Job Duties
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of Virginians. The VDH is made up of a statewide Central Office in Richmond and 33 local health districts. The Chesterfield Health District provides public health services to the residents of Chesterfield County, Powhatan County, and the City of Colonial Heights.
The Breastfeeding Peer Counselor promotes breastfeeding among WIC participants, health care workers and the community. Attends local, regional, or state breastfeeding promotions and supports training. Operates within the BFPC scope of practice as defined in the WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum. Participates in multidisciplinary team case conferencing to develop and implement WIC participant service plans. May represent Local Agency and WIC on interdisciplinary workgroups, task forces, or coalitions.
1.Provides breastfeeding encouragement, information, and counsel to prenatal and breastfeeding participants.
2.Provides anticipatory education about the normal course of breastfeeding.
3.Conducts support group meetings and assists the nutritionist with individual and other group sessions.
4.Contacts participants at predetermined intervals per WIC policy to provide counsel, encouragement, and information to maintain lactation. Is available to participants outside of usual clinic hours and the WIC clinic environment. Identifies problems or potential problems necessitating referral to the nutritionist, or WIC Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE).
5.Recruits participants to attend nutrition education classes by making clinic, telephone, and/or mail contacts.
6.Maintains logs of patient contacts, and completes monthly activity reports and other health department forms as required. Utilizes the Crossroads system.
7.May plan and participate in community outreach events for WIC participants, particularly during Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Plans local agency breastfeeding promotion events. Creates and maintains a breastfeeding-friendly environment.
8. Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Wage employees are subject to the following conditions of employment:
• Wage employees serve at the will and pleasure of the appointing authority.
• Continuing employment is based on available funding and business need.
• Wage employees are not covered by the provisions of the Virginia Personnel Act. Therefore, they are
not eligible for benefits which are provided to salaried employees, such as leave credits, holiday pay, insurance, access to the grievance procedure, etc.
• Wage employees are paid only for the hours they actually work.
• Virginia state law currently requires that agencies not permit wage employees to work in excess of 29 hours per week on average over the course of a year. Wage employees may not work for VDH beyond 1,500 hours during the period of May 1 – April 30 of the following year (the Standard Measurement Period).
• Once a wage employee works the maximum of 1,500 hours during the Standard Measurement Period, the employee may be rehired as a wage employee of VDH only after the next Standard Measurement Period has begun.
• Wage employees are eligible to apply for all classified positions for which recruitment has been initiated, including those limited to State Employees Only.
• If a wage employee becomes employed in a classified position, he/she will be eligible to purchase retirement credit for the time worked as a wage employee.
• Continuing employment is based on available funding and business need.
Minimum Qualifications
• Demonstrated working knowledge of basic breastfeeding management, manual expression of breast milk and collection and storage of human milk
• Demonstrated skill in effective communication
• Demonstrated working knowledge of basic human lactation and breastfeeding practices
• Demonstrated ability to instruct in a group and individual setting
Additional Considerations
• Bilingual in English/Spanish
• Previous or current participation in the WIC Program
• Breastfed at least one baby for at least 6 months
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
Contact Information
Name: Brandi Henderson
Phone: 804-751-4359
Email: ov
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter.