Bachelor Degree in Nursing. Recently licensed graduates or those returning to the work force with a Bachelor Degree in Nursing are recommended to have a six month training/ clinical supervision and mentoring plan provided by employing agency to document progress and experiences that enhance knowledge and skills in community maternal child health nursing.
–OR-

Two year Associate degree or three year diploma in nursing with a minimum of two years experience in community maternal child health nursing plus documented continuing education in community based maternal child health nursing topics such as lactation, parent infant interaction, domestic violence, motivational interviewing, chemical dependency, family planning.
–OR–

Two year Associate degree or three year diploma in nursing with at least two years nursing experience but limited nursing experience in the community health setting. An approved one year training/ clinical supervision and mentoring plan is required to document progress and experiences that enhance knowledge and skills in maternal child community health nursing. The plan needs to be submitted for approval to the First Steps State nurse consultant with in 60 days of hire

Registered Nurses are required to obtain one year of clinical experience in maternal child nursing before being employed as a MSS Community Health Nurse.

Registered Nurses returning to the work force after several years since licensure and with no or very limited experience in providing nursing services, are required to obtain one year of clinical experience in maternal child nursing before being employed as a MSS Community Health Nurse

Job description

Maternity Support Services (MSS) nursing is a practice discipline where the client is believed to be a bio-psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual being whose health and illness continuum are interactive with family and environmental conditions. MSS community health nursing should reflect a self-care orientation where the nurse supports the woman in accomplishing self-care and decision making for the health and wellbeing of her self and infant during pregnancy and the post pregnancy period. Nursing services should be offered within an individualized, family centered, community based and culturally competent framework.

The community health nurse’s role includes:

1. Screening for high risk factors and providing nursing assessment of the pregnant/parenting woman and infant.

2. Initiating, consulting and/or participating in development, implementation, and evaluation of client service plan depending on the primary needs of the woman and/or infant, and referring client to other team members as risk factors and plan indicate.

3. Providing preventive health education. Topics should include but are not limited to:

a. Self care during pregnancy and postpartum period including recognition of warning signs of complications or early labor

b. Care of acute or chronic illness

c. Pregnancy planning and family planning methods

d. Parenting and health care for the infant including accident prevention and SIDS risk reduction

e. Recognition of signs of stress and interventions to moderate stress

f. Symptoms of depression and appropriate resources to address them

4. Providing support, advocacy, referral, and linkage for health care needs of the mother and infant with primary medical care provider and community. (Case Management services).

5. Providing nursing care consultation to the MSS interdisciplinary team regarding health care needs of the woman in the pregnancy cycle, her infant, and family.

6. Participating in quality assurance activities and system development within the MSS/ICM agency.

Essential Functions

Screening /Assessment:

Assure that a client centered, culturally sensitive, pregnancy risk screening is done on all MSS clients. As indicated, a maternal child health nursing assessment should be completed on women/infants identified as having medical risks. A nursing assessment should focus on the risk factors identified in Core Services and could include questions exploring the following:

Health Perception/Health Management: i.e. breast feeding intentions, compliance with medical care, immunizations, environmental risks, health history

Nutritional/Metabolic: i.e. anemia , weight gain, gestational diabetes

Elimination: i.e. Urinary tract infection, frequent urination, constipation

Activity/exercise: i.e. exercise routine, activity intolerance, resources

Sleep/Rest: i.e. Adequate sleep and rest, sleep pattern disturbances

Cognitive/Perceptual: i.e. problem solving abilities, understanding changes during pregnancy/postpartum.

Self-perception: i.e. anxiety, fatigue, fear, loneliness

Role/Relationships: i.e. isolation, grieving, history of altered parenting, support system

Sexuality/Reproductive: i.e. safe sexual practices, dysfunction during pregnancy, family planning decisions

Coping/Stress tolerance: i.e. current/past sources of stress, coping skills

Values/Beliefs: Beliefs regarding health care, future goals, cultural practices related to parenting and health care.

Health education/interventions:

Provide health education/interventions as a part of nursing visits in either the home or clinic setting.

Documentation:

Maintain clinical records that contain completed risk screening, health education messages and linkages, nursing assessments, documentation of any case-conferencing and interdisciplinary service care plans, nursing interventions, follow-up care and outcomes of interventions. Application of legal mandates for reporting abuse/neglect must be documented.

Team Participation:

Cooperate, coordinate, communicate and provide standardized care through the interdisciplinary team interventions to enhance Maternity Support Services capacity for clientcentered, continuous and reliable care. Assign and monitor activity of CHW related to nursing issues and document

Policy and System Development:

Provide administrators and policy makers with data regarding health care needs of the MSS/ICM client population, develop positive relationships with other provider organizations serving the population and provide leadership in promoting collaboration between community and state wide agencies

Knowledge and Skill

General for pregnancy, post-pregnancy, and infant care up to two months of age.

1. Effective oral and written communication skills.

2. Assessment and intervention skills to perform community health nursing care and health education in clinic, office, and home or community setting.

3. Counseling skills to recognize and support health behavior change.

4. Awareness and decision-making abilities for assessing risk to self from client or unfolding situation.

5. Knowledge of pregnancy, family planning, post-pregnancy issues, infant care, parental adjustments.

6. Ability to form and sustain effective relationships with clients, team members and community health and social service providers.

7. Understanding of maternal infant health nursing, community based health systems, and community’s socio-economic system

8. Ability to be flexible, manage time, resources, and client caseload.

9. Demonstrate respect and appreciation for diversity (culturally relevant, anti-bias, and multicultural).

10. Demonstrate a willingness/ability to work with the interdisciplinary MSS team to provide optimum care.

POSITION 2:

Infant Case Manager Qualifications and Job Description

The role of the Infant Case Manager is to assist birth parents and family gain access to needed social and health services in the community. There must be a need by the birth parents for assistance in accessing resources and/or providing care for the infant/family in the household.

Qualifications

A professional member of the Maternity Support Services team.

-OR-

A person with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a social service related field such as social work, behavioral sciences, psychology, child development, certified home and family life teacher, mental health counselor plus one year of experience working in community social services, public health services, crisis intervention, outreach and referral programs or related field.

-OR-

A person with a two year Associate of Arts (AA) degree in social services or related field plus two years of full time experience in social services, public health or related field. This paraprofessional must receive monthly clinical supervision by a Master’s or Bachelor’s prepared person.

Job Description

Work independently with parenting low-income families who meet specific high-risk criteria

Competency in assessing needs of clients during home visits

Knowledge of post pregnancy issues, infant care, parental adjustments

Collaborate and network with health care providers, DSHS, and other First Steps’ agency staff for effective client case conferencing

Knowledge of medical/social/educational/employment services available in the community

Effective oral and written communication skills

Understand and respect cultural differences and diversity

Possess a basic understanding of the course of addiction

Essential Functions

Assess risk factors and needs

Develop an ongoing written ICM plan for care with the family which includes identified needs and outcomes

Refer and link infant/family with other agencies and programs to meet identified need

Implement the plan for care to ensure goals are met and documented

Advocate and assist client to overcome barriers to obtaining services

Attend ABCs of First Steps training and other workshops and/or seminars to enhance skills, knowledge, and abilities

POSITION 3:

Behavioral Health Specialist (BHS) Job Description

Qualifications:

Has a master’s degree in counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy; or

Has a bachelor’s degree in counseling, social work or marriage and family therapy; and

2 years post graduate experience not including internships. or practicum; and

Is currently credentialed in the State of Washington by the Department of Health as one of the following:

Licensed mental health counselor

Licensed independent clinical social worker

Licensed social worker

Licensed marriage and family therapist

Licensed psychologist

Associate mental health counselor

Associate independent clinical social worker

Associate social worker

Associate marriage and family therapist

Certified counselor; and

Abide by the terms and conditions described in the credential and operate within the scope of the behavioral health specialist job description in the First Steps Manual.

Job Description:

Maternity Support Services (MSS) behavioral health is focused on promoting healthy birth outcomes throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period for both mother and infant.

The Behavioral Health Specialist’s role on the First Steps Team is to provide brief, culturally relevant counseling interventions, education and case management for First Steps Maternity Support Services clients based on identified needs and in keeping with the identified risk factors.

The Behavioral Health Specialist serves as a consultant to the MSS team regarding the psychosocial needs of pregnant women and their families and the provision of social services. This individual provides expertise on psychosocial issues, mental health and strategies on facilitating client change. The BHS participates in care coordination activities with other MSS team members and community providers.

Screening: A brief, in-person evaluation to detect the presence or absence of risk factors associated with high risk pregnancy. Screening should be done at intervals throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period for both mothers and infants.

Assessment: Purpose of assessment is to determine the extent or absence of the risk and identify client needs and level of self care. Information will be used by the BHS and the MSS team to develop an individualized care plan.

The BHS provides additional assessment (a more in depth evaluation) for identified risk factors when needed in a culturally sensitive manner. The BHS assessment may include, but is not limited to:

Current family functioning

Individual history/background,

Cultural and religious practices

Legal Involvement

Health status

Review of support systems: formal/informal

Basic physical needs (such as food, housing, clothing)

Education/vocation needs

Psychosocial stressors

Screening for mental health concerns

Family history as indicated

Personal safety

Coping Skills

Substance abuse/dependence Revised 7/1/10

Surveillance - Process of on-going assessment, monitoring and follow-up regarding a client’s risk factor/s or health status with adjustment to care plan as indicated.

Interventions:

Health Education: Educate clients toward informed choices regarding personal, child and family health/mental health treatment.

Case Management: Provide resource and referral interventions to assist clients during the maternity cycle in accessing community resources for basic needs, health care and social services.

Brief Counseling: Provide brief, culturally relevant counseling1 and crisis intervention to clients on areas identified in care plan. Counseling issues may include: crisis intervention, pregnancy and birth options, family planning methods, grief issues, stress, adjustment to parenting, coping skills, problem solving, abuse/neglect, drug alcohol issues, and family violence and mood disorders.

Care Coordination:

MSS Team Participation:

Provide behavioral health consultation during care plan development and service planning

Assist with problem solving, team communication and interdisciplinary decision- making

Assist in coordination of services among team providers

Utilize other disciplines’ knowledge and expertise to assist in problem solving and developing interventions. Include client participation in care plan development whenever possible. Coordination with Community Providers:

Assist in the coordination of services among community providers serving the client including but not limited to WIC, CPS and health care provider to enhance accuracy and efficiency for all parties and improve client care.

Inform other participants in the client’s care of MSS goals and progress toward meeting those goals.

Reinforce when possible the messages provided by community providers and support the comprehensive care of the client.

Documentation:

Maintain clinical records that contain completed risk screening, behavioral health assessments/interventions, follow-up care and outcomes of interventions, case-conferencing notes and progress toward desired outcomes.

Reporting of child abuse/neglect must be documented in the charts as well as any communication and follow up with Child Protective Services. Comply with First Steps MSS and ICM program documentation requirements listed in the MSS/ICM Billing Instructions. For additional guidelines for record keeping and retention see [WAC 246-810- 035].

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Effective oral and written communication skills

Demonstrated understanding of community systems

Demonstrates respect and appreciation for diversity (culturally relevant, anti-bias, and multicultural)

Knowledge and the ability to apply federal, state and county regulations as they pertain to social services and specific professional licensure

Demonstrated ability to manage time, resources and client caseload

Knowledge of human growth and development, throughout the life span

Knowledge of brief counseling techniques and crisis intervention

Knowledge of behavioral change theories and practice

Knowledge of pregnancy and post pregnancy issues

Knowledge of mental health symptoms and ability to identify global level of functioning.

Ability to provide effective consultation

Strong assessment and intervention skills

Ability to blend social work and counseling practice with the overall functioning of the MSS team

Provide effective services within a limited time frame Knowledge of poverty, family disorganization and health issues

Ability to collect and report outcome data regarding behavioral health needs of the MSS population.

Knowledge skills and ability to recognize potentially dangerous situations to self in the clinic, office, home and community setting, and take appropriate action.

Provide leadership in assuring that all providers work collaboratively in addressing the needs of the MSS client population.

Demonstrate a willingness and ability to provide consultation and guidance to the MSS

POSITION 4:

CHILDCARE MANAGER

JOB SUMMARY:

Supervises the First Step Childcare Center to commence and maintain provision of appropriate childcare facility.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Coordinate all aspects of the First Step Family Support Center Childcare Facility including budgetary and billing management and ensuring compliance with all applicable licensing, regulatory and accrediting requirements.

Determine safety, maintenance and security requirements for the facility.

Coordinate parent partnership plan including orientations, workshops, parent groups, use of parent resources, newsletters, bulletin boards and class parent involvement activities.

Hire, train and supervise professional and paraprofessional staff (interns & practicum students).

Develop and supervise classroom program, curriculum and schedules to ensure best practices and developmentally appropriate practices based on learning through play and support.

Oversee food service.

JOB PROFILE;

Childcare Licensing & Development

Submit application to the Washington State Department of Early Learning for licensure

Development and facilitation of the Advisory Committee

Development of facility policies and procedures

Support for the child

Ensue appropriate child to adult ratios are met and a key person is appointed for reach child. To act as key person as appropriate.

Management of the provision and maintenance of furniture, equipment and toys, taking child development activities into consideration

Promote good health and take positive action to prevent the spread of infection, ensuring policies are in place to deal effectively with accidents and illness.

Promote equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practices and opportunities

To support the identification and development of appropriate opportunities for special and individual needs appropriate to caring, learning, and behavior.

Develop and maintain an appropriate correction active procedure, which is applied consistently by all adults within the facility setting

Ensure safety, welfare and protection of the child is central to all policies and procedures.

Support for the family

Produce an operational plan, outlining staff deployment, staff training and facilitybased activities with a flexible structure

Build positive relationships within the childcare provision and across the childcare facility as a whole, ensuring a good understanding of individual needs and home circumstances

Promote child welfare and develop partnerships with parents and family and other related parties, providing appropriate training and development opportunities.

Share child records and information including appropriate policies and procedures enabling a variety of opportunities and considering privacy, confidentiality requirements and safety.

Support for child development

Encourage independence, develop confidence and self-esteem

Plan, develop and review play and care activities, utilizing appropriate resources to increase learning opportunities

Develop positive social relationships, within peer and older groups and family settings

Maintain high expectations of children’s achievements

Enable routine opportunities for relaxation

Develop and delivery of “Promoting First Relationships”

Support for the childcare facility

Recruitment, training, and support of suitably qualified staff, ensuring compliance with safe recruitment practices and appropriate staff to child ratios are in place and deploy efficiently.

Support the establishment of appropriate cross sector and interagency partnerships, to support the efficient operation of the childcare facility.

Provide appropriate up-to-date training and development opportunities for childcare facility undertaking performance reviews which include celebration of achievement and performance improvement targets, in order to establish continuous professional development.

Supervise and manage staff effectively, leading and support the childcare team, supporting compliance with employment regulation, policies and procedures and promoting a healthy working environment

Support full compliance of child protection procedures and health and safety regulations, taking positive steps to promote safety and prevent accidents

Production and maintenance of personnel records for staff, volunteers and committee members

Production of a child and staff registration system, ensuring daily completion • Maintain safe, secure, nurturing, respectful, supportive, and suitable environment

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

As assigned

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

Specific Qualifications:
Knowledge of Washington State child care licensing regulations (WAC, RCW). Excellent communication skills both orally and written; good presentation skills; Ability to work effectively with children, parents, students, off-site faculty, agency staff and outside agencies; Excellent organizational, multi-tasking and report writing skills; Ability to supervise employees effectively; Computer skills including word processing and on-line operations. Be qualified by required background inquiry check.