Title: Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

State Role Title: Direct Service Associate II

Hiring Range: $15.00-$18.07

Pay Band: 2

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: EASTERN SHORE-ACCOMACK-CEN

Agency Website: www.vdh.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Eastern Shore Health District proudly serves Northampton and Accomack counties. Our mission is to prevent illness and disease, protect the environment, and promote optimal health and emergency preparedness for everyone on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. We are people of the community, for the community. Our vision is to drive Virginia's Eastern Shore to the peak of personal, environmental, and community health, setting an example for others to follow. 

We are seeking a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor to promote breastfeeding among WIC participants, health care workers and the community. The ideal candidate would attend local, regional, or state breastfeeding promotion and support training when possible. As well as operate 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, taskforces, or coalitions.

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
• Breastfed at least one baby for at least 6 months

License or Certification required:
• Driver's license

Additional Considerations

• Current or former WIC participants preferred
• Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred

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.

VDH accepts only on-line applications. Faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications will not be considered. Applications are accepted until 11:55 p.m. on the job closing date. Applications and/or resumes should include relevant work history which indicates your qualifications for this position. Supplemental questions are encouraged to be answered in a comprehensive manner and reference any pertinent knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as any previous experience that relates to the position.

Employment is contingent upon satisfactory results of a state and federal criminal history background check and the Department of Social Service’s Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check, U.S. HHSIG Exclusion List check, employment reference check and E-Verify. Other financial, credit, driving, background checks or completion of Statement of Economic Interests may be required for certain positions.

Contact Information

Name: Crystal Parks

Phone: For inquiries please email

Email: crystal.parks@vdh.virginia.gov

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. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.