WIC Eligibility Interviewer

New Mexico Department of Health; Espanola (NM); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

New Mexico Department of Health is seeking a WIC program staff member to screen applicants, determine eligibility, and provide nutrition education and breastfeeding support to eligible participants in the state. The role includes documenting services, coordinating with social services, and assisting in data management.

Responsibilities include prescribing food packages, conducting education sessions, collecting health data such as hemoglobin and anthropometrics, and maintaining efficient WIC

Qualifications

• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Experience with client-facing Nutrition or public health programs is a plus.
• Proficiency in basic office software and data entry is desired.

Responsibilities

• Screen applicants to determine eligibility by income, residency, and nutritional risk.
• Prescribe food packages and provide one-on-one or group nutrition education.
• Promote and support breastfeeding as part of nutrition education.
• Assess nutrition risk and implement individual care plans for low-risk participants.
• Refer clients to other health and social services and follow up on referrals.
• Document nutrition services provided, including referrals and follow-up.
• Maintain WIC program operations and document services.
• Obtain and assess hemoglobin and anthropometrics for participants.
• Perform clerical duties: data entry, filing, answering phones, scheduling.

Skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Customer service

Data entry

Office software

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Job description

Why does the job exist?

To screen applicants to determine eligibility by assessing income, residency, and nutritional risk.

Prescribes food packages. Provides group and one-on-one nutrition education, including breastfeeding promotion and support that is responsive to the identified needs/interests of each participant. Identifies the need for individual care plans and implements them for low-risk participants. Refers participants to other health and social services and provides appropriate follow-up to referrals. Documents nutrition services provided, including referral and follow-up to referrals.

How does it get done?

Maintain effective and efficient Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program operations in the region by assessing and documenting a participants nutrition risk; prescribes food packages for each participant certified; determine eligibility and provide one-on-one and/or group nutrition education, including breastfeeding promotion and support. Assess participants needs for use of a breast pump and/or any other breastfeeding education. Obtain and assess hemoglobin and anthropometrics on each participant. Provide quality client services using constructs of Participant Centered Education (PCE) as required by United States Department of Agriculture. Assist families in developing healthy eating goals and provide on-going nutrition education. Refers participants to other health and social services. Perform clerical duties such as filing, typing, data entry, word processing, and other computer software applications; operate photocopiers, fax machines, and other office equipment; and prepare mailings, answer phones, answer questions, deliver messages, and make appointments and electronic card inventory.

Who are the customers?

Qualified Pregnant, Breastfeeding and Post-partum women, infants and children - up to the age of five (5) years.

Ideal Candidate

Fluent in both English and Spanish; experience in entering and retrieving data from multiple information systems including the New Mexico Women, Infants & Children Program Automated Data System; providing and/or coordinating direct nutrition services to clients including nutritional screening, assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation based on program guidelines, client education and management of records; collaborating and coordinating with other organizations within the community; assisting in food and nutrition programs in the department of dietetics to meet nutritional requirements; counseling individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life.

High School diploma or Equivalent and one (1) year of women, infant, and children (WIC) experience, customer service, office administration, or government assistance programs such as welfare, unemployment benefits, social security benefits and/or public housing. Any combination of education from an accredited college or university in a related field and/or direct experience in this occupation totaling one (1) year may substitute for the required experience.

Employment Requirements

Must possess and maintain a valid Driver's License.

Must possess and maintain a current Defensive Driving Course Certificate from the State of New Mexico or must pass and receive Defensive Driving Course Certification within six (6) months of date of hire as a condition of continued employment.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in an office setting with exposure to Visual/Video Display Terminal (VDT) and extensive phone and personal computer usage. Direct client interaction and some travel may be required.

Supplemental Information

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Bargaining Unit Position

This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, and all terms/conditions of that agreement apply and must be adhered to.