Public Health Educator

Job Summary

The Public Health Educator Home Visitor arranges for the availability of services to promote, maintain, or restore health and prevent disease and injury by providing for home visits, implementing the evidence-based home visitation program called Family Foundations Home Visiting (FFHV). The position works throughout the perinatal period to improve birth outcomes; promote child health, safety and development; improve maternal health; and improve service coordination with and referral to other community resources and supports.

Essential Duties

Key duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Home Visiting Program

• Provides home visits according to the model; follows the evidence-based Healthy Families America (HFA) model.
• Follows the HFA scheduling protocol.
• Responds to client needs through flexible scheduling of home visits.
• Provides assessments of and education for mother and baby in the home per model requirements.
• Utilizes required forms, provides timely and accurate charting and documentation for home visits.
• Enters data into required database(s).
• Utilizes forms for billing purposes, if applicable.
• Utilizes principles and concepts of motivational interviewing, coaching and reflective practice.
• Implements and meets program, grant, and model fidelity requirements.
• Implements quality improvement strategies.
• Works cooperatively as an active member of the home visiting team by attending team meetings, supervision, staff meetings, and other meetings as required.

Communicable Disease (CD) Control

• As needed, provides support for investigations of outbreaks.
• Collaborates with other division staff for outbreak response.

Other Chronic Disease and injury Prevention

• Ensures linkage of individuals to needed personal health services.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Participates in implementation of response strategies to address public health emergencies.
• Participates in public health preparedness exercises as appropriate.
• Maintains a general knowledge of the National Incident Management System (ICS 100, 200, 700, 800) and higher-level courses as assigned by Health Officer.

Health Promotion

• Helps with processes for and dissemination of relevant, accurate information and evidence-informed health prevention guidance to the public health system and community.
• Helps implement use of a variety of accessible, transparent, and inclusive methods of communication to convey and to receive information from the public and stakeholders.

Other duties

• Maintains records and privacy (HIPAA and HITECH).
• Answers questions or complaints from the general public.
• Attends meetings and trainings to keep abreast of recent research, concepts, equipment, federal, state, and local requirements, and educational techniques.
• Serves as a member of various health-related community committees, as required.
• Maintains a safe work environment and follows all safety rules and regulations.
• Utilizes various policies and procedures, forms, and tools to perform duties as assigned.
• Works variable weekday and weekend hours according to division/emergency needs.
• Works as part of a team to work toward accomplishing program objectives.
• Utilizes computers for daily work.
• Inventories, requisitions, orders, and stocks supplies as needed.
• Provides needed backup to the other staff members as directed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervision Received:

Works under the direction of the Home Visiting Supervisor. Employee is expected to perform normal work assignments in accordance with established work procedures and division policies with a minimum amount of supervision.

Qualifications

• Graduate from a college or university of recognized standing with a degree in community health education, social work, or related field.
• Experience in home visiting or any combination of training and/or experience which provides the required knowledge, duties, responsibilities, and competencies necessary for the position.
• Current certification in CPR.
• Possession of a valid Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Operator's License.
• Own car and have active personal automobile insurance (mileage reimbursement provided) and have personal vehicle available for daily use.
• COVID-19 Vaccination is required. Proof will be requested.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

Analytical/Assessment Skills:

• Utilization of evidence-based decision making
• Analytical skills in reaching objective conclusions about home visiting programs
• Adept in using word processing, spreadsheets, and other technological tools

• Knowledge of quality improvement processes
• Use of public health evidence for plans, policies, programs, and services

• Written and oral linguistic and cultural proficiency
• Ability to assess literacy of populations served and communicate with a diversity of people
• Ability to prepare and write reports, keep accurate records, summarize information

• Understanding of concept of diversity and can describe the community served by the division
• Articulates impact of cultural influences on and diversity in program and services

• Ability to engage the community
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships, collaborations, and partnerships
• Consistently demonstrates willingness to engage in teamwork (collaboration, cooperation) and utilize time management skills (prioritization, multi-tasking, flexibility, adaptability) to achieve program and division goals

• Understanding of programs, grants, and model requirements for home visitation.
• Educational or experiential background in child development, parent support, home visiting
• Ability to use problem solving and clinical skills that include assessment, goal setting, safety, evaluation, situation management, negotiation, peer collaboration, resource management, time management, and fostering independence.
• Ability to employ humility, sensitivity, professional boundaries, personal limitation knowledge, integrity, self-direction, flexibility, and safety when providing services
• Ability to work with diverse family structures and meet varying needs
• Ability to establish a trusting relationship with families during home visits
• Ability to provide health education
• Ability to provide appropriate referrals and connections to community resources as needed
• Meets requirements and standards of the programs, grants, models, and applicable policies, procedures, and laws