FAMILY SUPPORT WORKER

Requisition No: 884989


Agency: Department of Health

Working Title: FAMILY SUPPORT WORKER - 64005667

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 64005667


Salary: $34,759.92


Posting Closing Date: 10/21/2026


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FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

OPEN COMPETITIVE

This position provides basic mom-to-mom breastfeeding education, encouragement, and support to WIC pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum participants. The incumbent manages an assigned peer counseling caseload, maintains routine contact with participants, supports breastfeeding initiation and duration, works within the peer counselor scope of practice, and promptly yields and refers concerns that require professional assessment or clinical care.

Your Specific Responsibilities:

Breastfeeding peer counseling and caseload management.• Counsels assigned WIC pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum participants on normal breastfeeding matters in the clinic, by telephone or approved virtual methods, and through hospital or community visits when assigned. • Manages an assigned caseload and completes initial and follow-up contacts at intervals established by the local agency, including approved availability outside normal clinic hours up to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and on weekends. • Provides basic, client-centered breastfeeding information and encouragement to help participants establish breastfeeding, address common barriers, and prevent or manage common concerns within the peer counselor scope of practice. • Uses approved educational materials and counseling techniques to help participants prepare for breastfeeding, build confidence, recognize normal infant-feeding patterns, continue breastfeeding during common life transitions, and work toward their individual feeding goals. • Maintains strict confidentiality and provides respectful, culturally responsive support in accordance with Department of Health, WIC, HIPAA, and data-security requirements.

Peer counseling documentation and service reporting. Documents individual and group breastfeeding contacts in the appropriate FL-WiSE breastfeeding screens and completes approved prenatal or postpartum contact forms when system access is unavailable. Keeps accurate records of participant contacts, attempts, follow-up plans, referrals, and outcomes; scans completed contact forms into FL-WiSE as required. Accurately records time and services in EARS or HMS and completes required reports, logs, and paperwork within established timeframes.

Breastfeeding classes support groups promotion and outreach. Facilitates or assists with approved prenatal breastfeeding classes, breastfeeding support groups, peer-led education, outreach events, and special breastfeeding promotion projects. • Distributes approved materials, reinforces consistent WIC breastfeeding messages, and helps connect eligible participants with peer counseling services and appropriate community resources. Provides breastfeeding support outside the clinic environment when assigned and permitted by local protocols.

Referral coordination and continuity of breastfeeding support.

Recognizes paraprofessional limitations and promptly yields and refers medical, medication, nutrition, high-risk, or complex breastfeeding concerns to the Designated Breastfeeding Expert, CPA, health care provider, or other appropriate professional. • Follows the local referral process, communicates relevant information to authorized staff, documents referrals, and resumes basic peer support when the participant is referred back. Maintains regular communication with the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Coordinator regarding caseload needs, participant concerns, and follow-up priorities.

Training meetings and quality improvement.• Attends required orientation, breastfeeding training, in-services, staff meetings, workshops, and competency reviews; reads assigned materials and incorporates supervisor feedback. Participates in observation and documentation review by the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Coordinator and follows all Department of Health and WIC policies related to confidentiality, data security, attendance, travel, telework, and time reporting.

Peer counseling program support, travel and other duties. Assists with monitoring, issuing, organizing, and restocking approved breastfeeding supplies and educational materials; completes a monthly inventory of supplies and promptly reports inventory needs to the Breastfeeding Coordinator. • Checks participant messages and assigned communications; maintains peer counseling forms and educational materials; and travels between approved clinic, hospital, community, or outreach locations as scheduled. The employee may be required to travel to the Immokalee office when needed to support program operations, staffing needs, meetings, training, outreach, or other assigned duties. Assists with approved peer counseling projects, participant engagement activities, and routine program support that directly benefits the Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program. Performs other related duties as assigned that are consistent with the position classification, required training, BFPC funding requirements, and the peer counselor scope of practice.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Must have breastfed at least one baby.
• Knowledge of basic breastfeeding practices, common breastfeeding concerns, normal lactation, and the boundaries of the breastfeeding peer counselor role.
• Ability to provide respectful mom-to-mom support, use client-centered communication, protect confidentiality, and work effectively with participants from varied backgrounds.
• Ability to recognize concerns outside the peer counselor scope of practice and promptly use the local yield, referral, and follow-back process.
• Ability to learn and accurately use FL-WiSE, EARS or HMS, Microsoft Office applications, telephone systems, and other approved program technology.
• Ability to organize a caseload, prioritize follow-up, maintain accurate records, meet deadlines, travel between assigned locations, and work independently within established procedures.
• Ability to communicate clearly in person, by telephone, and in writing; language skills and cultural familiarity aligned with the participants served by the local agency.

Qualifications:

Minimum - Incumbent may be required to work before, during and/or beyond normal work hours or days in the event of an emergency. Emergency duty required of the incumbent includes working in special needs or Red Cross shelters, or performing other emergency duties including, but not limited to, responses to or threats involving any disaster or threat of disaster, man-made or natural.

Preferred - Valid Florida driver license when travel between Naples & Immokalee WIC sites or community locations is required.

Florida Department of Health Mission, Vision, and Values:

Mission:

To protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county & community efforts.

Vision:

To be the Healthiest State in the Nation.

Values:

I nnovation: We search for creative solutions and manage resources wisely.

C ollaboration: We use teamwork to achieve common goals & solve problems.

A ccountability: We perform with integrity & respect.

R esponsiveness: We achieve our mission by serving our customers & engaging our partners.

E xcellence: We promote quality outcomes through learning & continuous performance improvement.

Where You Will Work:

Naples, Florida

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions

(For more information, please click

• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, including monthly costs, visit

Please be advised:

Your responses to qualifying questions for this position must be verifiable by documentation provided through the electronic application process.


This position requires a security background check and/or drug screening and participation in direct deposit. Any misrepresentations or omissions will disqualify you from employment consideration. Note: You will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) in order to conduct this background check Successful completion of a drug test is a condition of employment for safety-sensitive positions.

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. For more information, please visit the SSS website:


If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.


The successful candidate will be required to complete the Form I-9 and that information will be verified using the E-Verify system. E-Verify is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to verify employment eligibility.


Incumbents may be required to perform emergency duty before, during, and/or beyond normal work hours or days.

All Florida Department of Health positions require the incumbent to be able to learn and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in English. Applicants who do not meet this requirement will not be considered.


The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.


Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center View phone number on click.appcast.io). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.


The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.


Florida has the third largest population of veterans in the nation with more than 1.5 million service men and women. The Florida Department of Health (department) is committed to serving members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans and their families by encouraging them to apply for vacancies that fit their area of knowledge and/or expertise. Through the Department's VALOR program, which expedites licensing for military veterans, the Department also waives initial licensing and application fees for military veterans who apply for a health care professional license within 60 months of an honorable discharge. These initiatives help ensure that the transition from military service into the workforce is as smooth as possible and reflects our appreciation for the dedication devoted to protecting our country.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center View phone number on click.appcast.io). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans' Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans' Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here. All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.


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