Plans local agency breastfeeding promotion events.
Creates and maintain a breastfeeding-friendly environment.
Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.