Description

Mission Statement:

AVANCE creates pathways to economic mobility for predominately Latino families through high quality, culturally responsive, two-generation programming that ensures school-readiness for young children and opportunities for parents to build social and economic capital. Our targeted program services reflect the cultural, racial/ethnic, and linguistic background of our families and provide specific strategies based on the unique needs of these families and children, ensuring that racial equity is embedded in our systemic approach.

Job Overview

The Health Assistant is responsible for working collaboratively with the Health Services Department to ensure the health and well-being of all children and families in Head Start and Early Head Start. The Health Assistant will assist the organization in and achieving our outcomes for children of all abilities including completing health screenings, data entry and follow up. The Health Assistant works with the Health Services Coordinator in conducting the 30-45-90 day health screenings and requirements. The Health Assistant is responsible for creating a welcoming atmosphere at all times for AVANCE internal employees and AVANCE external program participants.

Job Responsibilities

The Health Assistant will be evaluated on a combination of skills, dispositions, and behaviors, some of which are related to the specific service area of this position and others that represent general expectations of all AVANCE employees.

• The Health Assistant’s responsibilities chiefly fall within the following core functions, although s/he may perform other tasks as needed:

• Communication and Service Coordination
  • AssistHealth team in distributing a variety of health screening/requirement letters to parents
  • Supports the Health Service Advisory Committee in all activities
  • Assist in the development and distribution of written and web-based materials for children, adults and employees within the areas of: personal health, fitness, safety, nutrition and preventive health education.
• Record Keeping and Reporting
  • Complete data entry using AVANCE’s data system
  • Assists with the compilation and analysis of data on the effectiveness of the health service component.
• Ongoing Monitoring/Self-assessment
  • Assist Health team with Health & Safety Audits as needed.
• Planning and Implementing
  • Assist Health Services Coordinator in the planning, administration, and implementation of the medical and dental components
  • Assists with the preparation of written health plan, health budget and written reports that are to be submitted to AVANCEE, regional office, and ACF.
• Establishing and maintaining a safe, healthy learning environment
  • Ensure child ratio rules and regulations during center-based screening days
  • Monitor center health and screening supplies and first aid kits
• Supporting the health and well being of children
  • Assist with the completion of all 45 day and 90 day health screenings, including using hearing and vision machines for internal screenings on children
  • Assists with the design and delivery of health related training to parents and staff.
• Encouraging the involvement of the families of the children in a Head Start program in their child’s health
  • Assists with promotion of active parent involvement; for example, parents as members of the Health Advisory Committee.
  • Support families to ensure that children are kept up to date on a schedule of well-child care that includes immunizations, and all time frames are met.
  • Assists families, family advocates, maternal educators, and health care professionals to ensure all known issues are in treatment and, once treatment has begun, that it is completed.
• Participates in assigned meetings, events, and training as required

Develop a high level of confidence in our values:

• Open, honest communication
• Teamwork
• Proactive problem solving
• Data-driven decision making
• Follow through
• Performs other duties as assigned.

AVANCE Core Competencies

• Accountability
• The AVANCE Way
• Demonstrates Ability to Learn
• Fosters Innovation
• Takes Initiative
• Recovers from Setbacks

Qualifications

Education

Required:

• High School Diploma

License/Certification

Required:

• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Work Experience

Required:

• Previous work experience in the health field
• Physical exam and background checks are required for this position.

Additional Skills

• Ability to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated computer literacy skills, using MS Office applications and other basic data systems including internet navigation.
• Must be honest, dependable and able to meet deadlines.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.

Travel

Travel required locally or long-distance up to 10% of the time for work-related meetings and functions.

Equipment

• Standard office equipment generally used includes:

• Telephone
• Personal Computer (monitor, keyboard, and mouse) or Tablet
• Printer/Photocopy Machine
• Calculator
• Fax Machine

Working Conditions

Mental and Physical Demands

Maintain emotional control under stress; work with interruptions and deadlines; walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling and pushing, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; occasional: lifting/carrying, pulling/pushing 10-30 pounds.Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Work is generally performed in an office environment.Noise level in the work environment is moderate to occasionally loud (examples: business office with computers and printers, light to moderate traffic, human voices).May be required to operate a motor vehicle during the course of duties.

Environmental Factors