BREASTFEEDING PEER COUNSELOR LEAD

Job Role Summary

Responsible for various breastfeeding-related administrative duties such as managing and scheduling breastfeeding peer counselor (PC) staff, completing staff time cards, supervising and mentoring PC staff, and completing staff evaluations.  This position is also responsible for assisting with Breastfeeding outreach and promotion with allocated hours each week.

Essential Duties

• Contributes to the development of program goals and objectives for the local agency peer counseling program. 
• Conducts an annual needs assessment to identify gaps in breastfeeding resources and services within the local agency and community that the WIC peer counseling program can address. 
• Oversees the training of peer counselors. 
• Oversees the planning, management, implementation, and evaluation of local agency peer counseling activities. 
• Keeps current with up-to-date breastfeeding information and disseminates this as well as FNS-provided information to other local agency staff. 
• Mentors new peer counselors, providing routine follow-up and guidance in the early days of the job. 
• Provides ongoing supervision and feedback for peer counselors. 
• Reports on peer counseling program activities to supervisor and the Indiana State WIC Office. 
• Coordinates with local community stakeholders such as hospitals and health care providers to enhance the effectiveness or the peer counseling program. 
• Attends quarterly Breastfeeding Coordinator meetings hosted by the Indiana State WIC breastfeeding team.

Associated Job Duties

• Continue advancing breastfeeding knowledge through participation in available conferences, workshops, shadowing more experienced breastfeeding consultants, and participating in team meetings.
• Provides leadership with support groups and centering groups when available.
• Keeps accurate records of all contacts made with WIC participants within the automated system and the S-drive.
• May assist WIC staff in promoting breastfeeding peer counseling through special projects and duties as assigned.
• Assist in the hiring of new peer counselors and ensure newly hired peer counselors are thoroughly trained.
• Assist in schedule staff according to participant needs.
• Lead Breastfeeding Peer Counselor outreach efforts during World breastfeeding week/month, WIC Fall Festival and any other events in the community.
• Maintain confidentiality of all client records and information as specified by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
• Participate in public health emergency preparedness exercise and in the response to public health emergencies.
• Participate in a minimum of two H.O.P.E events totaling of minimum eight (8) hours annually.
• Transport, on occasion, client information and/or supplies between MCPHD health offices following HIPAA guidelines.

Qualifications

• Must be one of the following:  
  • Registered Nurse (R.N.)
  • Qualified Nutritionist
    • Registered Dietitian;
    • Registration eligible to write the exam for the Commission on Dietetic Registration; or
    • Bachelors or Masters Degree in Dietetics; Nutrition or Nutrition Sciences; Public Health Nutrition; Community Nutrition; or Clinical Nutrition
  • Bachelors or Masters degree graduate which, through review of an official transcript from an accredited college, includes a study in nutrition. These degrees include but are not limited to: 
    • Family and Consumer Sciences,
    • Food and Nutrition in Business, 
    • Nutrition, Fitness, and Health.
• IBCLC preferred; must attain IBCLC status within 2 years
• Has experience in program management.
• Has, at minimum, 1 year of experience in counseling breastfeeding parents.

Licenses/Certifications Required

• Registered Nurse (R.N.) or Qualified Nutritionist
• Registered Dietitian (RD);
  • Registration eligible to write the exam for the Commission on Dietetic Registration; or
  • Bachelors or Masters Degree in Dietetics; Nutrition or Nutrition Sciences; Public Health Nutrition; Community Nutrition; or Clinical Nutrition
• IBCLC preferred; must attain IBCLC status within 2 years
• Valid Indiana driver’s license. Access to personal transportation.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Current lactation practices and terminology.
• Use effective and efficient time management skills under pressure of patient volume.
• Manage staff in an effective manner.
• Pleasantly communicate verbally and in writing with the public, assigned hospital staff and WIC staff.
• Be flexible to changing work duties.
• Bilingual is preferred.

Working Environment

• Primarily works out of WIC office located in WIC clinics.
• Some travel required between program locations and within community.
• Exposure to communicable illnesses and diseases due to direct client contact.
• Considerable walking and standing.