The People's Health Centers WIC Program has an immediate opening for a full time Breastfeeding Peer Counselor position within the WIC Program. The selected candidate will give basic breastfeeding information, support and encouragement to new mothers and help mothers achieve their own breastfeeding goals. Candidate must be willing to accept after hour phone calls. Personal breastfeeding experience is required. Selected candidate will work 40 hours/week, in person.
Summary: The WIC Program utilizes Breastfeeding Peer Counselors as paraprofessionals to give basic breastfeeding information, support and encouragement to pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. They serve as role models and function as a resource for breastfeeding families. Candidates must have at least one previous experience breastfeeding a child to be qualified for this position.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:
. Completes required breastfeeding trainings to become a peer counselor.
- Counsels pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers by telephone, teleconference, home visits, hospital visits, and in the WIC clinic at scheduled intervals determined by the LA.
- May assist with or teach prenatal breastfeeding classes with an approved lesson plan by the BFPC Coordinator and/or organize breastfeeding mother support groups.
- Receives a caseload of WIC participants and makes contact with the participants based on the LA's contact schedule.
- Provides information and support for women in managing common maternal and infant breastfeeding problems that occur.
- Contacts the breastfeeding peer counselor coordinator or the LA lactation expert when a situation occurs that is out of their scope of practice or anytime guidance is needed.
- May be available to new mothers who are having breastfeeding problems and need assistance outside the usual 8:00 am to 5:00 pm working hours.
- Respects each participant by keeping their information strictly confidential. Peer counselors must sign the LA confidentiality statement at the time of hire.
- Keeps accurate records of all contacts made with participants using the Missouri WIC Information Network System (MOWINS.) When MOWINS is unavailable, peer counselors will make documentation on the contact logs provided by the state and transfer the information to MOWINS as soon as possible (no later than the end of the month). Peer counselors must protect the logs and keep them confidential when working outside the clinic.
- May attend monthly staff meetings and peer counseling meetings as appropriate. Reads assigned books and materials on breastfeeding that are provided by the supervisor. May assist WIC staff in promoting breastfeeding through special projects and duties as assigned by management.
May assist WIC staff in promoting breastfeeding through special projects and duties as assigned.
Education:
Has a high school diploma or general educational development (GED)
Certificates, licenses and registrations required:
Please submit resumes via email to: https://peoplesfamilystl.org/careers/
