EHS Advocate Bilingual

Organizational Summary

Maternity Care Coalition (MCC) is a community-based nonprofit organization serving Pennsylvania and Delaware with over four decades of commitment to improving maternal and child health and early care and education. MCC’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of pregnant women and parenting families and enhance school readiness for children 0—3. We achieve this through direct service, advocacy, and research, in collaboration with individuals, families, providers, and communities. We envision a future where parents impacted by racial and social inequities can birth with dignity, parent with autonomy, and raise babies who are healthy, growing, and thriving.

The Advocate provides early learning-focused and curriculum-based home visits to pregnant women and parents of infants and toddlers, to promote the families' ability to support their health improvement, social empowerment and child's development towards school readiness. Services may include providing encouragement, guidance, direct services, identifying client needs and goals around health, education, child development and social services and, supporting clients to access needed services.

Benefits include:

• Three (3) weeks paid vacation, plus One (1) week paid Winter Break
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Voluntary & Supplemental Life Insurance through CIGNA
• Cafeteria Plan through Benefit Wallet: FSA and Commuter plans
• Sign-on Bonus Conditional upon satisfactory performance and completion of four (4) months of employment (introductory period + 1 month) and in good standing (incur no significant, documented corrective action and meets or exceeds introductory period performance standards) a one-time payment of $1,250 (gross pay prior to any required withholdings) to be made in the payroll covering said date
• And Upon completion of twelve (12) months (hire date + 12 months) and in good standing (incur no significant, documented corrective action and meets or exceeds annual position performance standards), a one-time payment of $1,250.00 (gross pay prior to any required withholdings) to be made in the payroll covering said date

• Obtains and maintains in good standing all required credentials, certifications and trainings deemed necessary to perform their job duties such as, but not limited to Home Visiting CDA credential (if applicable), ServSafe Certification, and 1st Aid license. Attends orientation and ongoing training sessions on maternal and child health and welfare, early learning, child abuse, housing, nutrition, substance abuse, counseling, parenting, infant, family support issues, and other training as assigned/recommended by their Supervisor or other service area Coordinator.
• Plans weekly visits that include activities to support learning and development to enhance the family’ skills as their child’s first teacher. Is prompt to re-schedule any missed visits in order to provide a minimum of 4 visits each month and a minimum of 46 visits to each client throughout the program year for home-based children. Plans home visits and provides education on prenatal development and resources to pregnant women at least twice a month.

• Utilizes a professional, culturally-sensitive and respectful approach when visiting/addressing clients and their families at all times and during all types of communication.

• Provides curriculum-based education sessions and resources (hand-outs) for pregnant women and families with infant and/or toddler age children to ensure that their developmental, health, social, mental health, and educational needs are met.

• Connects families to resources and social services networks in and around the Norristown area. As applicable, supports clients in planning for their own health and social service needs by assisting clients in identifying goals, making appointments, and/or facilitating transportation to offices of service providers.
• Contacts participants before/after home visits, by email or telephone and, maintains complete and accurate records of all communication with clients on Child Plus. Maintains a collaborative relationship with identified clients, provides support as needed, and ensures confidentiality of client records.
• Conducts client assessments to determine strengths and areas of need on a timely basis (according to EHS Performance Standards) and uses this information to set goals in collaboration with the family.
• Works collaboratively with Coordinators & Managers to encourage, monitor and ensure timely scheduling and completion of health and/or education related appointments, such as prenatal, postpartum, well baby, well child, early intervention, physical exams, dental exams, and immunizations.
• Participates in the collection and distribution of supplements, diapers, formula, clothes and donations for EHS clients.
• Refers participants needing more intensive follow-up to appropriate resources within MCC and other community agencies. Learns about and makes contact with community resources needed by clients.
• Encourage parent participation in all EHS events such as parent meetings, trainings, policy council meetings, outreach events, parent orientations, volunteering opportunities and socializations. Assists in organizing client meetings and other special events including, but not limited to, those celebrating Mother’s and Father’s Day.
• Attends to, facilitates planning of, and participates actively at Site Meetings and Socializations. Attends community meetings, health fairs and represents MCC as requested by their Supervisor or Family and Community Engagement Coordinator.
• Participates in outreach efforts to raise awareness and promote education of issues faced by EHS clientele, identify candidates and families for enrollment, and direct them to needed EHS, health, education and social services. Conducts health promotion activities by providing client education, disseminating educational literature, and distributing disease prevention materials, including condoms.
• Responds promptly to inter-agency communication using Child Plus and other computer systems including e-mail, Internet and word processing.
• Meets with supervisor regularly and on a monthly basis to discuss clients’ progress.
• Observes punctuality, responsibility and accountability in regards to their daily schedule, discussing with their Supervisor in advance any time off requests.

Other Tasks

• Supports parents in promoting their child’s optimal educational and health development
• Maintains caseload of approximately 12 prenatal clients and/or families with infants and toddlers
• Visits home –based clients no less than once weekly for no less than 90 minutes and provides at least 4 visits each month
• Visits prenatal families twice a month for no less than 60 minutes
• Facilitates socializations twice a month, or as assigned by supervisor
• Adheres to the MCC’s security guidelines and ensures the appropriate handling of sensitive information.
• Attends relevant staff meetings to promote communication and execution of goals.
• Assists with training new Advocates, interns or students as requested.
• Assumes other duties as assigned by their Supervisor or other service area Coordinator when necessary and appropriate.
• Completes special projects specific to the function of the department or as needed for the department as directed by their Supervisor or other service area Coordinator such as, but not limited to: coverage for reception area, participation in kitchen, socialization room and toys cleaning/sanitizing schedule, active participation in work groups.
• Contributes actively throughout EHS program’s ongoing assessment of services, policies and procedures, initiative development, research opportunities and federal reviews.
• Other duties as assigned within the scope of position expectations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Understanding of MCC’s mission, vision, core values, goals, and objectives and ability to work independently with a high level of energy and contribute as part of a larger team.
• Able to speak SPANISH FLUENTLY.
• Knowledge of the concepts and practices associated with community health issues, particularly with pregnant women, prenatal care, parenting, child development, and other services for mothers, young children, and their families.
• Ability to build professional relationships with clients and their families.

• Ability to travel in and around the Greater Philadelphia or Montgomery County region to conduct home visits and community outreach.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to issues facing the community served.
• Knowledge of basic client management procedures for determining eligibility, assessing needs, identifying resources, making referrals, following up, and documenting client interactions.
• Strong interpersonal skills as demonstrated by compassionate, courteous, cordial, cooperative, and professional interaction with diverse groups of co-workers, community partners, clients, and members of the community.
• Ability to operate a computer and use a variety of common software programs including Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, and customized databases.
• Effective and accurate documentation of case notes and client data according to established client management documentation procedures.
• Ability to organize tasks in an efficient manner and follow-up and follow-through with strong attention to detail.

Experience, Education, and Licensure

• AA/AAS in ECE, Social Services or related field or equivalent required (Infant-Toddler / Home Visiting CDA credential); BA/BS degree from an accredited college or university in a related field of study preferred.
• 2+ year experience providing direct services in a community outreach setting preferred.
• Experience with community health issues
• Knowledge and experience on child development, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and early childhood education.
• Experience working with maternal and child health issues preferred
• Experience with positive parent-child interactions or Early Head Start programs preferred
• Valid drivers’ license