Breastfeeding Support Peer Counselor/Clinical Support Representative

The WIC Program’s purpose is to provide special supplemental funds for pregnant, postpartum and lactating women, infants and children up to age five. The mission is to provide nutrition education and supplemental foods as an adjunct to health care during critical times of growth and development in order to prevent the occurrence of health problems and improve the health status of program participants.

Primary Purpose of Position:

To provide management support services to the WIC Program which includes at least the following:

1. Issue NC e-WIC cards.

2. Maintains and secures stamps, NC e-WIC and e-FMNP cards.

3. Initiates the applications and determines income eligibility.

4. Schedules appointments, and follow-up with documentation of missed appointments weekly.

5. Completes monthly/weekly reports.

6. Opens medical records in Patagonia and Crossroads.

7. Print daily schedules.

8. Print participants’ encounters.

9. Maintain voided, unclaimed, or replaced vouchers in local agency.

Duties Performed for Individuals Other Than Immediate Supervisor:

This position does not perform duties for individuals other than the immediate supervisor.

Requirements for Adjustments and Flexibility to Work Environment:

N/A

Changes in Duties and Responsibilities of Position Since Last Classification Review Occurred:

N/A

F. Work Schedule:

8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Rotate with other staff for a weekly evening clinic from 5:00 pm until completion in the Nashville Office. Twice a month in the Bailey Office.

A. Public Contact:

Serves as a receptionist by registering patients, scheduling appointments, and answering questions regarding eligibility, food packages, proxies, certification and recertification procedures, and authorized vendors.

1. Telephones other state and county agencies to verify certification, last issuance, and food package of transferring participants.

2. Contacts private and other medical care providers to request information regarding WIC clients.

3. Verifies income eligibility by computer, local and state agencies.

4. Contacts vendors regarding meetings and food package.

5. Assists nutritional staff by measuring participants’ heights and weights.

6. Completes the HIPAA consents for each participant.

7. Escorts participants to the laboratory for required blood tests.

8. Prints and distributes the required notifications to participants.

9. Completes voter’s registration for eligible participants, parents, guardians and caretakers.

10. Routes WIC slips, charts, and lab forms to their respective areas.

11. Routinely monitors Nash County Vendors to ensure compliance with the Nutrition Services Branch.

12. Breastfeeding Peer Counselor.

B. Breastfeeding Peer Counselor:

1. Provides consultation, clinical and emotional support to a caseload of prenatal and breastfeeding women and their families including:

a. Assisting women and babies in learning techniques of breastfeeding, including positioning and anticipatory guidance to reduce the occurrence of problems;

b. Discussing appropriateness of using and assisting women in obtaining breastfeeding aids (e.g., electric and manual breast pumps, etc.)

c. Providing scheduled and unscheduled contacts to women with breastfeeding problems;

d. Making follow-up visits or telephone calls as needed to enrollees of the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program;

e. Identifying problems clients experience and making appropriate referrals to health care professionals;

f. Assisting with bi-weekly Breastfeeding Education Class.

2. Perform record keeping and reporting activities, following policies and procedures set forth in the breastfeeding peer counselor guide and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Policy Manual including:

a. Maintaining program activity records including the compiling of breastfeeding statistics for documenting and evaluating program effectiveness;

b. Maintaining accurate and current records on all clients enrolled in the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program;

c. Maintaining accurate and current records with regard to outreach/marketing activities, and recruitment/referral of clients to the program;

d. Reporting pertinent information on a regular basis to project advisory committee, including caseload, and current breastfeeding initiation and duration rates;

e. Submitting work schedule to supervisor as requested;

f. Keeping accurate records of hours worked and miles driven, and submitting it to supervisor as requested;

g. Preparing reports, as requested, by local agency and state nutrition services.

3. Perform outreach activities to market the services of the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program, including:

a. Making outreach visits and providing information about project services to staff of the Health Department, local physicians’ offices, Nash Women’s Center, and as needed.

b. Providing information about the project to all Health Department clients attending Breastfeeding classes and Maternity Clinic.

c. Participating in community events to promote breastfeeding, including health fairs, alliances, and community councils/advisory boards.

4. Participate in breastfeeding continuing education training to remain current on breastfeeding information including:

a. Attending quarterly in-service trainings that are approved by supervisor;

b. Participating on relevant community councils/advisory boards.

5. Performs other duties as assigned by Supervisor.

C. Records and Reports:

1. Determines appropriate benefits, issues NC e-WIC card.

2. Maintains electronic appointment system for WIC participants, determines missed appointments, and conducts appropriate follow-up.

3. Initiates the participant’s WIC application by gathering identification and income data to determine income eligibility for the WIC Program.

4. Prepares outreach materials to be distributed in the community.

5. Receives NC e-WIC cards and stores in a secure location.

6. Prints prenatal labs, weights, and heights from Patagonia when available.

7. Completes medical releases for private participants, reviews with participants, obtains participants signature, witnesses consent, and maintains copy.

8. Compiles the monthly Action Due Listing Report.

9. Assists with annual vendor training by preparing vendor resource packets and mailing notice of the training.

10. Assists with vendor monitoring and revalidation of food instruments.

11. Prepare encounters and slips for lab services.

12. Prints prenatal labs, weights, and heights from Patagonia when available.

D. Files:

1. Files WIC Vendor information in WIC Vendor files.

E. Composition:

1. Order various forms and educational resources, and correspondence to WIC participants.

F. Office Equipment Operation:

1. PC – Uses four software vendors – MyNCWIC Portal (State), Teletask (State), Crossroads (State) and Patagonia (EHR) to key all transactions that may include participant’s demographics, income, certifications, re-certifications, pending information, appointments, and notices. Other PC usage are email, time sheets, purchase requisitions, and access to in house shared documents such as policies, staff meetings and general forms used in the health department.

2. Printers – Desktop– Will print letters, forms, correspondence, reports and shopping list remaining benefits receipt.

3. Scanner – Scan documents received from outside providers and or vendors into Crossroads.

4. Signature Pad – Participant’s use the signature pad for requirements in the Crossroads.

5. Xerox – Forms, reports, correspondence, immunization records, participant’s WIC and medical records, scan to email.

6. Fax – Will receive and send medical record releases and pertinent information from other providers regarding WIC services.

7. Other – Phone, intercom, adding machine and shredder.

8. Risograph – Copy large quantities of forms, newsletter, nutrition education materials, etc.

9. North Carolina Immunization Registry (NCIR) – print participant’s immunization record.

10. Digital scales – measure participants’ weights.

11. Stadiometer – measure participants’ heights.

12. Measuring board for length – measure participants’, two years and younger, length.

13. NC e-WIC card reader – assign NC e-WIC cards to participants in Crossroads.

14. Webcam- Participate in virtual meetings, webinars, and training.

G. Mail:

1. Receives incoming mail daily, initials, dates and distributes to appropriate WIC personnel. Incoming mail includes letters, referrals, computer reports, forms, administration and educational materials, etc.

2. Mails outgoing correspondence daily which includes; missed appointments, packages, reports, documents, and medical releases.

3. Orders administrative forms and nutrition education literature when needed.

H. Nutrition Education:

1. Educates the participant regarding the use of the NC e-WIC card, use of the ebtEDGE app procedures for benefit redemption at the store, and various other WIC regulations.

2. Provides nutrition education and mini lessons to low-risk participants daily.

3. Provides the WIC approved food lists to participant.

4. Provides the most recent list of active Nash County Vendors.

I. Other:

1. Maintains individual monthly and quarterly employee records required by the agency.

2. Attends WIC department staff meetings and personal care meetings.

3. Completes other assignments as requested by the WIC Director.

4. Attends local, district, and state continuing education seminars, workshops, webinars and meetings.

PERCENTAGES OF TIME BY FUNCTIONAL AREA

For each functional area, estimate the percentage of time spent in carrying out the assigned responsibilities. It is management's prerogative to also include the percentages of time based on essential functions (ADA).

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Duties performed independently with little guidance needed from the supervisor.

This position receives administrative and technical support, advice, instruction, or supervision when needed from the lead nutritionist, WIC Director, and Regional Nutrition Consultant.

1. Knowledge of arithmetic to record and balance figures.

2. Ability to follow instructions relating to data gathering, verifying, processing, and maintaining various forms and records.

3. Ability to correct spelling, grammatical, punctuation, and typing errors, and schedule appointments electronically.

4. Ability to interpret and apply policies and guidelines pertaining to WIC income eligibility.

5. Considerable knowledge of office practices and procedures.

6. Considerable knowledge of Nash County Personnel.

7. Ability to effectively communicate with staff as needed relative to time records, completing required personnel forms, etc.

8. Bilingual (English and Spanish)

High School graduate and one-year clerical experience.