Health & Safety Specialist (Child Development / Youth Services)

$1000 Sign on Bonus

Annual Salary 40,000.00

Company Description: The mission of Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. is to empower, educate, and employ people to change lives and strengthen communities. Ada S. McKinley’s founder and namesake was a schoolteacher and social reformer who started the agency in 1919 amid the Flu pandemic and Chicago Race Riot. The agency was founded as a settlement house to assist Black World War I veterans and their families migrating from the South. Today, as we faced similar circumstances with the COVID-19 pandemic along with civil unrest and protests to end systemic racism, Ada S. McKinley continued its consistency in protecting the well-being of the people it serves.

The agency has reached the 100-year milestone, and currently serves more than 7,000 people annually at over 70 program sites throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, Wisconsin and Indiana. Its wide range of services include Child Development & Youth; Employment & Community Support; and Behavioral Health & Clinical. Services rendered daily include tutoring, mentoring and college placement, foster care, housing opportunities, mental health, youth and family counseling, employment training and placement, and head start programs.

The vision of Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. is for all people to have the opportunity for education and employment.

Program and Roles Summary: Under the direction and supervision of the Director of Health & Safety, this position will ensure that quality comprehensive health services are provided and accessible to all Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. Head Start and Early Head Start partner sites. The incumbent for this position will work collaboratively with other program staff and partners to guarantee that all families seek and gain appropriate access to the services for optimal health of their children and that these services are then documented appropriately. The Health Specialist will also support the program by always promoting safe environments for children.

Reporting Relationship:

Reports To: Director of Health & Safety

Principal Duties/Responsibilities:

• Assist in coordinating preventative health program/services for all children enrolled at our partner sites and ASM site.
• Conduct routine in-person site visits with assigned partner sites to ensure that Health & Safety components/goals are achieved twice a month and as needed.
• Complete formal site monitoring reports and submit reports of any non-compliance to Director of Health & Safety as required and requested.
• Support partner site staff with the submission and monitoring of all EPSDT data via CSD (electronic database/monitoring system): physical exams, well child exams, labs, dental exams, immunizations, vision and hearing screenings, etc.
• Collaborate with partner site staff in referring parents and families to community partnerships to help access medical and dental homes and other resources.
• Collaborate with community partners and establish partnerships for health, oral health, and WIC.
• Review, replenish, and monitor center’s first aid kits.
• Conduct quarterly facilities checklist in accordance with Health and Safety regulations per DFSS.
• Assist with collection of referral packets and health action plans for children with health concerns. Follow up with families directly to ensure that the child has all necessary medical care and follow up care in place.
• Assist in offering Health & Safety training for bus evacuations to partner sites.
• Attending scheduled workshops, training’s, staff meetings, and all other work- related events.
• Collaborate with ASM site, ASM staff, and Partner sites to ensure that all staff maintain a current CPR/First Aid Certification.
• Collaborate with ASM staff, ASM site, and Partner sites to ensure that all staff receive annual trainings to including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Medication Administration, Bloodborne Pathogens, Mandated Reporter, and other required trainings.
• Work in collaboration with nurse consultants to ensure that children remain up to date on all health requirements per EPSDT schedule.
• Monitor and review child files to ensure that children are up to date by using a health tracking system and providing notices to families for expired information and/or follow up.
• Provide internal/external training for health and safety as needed.
• Document all incidents/accidents reported by sites and submit them to VP and Director of Health and Safety.
• Ensure all partner sites have appropriate posters/certifications displayed (such as evacuation plans and emergency postings) in their designated areas per requirements of each center.

Requirements:

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, and early childhood, special education, or in Behavioral Services from an accredited educational school.
• 2 years minimum experience working with infant/toddler and preschool children and families.
• Transportation is required for this role. Individuals must have a valid driver’s license; a motor vehicle report acceptable to the agency’s insurance broker and verification of insurance on the vehicle.
• Must be in compliance with background check requirements, updated medical and all licensing mandates.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities (K/S/A):

· This position requires the individual demonstrate the experiences, beliefs, attitude and awareness that indicate cultural sensitivity to the client population served.

· This position requires the individual possess the ability to partner with clients individually and/or in family to help them mobilize resources and build resilience.

· This position requires the individual possess the ability to coordinate effectively with other team members, other Agency resources and outside services in addressing client needs.

• This position requires the individual possess an understanding of evidence-informed practices, engagement strategies, boundary setting, concurrent documentation, working in a community setting, organizing, motivational interviewing, and family systems.
• Must be familiar with the operation of but not limited to desktop computer systems, cell phone, laptop, notebook, netbook, and tablet type devices knowledge of community resources and ability to use a variety of applications on a computer.
• Staff are expected to have the ability to work remotely from home if necessary, and with Supervisory approval. Safety Protocols while at the office and within the community are to be strictly adhered.

Mental/Physical Demands:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Work requires prolonged concentration using a computer in analyzing and manipulating data. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle or feel and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally life and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Environmental Conditions: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Duties are performed in a typical office environment. No unusual or adverse working conditions exist.This description documents the general contents and requirements of the job. It is not to be construed as an exhausted statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.

The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $40,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Application Question(s):

• Do you have experience with Early Head Start or Head Start? (Required)

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Caregiving: 2 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)
• CPR Certification (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chicago, IL 60619