Healthy Start Home Visitor Specialist (265) at Lutheran Services Florida (LSF)

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) envisions a world where children are safe, families are strong, and communities are vibrant. 

LSF is looking for talented Healthy Start Home Visits Specialist who want to make an impact in the lives of children and families.

Purpose & Impact:

Healthy Start Home Visits Specialists coordinate all services and interventions for children and their families referred to the Health Start program in Hillsborough County. Our care management team will facilitate service delivery to clients who are pregnant or postpartum, including their infants, and inter-conception women identified as high risk due to various medical conditions or social determinants. Home Visits Specialists are assigned clients who are at a higher risk status such as those with mental health issues or substance use disorder.

Essential Functions:

• Provides intensive home visitation services with the provision of the Healthy Start Prenatal and Infant Pathways, and Inter-conception Care Counseling, and utilization of screening tools to identify specific risk factors including maternal depression, domestic/intimate partner violence, tobacco use, substance use, and infant development.
• Accepts all cases assigned by unit supervisor and meet with children and their families in their primary residence within two working days of case assignment.
• Facilitates and conducts approved screening instruments. Conducts initial screening assessment within five working days of assignment.
• Negotiates and develops a Family Support Plan/Plan of Safe Care based on identified strengths and needs of the family and the circumstances resulting in a referral to the Healthy Start program. This plan is to be created in collaboration with the parents, and is focused on strengthening parents’ skills through education, counseling, and home visiting interventions.
• Conducts a total of 48 face-to-face Healthy Start pathway and care coordination visits each month with assigned families in an individual or group setting. Face-to-face visits are completed a minimum of once every 30 days for each client, and more often based on client’s risk level, safety concerns, and individual needs.
• Accurately documents all case activities within 48 hours. Maintains the electronic case file in chronological order, by subject, in accordance with the standardized case file format guidelines.
• Submits timely referrals to services as identified throughout the assessment process. Develops and maintains knowledge of community resources, program eligibility requirements, key contact persons, emergency procedures, and waiting lists of available resources.
• Arranges for, attends, and participates in individual case staffings as necessary. Completes all required staffing documentation.
• Attend all appointments, staff meetings, trainings, seminars, workshops, etc., as necessary, and as required by the supervisor.
• Organize, prioritize, and complete all work assignments by the established deadlines.

All duties are performed in accordance with the following standards:

• Courtesy: Treat customers, the public and staff with courtesy, respect and dignity and presents a positive public image.
• Communication Skills: Keep supervisor fully informed of activities, pertinent issues, upcoming events and potential problems. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills in daily work.
• Teamwork: Support the unit, department and/or organization and work with others in an effort to accomplish the goals of the unit, department and/or organization.
• Safety: Employee makes a reasonable effort to adhere to established safety procedures and practices in the work area.
• Training: Attend and successfully complete all mandated training courses to obtain and maintain program-specific requirements and LSF training requirements.
• Confidentiality: Adhere to all confidentiality rules.

Other Functions:

Perform other related duties and special assignments as required.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, and reach for extended periods during the course of daily duties.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 25 pounds occasionally (such as educational materials, infant equipment, or program supplies).
• Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle for home visits and community outreach; must have visual and auditory capacity sufficient for safe driving.
• Manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and tablets used for documentation and data entry.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, with clients, families, and colleagues in various environments, including homes and community settings.
• Must be able to tolerate varied home environments, including exposure to household cleaning products, pets, tobacco smoke, and diverse living conditions.
• Requires the ability to maintain composure and focus while working in emotionally charged or unpredictable family situations.
• Frequent local travel within the service area; occasional exposure to outdoor weather conditions during visits or outreach events.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education/Experience:

• Four-year college degree, (Master’s degree preferred) in social sciences, psychology, health related field such as nursing, health education, health planning, health care administration, or social work; or.
• Associate degree and licensure as a registered nurse with three years of public health/maternal-child health experience or a licensed practical nurse with four years of public health/maternal-child health experience; or.
• Two years of college with three (3) years of public health/maternal-child health experience.

Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with and ability to use Microsoft Office programs Word and Excel.
• Ability to type 45 words per minute.
• Ability to drive both locally and throughout the state in connection with the duties of this position.
• To fully understand case ownership responsibility as the integrator of all services and supports identified for each child and their families, including therapy, other mental health services, health and dentistry, developmental services, educational and other supports.

Other:

Must demonstrate sensitivity to our service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics and needs.

Valid driver’s license, vehicle and appropriate auto liability insurance ($10,000/$20,000) required.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Reports directly to and follows directives of Care Coordinator Supervisor.
• Works cooperatively with Home Visitors, leadership team, LSF colleagues and with agency support staff.
• Effectively manages time to ensure that all home visits are completed as required, and all case documentation is entered timely.
• Follows Florida Statutes, Administrative Code, program specific and LSF written policies and procedures.

Why work for LSF?

LSF offers 60 programs across the state of Florida serving a wide range of populations in need. Mission Driven staff members become part of the LSF community while transforming the lives of those in need. Our staff additionally find growth opportunities as they explore areas of interest within the organization.  

Amazing benefits package including:

• Medical, Dental and Vision
• Telehealth (24/7 online access to Doctors)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employer paid life insurance (1X salary)
• 13 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday
• Generous PTO policy (starting at 16 working days a year)
• Note: Head Start employees paid time off and holiday schedule may differ
• 403(b) Retirement plan with 3% discretionary employer match OR 3% student loan repayment reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement

LSF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.