Home-Visitor/Support Specialist

General Summary:

Provides case management services for enrolled Expectant Mothers while promoting and enhancing healthy parent-child relationships. Case management services will include the planning, implementation, documentation and follow-up services in accordance with Head Start Family Assessments and Family Goals. The Home Visitor/Support Specialist coordinates access to needed services, materials, program and information for all members of the family.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Establish strong relationships with Expectant Mothers and their families by utilizing individualized Family Assessments and a strengths-based approach to set family goals.
2. Monitors family progress through direct client contact, monthly home visits, phone calls, emails, letters and/or other preferred methods and ensure appropriate documentation is entered into the electronic software system.
3. Assists with Expectant Mother Program virtual bi-monthly Parent Committee Meetings.
4. Conducts monthly home visits utilizing an evidence-based curriculum that supports Expectant Mothers prenatal and postnatal education.
5. Conducts newborn visits within two weeks after delivery and reviews the infant's transition process to the Early Head Start classroom with the family, as per Head Start Program Standards.
6. Conducts a transition activity with families to support the enrollment into the child's assigned Early Head Start Center.
7. Assists expectant women in accessing comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care, through referrals, including nutrition assessment counseling, health promotion and treatment, mental health intervention while collaborating with the licensed or certified health professional and/or internal agency resources.
8. Provide expectant mothers and other relevant family members, including fathers, with parenting classes that supports prenatal education on fetal development, labor and delivery, benefits of breastfeeding, and postpartum recovery.
9. Gather data, prepare reports, and provide documentation to assign personnel, as directed.
10. Ensures compliance with the Head Start Performance Standard, School Readiness Goals, and PFCE Framework by supporting the growth and development of the expectant mother.
11. Establish community partnerships in order to promote the Head Start Birth to Five Program and provide up-to-date resources to expectant mothers and their families.
12. Participates in community outreach events, assists with promoting the Head Start and Expectant Mother program and is responsible for recruiting and retaining Expectant Mothers in order to meet funded enrollment.
13. Any other duty as assigned by the Parent, Family & Community Engagement Manager.

Work Experience

Required

• Experience in providing social services and/or prenatal education.

Preferred

• Prior Head Start experience of 2 years.
• Experience working with expectant mothers and providing prenatal and postnatal education.

Education/Certifications/Licensure

Required

• Licensed Vocational Nurse, or;
• Baccalaureate Degree in Human Services or Social Services related field.
• Individuals hired after November 7, 2016, must have within eighteen months of hire, at a minimum, a credential or certification in social work, human services, family services, Counseling or a related field.
• Prepare and train the competency goals and indicators for Family Service Workers and attend the certification course as per the Head Start Act 648A-Staff qualifications for Family Service Workers
• Valid Texas Driver's License
• Must pass DFPS background check.
• Must pass pre-employment physical.
• Obtain Health Certificate annually.
• Within 30 days of employment must be Pediatric CPR & First Aid certified and have a current Food Handler's Card.
• Must attend 24 clock hours of professional development and staff training per year, as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards and Texas HHS Minimum Standards for Childcare Centers

Preferred

• 
  

Skills

Required

• Must have computer and reporting skills, service documentation and recordkeeping experience.
• Good verbal, problem solving and writing skills.

Preferred

• Bilingual ability (Spanish and English)

Physical Requirements

Able to perform the following physical requirements of the position with or without reasonable accommodation: critical sensory requirements include general vision; specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Hear or listen in the normal range (corrected) and speak and give directions clearly. Able to walk, sit, stand, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects up to 10 lbs., and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 lbs.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in a classroom, office client setting where minimal exposure to ins=jury exists. Hours of work will generally be during regular business hours and average at least 40 hours per week. There will be work variations in work hours due to employee special projects and deadlines.