County of Alameda

DESCRIPTION

Under general direction, works in conjunction with skilled medical professional staff in providing ongoing, continuous home visitation to clients participating in the Special Start Program: performing paraprofessional duties specific to patient care and service delivery to high-risk pediatric clients; participates in community outreach and educational activities; and performs related duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

Special Start is a home visitation program offering intensive nursing case management and home visitation to a select population of infants discharged from area hospital NICU’s.

Ancillary Support Workers are used in a paraprofessional capacity and work in a multi-disciplinary team comprised of public health nurses, skilled medical professional staff and other care providers to deliver high quality health services to this client population. Incumbents in this class report to the Special Start Program Manager. This class is distinguished from professional staff in that professional staff performs at a higher level and with increased technical knowledge and ability gained through experience, education and licensure. Professional staff also exercise significant judgment and make therapeutic decisions regarding client treatment and/or counseling services.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Participates in multidisciplinary teams and assists in the development of an appropriate and cooperative health and social care plan for pediatric clients and their families.

2. Performs routine tasks associated with scheduling appointments to meet medical, dental, mental health and developmental health and social needs; facilitates clients’ access to services and expedites timely referrals to service providers; explains and clarifies the health care system for clients.

3. Assists public health nursing staff with pediatric health and development assessment to enhance positive health outcomes for the child and caregiver.

4. Performs community outreach and health education activities to targeted client population; translates educational and other resource materials for clients.

5. Provides advocacy on behalf of high risk pediatric clients; assists skilled medical professional staff with negotiating health and social service systems that impact the health and social outcomes for the client and their families.

6. Accompanies clients to medical appointments, assists with completion of relevant health insurance forms and/or access health and social care systems.

7. Acts as liaison/advocate between various programs serving at-risk pediatric clients and their families in conjunction with case manager.

8. Ensures compliance with program policies and standards for services provided by the Special Start Program.

9. Completes all required documentation to maximize program accountability and funding; maintains consistent practice and procedures, and compliance with mandated guidelines.

10. Presents case studies to Special Start or approved media venues.

11. Maintains effective working relationships with clients, their families department staff, outside agencies and the general public.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Either I
Education:

Possession of an Associate of Arts Degree from an accredited college in health services, social science or a related field, such as psychology or counseling.

AND
Experience:

The equivalent of one year full-time experience working in a community outreach program or medical setting performing duties such as: interacting with clients, families professional and medical staff in a health care delivery system; patient and family advocacy; obtaining personal history data; needs assessment, program screening, counseling, placement and referral.

Or II

The equivalent of two years full-time experience working in a community outreach program or medical setting performing duties such as: interacting with clients, families, professional and medical staff in a health care delivery system; patient and family advocacy; obtaining personal history data; needs assessment program screening, counseling, placement and referral.

License: Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the “Examples of Duties” section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

• Health care and health insurance systems.
• Community resources and organizations for medically underserved populations.
• Methods and techniques of interviewing.
• Advocacy with medically-fragile infants.
• Principles of counseling.
• Methods of effective community organization and its role I the treatment of socially at-risk population and their children.
• Principles, practices and current trends in the recovery community for substance abuse.
• Outreach program development, implementation and evaluation.
• Basic social needs, problems attitudes and behavioral patterns.
• Basic principles of health promotion, disease prevention and preventive health care.

Ability to:

• Utilize interpersonal skills and maintain effective working relationships with clients and their families, and with professional, paraprofessional and support staff I the department, in outside agencies and with the general public.
• Respect clients’ right to confidentiality.
• Obtain, maintain, and present accurate client data.
• Communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary team, community resources and organizations.
• Interpersonal and cultural sensitivity.
• Follow prescribed procedures.
• Plan and implement presentations on program and service delivery.
• Flexibility.
• Manage multiple and changing priorities.

CLASS SPEC HISTORY

BG:pf
11/17/00
Newspecs: 5021.doc
Csc date: 11/29/00
TE:pf Revised 2/9/05
CSC Date: 3/2/2005