Public Health Educator (STI Clinic) en Forsyth County (NC), NC

About the Department

Forsyth County Department of Public Health has an opening for a Public Health Educator.  The Public Health Educator position is a critical role within the STI Clinic, directly supporting the department’s mission to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections and promote community health. This position provides patient education, prevention counseling, and linkage to care, ensuring clients have the knowledge and resources to make informed health decisions.

Duties of the Health Educator include providing individual and group education on STI prevention and reproductive health, delivering culturally competent counseling, and linking clients to appropriate testing and treatment. The role involves conducting pre-vasectomy counseling, scheduling procedures, and coordinating follow-up care. The Health Educator is responsible for accurate data entry and reporting to state systems to ensure compliance with public health regulations. Additionally, the position supports community outreach, health promotion activities, and collaborates closely with clinical staff to deliver coordinated care.

This position does require working occasional weekends for community outreach events.

Position Duties

A successful candidate should have the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

Clinical & Technical Skills

• Knowledge of STI prevention, transmission, and treatment options.
• Understanding of reproductive health, family planning, and vasectomy counseling.
• Proficiency in entering and managing sensitive health data in systems such as NCEDDS (or other state reporting platforms).
• Ability to follow state and federal reporting requirements for communicable diseases.
• Strong documentation and record-keeping skills with attention to accuracy and confidentiality (HIPAA compliance).

 Education & Counseling Skills

• Skilled in providing patient-centered counseling on STI risk reduction and reproductive health.
• Ability to communicate complex medical and prevention information in clear, culturally sensitive language.
• Experience developing and delivering health education to individuals and diverse populations.
• Motivational interviewing and active listening skills to support behavior change.

 Interpersonal & Communication Skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills with patients, clinical staff, and external partners.
• Ability to build trust and rapport with clients while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Culturally competent, trauma-informed approach to working with diverse communities.

 Organizational & Professional Skills

• Time management and ability to handle multiple responsibilities (education, counseling, reporting, scheduling).
• Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating as part of a multidisciplinary clinical team.
• Professionalism, discretion, and a strong sense of ethics in handling sensitive health information.

 Technology Skills

• Proficiency with electronic health records (EHR) systems.
• Skilled in database entry and reporting platforms (e.g., NCEDDS).
• Comfort with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) for reporting, education, and communication tasks.)

Minimum Qualifications

Graduation from a four-year college or university with a major in health education.

A four-year degree outside of the relevant academic field plus additional years of relevant experience may also be considered.

A higher education level may be considered as a substitution for all or part of the experience.

Valid driver's license required.

Other Qualifications

Essential duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: