Health Educator - Lakeview/Gale Elementary School

The Member’s duties and responsibilities connect with and enhance the work of our health centers by offering vital health education about some of the health issues affecting our patients – nutrition, oral hygiene, reproductive health, among the most important. This service enhances patient understanding of their health status and their role in safeguarding and improving it. Because our clinicians have minimal if any time to devote to this kind of interaction with their patients, the Member’s role is vital in imparting information, strategies and messages to our patients to increase the effectiveness of the work of our health providers.

Nutrition Education (CHC and SBHC) – Members will be trained to conduct one-on-one health education to promote healthy eating and increased physical activity for patients with diabetes/pre diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and/or triglycerides and weight issues. The AmeriCorps Member will devote his/her time to providing this education to support the clinicians who are focused on clinical responsibilities and are unable to provide comprehensive education to patients.  Group sessions and/or 1:1 counseling will include assessing patients’ current nutritional intake and practices, barriers to change, suggestions and referrals to local resources that may help address these barriers, and tracking each patient’s progress. All of this service will complement that of the medical providers and will provide continuity of care through the integrated Electronic Medical Record (EMR). It is anticipated that the AmeriCorps Member’s service will result in most patients who engage with him/her demonstrating positive behavior change related to diet, increased physical activity and related healthy behaviors. The AmeriCorps Member will be encouraged to support or create community classes that address healthy eating and exercise. 

Health Coaching (CHC): While 1:1 health education is an essential part of helping patients make positive changes to their health, members will be trained in advanced motivational interviewing techniques to help patients set goals and make changes to behaviors. After self-management goals have been established by the provider, a patient can be referred to a member for a deeper conversation around setting and achieving health goals. Clinical staff does not have time to conduct 1:1 health goal setting.  All of this service will complement that of the medical providers and will provide continuity of care through the integrated Electronic Medical Record (EMR).

Oral Health –The Member will help orchestrate dental services with Tapestry 360 Health dental and will promote these services to patients, while providing health education around the effects of proper nutrition on oral health. The AmeriCorps Member will be a key person in coordinating outreach and education efforts, communicating with patients and staff, and facilitating referrals to our dental program for all patients needing treatment. The Member will also be trained in providing group oral health education. 

Women’s Health – The Member will help orchestrate women’s health services with Tapestry 360 Health and will promote these services to patients, while providing health education around the effects of proper nutrition on pregnancy. The AmeriCorps Member will be a key person in coordinating outreach and education efforts, communicating with patients and staff, and facilitating referrals to our women’s health program for all patients needing care. The Member will also be trained in providing group nutrition education for our prenatal and postnatal patients.

Health Enrollment and Compliance (SBHC) – The school administration tries to remind parents early to take their children for required physical and vaccines.  Even with school-wide notices to parents, many still remain non-compliant with health mandates well into the school year, and even more fundamentally are not enrolled in the health center.  The AmeriCorps member will help with outreach to get students enrolled and compliant, thereby promoting community protection against serious diseases.  An additional focus will be on the HPV vaccine and the member will launch efforts geared to parents. 

Sexual Health Education (SBHC) –While Chicago Public Schools (CPS) mandates comprehensive sex education for all schools, we know that many teachers don’t have the training or comfort level to implement this.  The AmeriCorps member will augment classroom reproductive health education, arming youth with the knowledge and tools necessary to make healthy decisions about their sexual health and relationships.  The member may also be available to neighboring schools that would like assistance in providing sexual health education. 

Youth Advisory Board (SBHC) –Members will serve with designated school based health center staff to identify student leaders who want to participate in providing youth-driven feedback to the clinic. Youth Advisory Board members will also be encouraged to participate in peer-to-peer health education campaigns in the school. Youth voice is an important part of delivering quality and youth-friendly care at the school based health centers.

• Nutrition and Health Education (85%)
• Addressing structural oppression through patient needs assessments (15%)

This position will be M-F alternating between Lakeview (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Gale Elementary (8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.)

• Familiar with health equity-related issues
• Self-starter
• Flexible
• Able to build strong relationships
• Able to communicate effectively with individuals or diverse backgrounds and identities

• Knowledge of AmeriCorps/Health Corps member requirements
• Skill with Microsoft Office or other software for a variety of data processing operations involving a range of problem solving, record keeping, correspondence, and service tracking options.

• The supervisor assigns service activities, advises on changes in procedures, and is available for assistance when required

• The member independently plans and carries out the projects and selects the approaches and methods to be used in solving problems

• Detailed guidelines exist, including regulations and directives, handbooks, precedents, industry standards, and files of previous projects

• The facts or conditions of the service position are clear cut, predictable, and apply directly to the assignment