Community Outreach Specialist

Position Name: Outreach Specialist

Duration: 1 Year extension possible based on needs and performance

Location: Washington, DC 20020, 4 days onsite

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for coordinating, planning and implementing weekly home visits for families, ensuring timely and efficient service delivery while maintaining clear communication with clients to support family engagement and attainment of program goals.
• Administers assessments and screenings in accordance with programmatic guidelines, and makes appropriate, timely referrals based on client-reported information and identified needs to ensure access to supportive services.
• Maintains a designated home visiting caseload ensuring families are actively and meaningfully engaged throughout the duration of the program.
• Provide resources, information, training and referrals to families in the areas of need or interest, or as required by Performance Standards.
• Builds and maintains trusting and respectful relationships with families through ongoing engagement, cultural sensitivity, and consistent support to foster open communication and promote positive health outcomes for participating households.
• Collaboratively supports program promotion, outreach, and recruitment activities to increase community and family awareness and engagement, with the goal of maintaining individual caseload and strengthening program’s visibility and impact within all target populations.
• Regularly supports the development of innovative community engagement strategies to target populations to build trust, foster relationships, and generate enthusiasm for participation in home visiting services in the District of Columbia but most specifically in Wards 5, 7 and 8.
• Collects and maintains accurate and up-to-date data in all relevant databases, ensuring timely, efficient and organized data management in compliance with program standards and reporting requirements.
• Actively participates in mandatory meetings, assigned trainings and professional development opportunities to enhance program knowledge, stay current with industry best practices, and support continuous improvement in home visiting service delivery.
• Maintains positive and professional demeanor at all times.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS

• Works under the general supervision of the program manager, who is responsible for the administration and oversight of the evidence-based home visiting model.
• The incumbent exercises considerable independence while performing in-home or in-person support services.
• Review of work is based primarily on the soundness of performance presented through reports and discussion, timeliness of assignment completion, and overall accuracy and effectiveness in performing duties and responsibilities in compliance with objectives.

COMPLEXITY

• The work involves providing home visiting services using an evidence-based home visiting model with fidelity to achieve the required MIECHV program benchmarks and performance measures.
• The performance of tasks requires the incumbent to possess strong communication, interpersonal and organizational skills, in addition to skills in assessment, goal setting, and resource referrals.

SCOPE AND EFFECT

• The primary purpose of this position is to provide in-home services to individuals and families in three key areas: positive parent-child interaction, child health, and home safety.
• The role of the Outreach Specialist involves conducting scheduled home visits to assess client needs, deliver education and interventions, and monitor progress toward established goals.
• Key effects of the model include reduced child maltreatment, improved parent-child interactions, enhanced child health knowledge, increased home safety, positive parenting skills, and overall child and family wellbeing.
• The effect of the work is to facilitate home visiting programming, conduct program related outreach and maintain administrative and clerical duties to ensure the overall effectiveness of program operations.

PERSONAL CONTACTS

• Contacts are with children and families, program staff including public health analyst, public health advisors, program coordinators, and program managers; division chiefs and other department leadership; model developers; and community-based organizations and government agencies in the district.

PURPOSE OF CONTACTS

• The purpose of these contacts is to provide reports, exchange and clarify information, resolve problems, and provide appropriate program services.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Must be able to carry out official duties in a variety of settings and conditions including the office, clients’ homes, early childcare centers, community-based organizations and schools.
• Routine work will occur primarily offsite while conducting home visits.
• In addition to conducting home visits for clients, the incumbent will also be assigned to attend outreach events in variable locations.
• Expected to report to the Clients office four (4) days a week, when not conducting home visits or engaging in outreach.
• Monday – Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (flexibility is available in final determination of work hours and may vary as required by the needs of the program).

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION

• Individuals must possess at least one (1) year of specialized and/or lived experience.
• An Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in public health, psychology, education, social services or related health field with course work in the areas of child development, family relations, and interpersonal skills OR
• A minimum of two (2) years’ experience in the area of social services, education or public health, specifically related to child health, behavioral health, social services, and/or early childhood.