Health Educator I

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar proudly serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services. Sea Mar's network of services includes more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics and a wide variety of nutritional, social, and educational services. We are recruiting for the following position:

Sea Mar is a mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccine organization

Position Summary

The Health Educator I provides quality health education services to Sea Mar patients; provides in-service education to Sea Mar staff; initiates and maintains professional contact with community groups and organizations to increase accessibility and availability of services. The Health Educator I also initiates and maintains contact with other community health centers and various medical associations in order to ensure that information and educational materials are current.

The Health Educator I is responsible for effective presentation of education material to emphasize preventive health care and health maintenance; works collaboratively with clinic staff including but not limited to the medical providers; recognizes and provides for the educational needs of the community; and maintains a close relationship with physicians and other service professionals at Sea Mar in order to meet the needs of the target population. Health Educators are expected to meet certain goals for productivity as agreed upon with senior management. 

Duties and Responsibilities

As a mission-driven organization, the core values of, and the services offered at Sea Mar are based on the belief that everyone deserves to be respectfully treated in a way that preserves dignity and enhances self-worth. Sea Mar is an advocate for its clients and aims to achieve industry-leading, client-centered, culturally-aware services. 

Sea Mar employees serve as an extension of this mission and demonstrate their commitment to an excellent client experience by:

• Understanding and empathizing with client needs
• Surpassing client expectations
• Demonstrating a high level of integrity
• Exhibiting compassion and commitment
• Advocating for social justice
• Taking pride in individual work as well as that of the team
• Continually learning to stay current with industry standards, best practices and technology

As a Sea Mar employee, the individual in this position commits to adherence to these values to their utmost ability and endeavors to strengthen and embody this mission daily.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include but not limited to the following:

• Assess health education needs of target population and provide education in the following areas:

• Hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, stress management, positive parenting,  weight management, smoking cessation, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS pre and post-test counseling and new diagnosis, pregnancy options counseling including termination of pregnancy and referral to specialty clinics, family planning, Intrauterine Device, Depo Provera, bilateral tubal ligation, and vasectomy counseling and consent.

• Design, promote, present and evaluate community group health sessions as appropriate.
• Develop collaborative relationships with other local health, educational and social service providers and agencies.
• Attend staff meetings and in-service trainings as scheduled.
• Complete and submit accurate weekly and/or monthly reports.
• Review and update health education materials as necessary and create pamphlets as necessary. Participate in Literacy Review process for all health education materials.
• May provide blood pressure screening for Nursing Home residents.
• May develop, maintain and harvest fruits and vegetables from a community garden to distribute in patient settings. 
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span.
• Able to identify and categorize each patient’s age-specific grouping of needs, such as those for infant, adolescent, or geriatric patients.   
• Able to chart notes in Electronic Health Records (EHR)

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• A background check from DSHS and Washington State Patrol.
• A Washington driver’s license and current auto insurance coverage.
• No history or evidence of alcohol or other drug misuse for a period of three (3) years immediately prior to the date of employment at the facility, and no misuse of alcohol or other drugs while employed at this center.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Applicant must have the ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals; possess the ability to write routine reports and correspondence; ability to communicate effectively with clients or employees of the organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• The applicant must have the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

REASONING ABILITY

• The applicant must have the ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Education and Experience, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations, and Medical Screening

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Graduation from an accredited college or University with a BA/BS degree in Health Education, Public Health, Nursing, Education, Nutrition, or other related fields or at least 5 years of relevant health education experience.
• Prior experience and training in one or more areas of health education. 

• The incumbent must have experience in patient counseling, educating small and large groups and developing curricula and materials. 
• Must complete a pre-hire and annual TB screening.
• Annual influenza vaccine and covid vaccine proof required. Only exception is for employees with a medical or religious exemption approved by Administration. Employees with an approved medical or religious exemption for the flu vaccine must wear a mask at all times during the flu season.  Employees with an exemption from Covid vaccine must wear a mask at all times while on Sea Mar premises.
• Current CPR/First Aid Certification or within 90 days of hire 

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Health Educator position spends most of their time within an office type of work environment and will occasionally spend time outside this setting to carry out programming with the Sea Mar Health Education program. The position will collaboratively work with other Sea Mar employees, other educators, social providers and members of the community to fill out the positions essential duties and responsibilities. 

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms.  The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.  Facility ranges from quiet to loud depending on activities of patients.

Supervision

The Health Educator position has no supervisory responsibilities. The position will work with and support other Sea Mar employees and patients to help fulfill the organization’s mission.

What We Offer:

Sea Mar offers talented and motivated people the opportunity to work in a dynamic and growing community health organization. Working at Sea Mar Community Health Centers is more than just a job, it’s a fulfilling career with opportunity for advancement. The fringe benefits surpass most companies. For example, Full-time employees working 30 hours or more, receive an excellent benefit package of:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription coverage
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• Paid-time-off starting at 24 days per year + 10 paid Holidays.
• We also offer 401(k)/Retirement options and an exciting opportunity to work in a culturally diverse environment. 

Sea Mar is an equal opportunity employer.

Please visit our website to learn more about us at www.seamar.org. You may also apply thru our Career page at this link.