HealthySteps Specialist

DAP Health•Desert Hot Springs, CA

1d•$82,790 - $92,395•Onsite

About The Position

At DAP Health, we are committed to transforming lives and advancing health equity for all. As a leading nonprofit health care provider, we deliver compassionate, high-quality care to the diverse communities of the Coachella Valley and San Diego County. Our comprehensive services range from primary care to mental health, wellness programs, and beyond, with a focus on those who are most vulnerable. Joining our team means becoming part of a passionate, innovative organization dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve. If you're looking for a dynamic and purpose-driven environment, we invite you to explore the opportunity to contribute to our mission. Job Summary The HealthySteps Specialist (HSS) is embedded within the pediatric primary care team, serving families with children ages 0–3. Through the nationally recognized HealthySteps model, the HSS promotes healthy development by supporting positive parenting, strengthening parent-child relationships, and addressing common concerns such as feeding, sleep, behavior, attachment, and parental mental health. The HSS provides screenings, guidance, care coordination, and referrals tailored to each family’s unique needs, especially those identified as having significant risk factors. In addition to developmental support, the HSS delivers billable integrated behavioral health visits, expanding access to mental health services within the pediatric setting. This dual role enhances the care model by ensuring families receive timely, developmentally appropriate support for both physical and emotional health. The HSS collaborates closely with pediatric providers to implement HealthySteps (HS) strategies that improve early childhood outcomes and promote family resilience.

Requirements

Demonstrates the ability to perform the technical skills and critical thinking outlined in the performance standards.
Must be empathetic, supportive, and patient
Strong motivational interviewing skills
Ability to work with people of many cultures
Ability to take initiative and a willingness to learn
Ability to work well both in teams and independently
Ability to collect and enter data for program management, evaluation, and reporting purposes
MS365. Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.
Self-starter personality
Master’s degree in psychology, social work, counseling, early childhood, education or related field required
LCSW required
Current BLS certification obtained through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross
Comprehensive knowledge of general nursing theories and practice, State Medical Programs such Child Health and Disability Prevention Program
Experience and knowledge about early childhood growth and development, parent-child relationships, child health infant mental health, and family systems
Experience evaluating the growth and development of infants and children under three years of age
Demonstrated commitment to working with underserved populations in a community setting
This position is on-site at a DAP Health clinic location
This job operates in an office setting and requires frequent times of sitting, standing, repetitive motion and talking
Ability to lift up to 24 pounds
Requires current and valid driver’s license and current personal auto insurance
Able to travel to DAP Health locations throughout San Diego and Riverside
When in-home visits are launched, the role may require travel to patient homes and community settings, with flexibility to work outside traditional clinic environments while maintaining safety and documentation standards

Nice To Haves

Interest in the use of technology to improve care quality a plus.
Bilingual in Spanish/English preferred

Responsibilities

Responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the HealthySteps Logic Model, including:
Conduct team based well child visits for parents with babies and/or young children with the physician/pediatric nurse practitioner
Provide consultations for families with babies and/or young children regarding developmental and behavioral concerns such as sleep, discipline, picky eating, etc.
Deliver billable integrated behavioral health visits as a part of routine pediatric care.
Collaborate with HS team to enforce all core components of the program including universal child development and SDoH screening, making positive parenting and early learning guidance information readily available to all practice staff, and adjusting workflows for optimal efficiency
Provide consultation to medical professionals and all practice staff regarding early childhood development, infant mental health, and trauma informed practice
Provide referrals and tracks follow-up appointments, as appropriate, to help families make connections to key resources within the community
Maintain extensive databases required to meet HS fidelity metrics including both internal and external referrals
Collaborate with HS team to complete annual site reporting, which may include analysis of both external database files and EMR data reports.
Document all patient clinical activity and care coordination in electronic medical records
Maintain open communication with medical staff and members of the care team
Work closely with pediatric providers around care coordination and goal setting.
counseling, coaching and education about key aspects of a child’s development
May conduct home visits and may accompany families to key medical, specialty, and community agency appointments as needed
May facilitate parents’/caregivers’ groups
Participate in reflective supervision meetings
Participate when appropriate in community-wide early childhood meetings
Closely tracks progress made in ongoing checkups that look at both child development and family factors
Conduct in-home visits for families with children ages 0–3 to provide developmental guidance, behavioral health support, and care coordination in a familiar and comfortable setting.
Assess child development, family dynamics, and social determinants of health to inform individualized care plans and strengthen parent-child relationships.
Deliver trauma-informed counseling and parenting support during home visits, ensuring continuity of care outside the clinic.
Ensures compliance with policies and procedures related to safe work practices