Health and Disabilities Advocate

Acelero Learning is a pioneering provider of early childhood education and family engagement services through our three business units, all focused on closing the achievement gap for thousands of Head Start children and families across the country. With over $80 million in revenue and unparalleled child outcome data, we are both one of the largest and one of the most innovative companies in our space.

Acelero Learning is a provider of direct Head Start services in four states (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Wisconsin).

Shine Assist, part of our Shine Early Learning division, is a training and technical assistance unit which partners with other Head Start providers to improve their programs through hands-on training, access to our proprietary tools which have demonstrable impact on child outcomes, and the use of our Shine Insight data system.

Shine Implement, the newest unit within Shine Early Learning, manages the delivery of Head Start services for a select group of partners through a suite of services including oversight of educational, family services and program design activities, provision of our proprietary tools, and the use of our Shine Insight data system.

We are seeking a Health & Disabilities Advocate to join our team in Ohio!

Job Summary:

The Health and Disabilities Advocate (HDA) will work as a member of a team whose primary role is to engage families to partner with us to promote children's healthy development and school readiness. In their specialized role, the Health and Disabilities Advocates are responsible for working with their team members and the Health and Nutrition Coordinators to assure that all children in their assigned Centers are up to date on EPSDT requirements, receive health follow up on acute and chronic conditions, and have medical and dental homes. They will also provide individualized support to a caseload of families whose children have chronic health and nutrition conditions and special needs. In this role, they will collaborate with Health and Nutrition Coordinators and Early Learning Disabilities Specialists/Disabilities/MH Coordinators to assist with family support, care coordination, goal setting and follow up to align home and school interventions and enhance families' capacity to meet their children's special needs.

This position has been established to strengthen our Head Start program's ability to provide tailored, individualized support to a subset of families whose children's health conditions and special needs often require enhanced knowledge and capacity to navigate community based medical, mental health and special education systems. In addition, the Health and Disabilities Advocates serve a critical coordinating function between service areas in our program by assuring that all staff have the information needed to support the children's health and well-being. The position may involve reassignment of caseload and/or center location as deemed necessary for program operations.

Job Responsibilities:

The Health/Disabilities Advocate's responsibilities primarily fall within the following core functions, although s/he may perform other tasks as required by the program:

1. Promote Family Environments that Enhance Children's Development
2. Assure EPSDT Adherence
3. Support Families of Children with Chronic Health Conditions or Special Needs
4. Maintain Internal and External Service Coordination
5. Maintain Accurate and Timely Record Keeping and Reporting

Job Requirements:

• Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Public Health, Social Work, Human Services, Family Services, Counseling or a related field preferred, OR AA or BA in another field with a commitment to complete Family Services/Certificate/Credential within 18 months of hire. We will also consider candidates with a High School Diploma with 3 years experience working in the community with families and a completed Family Development Certificate or Credential
• Bilingual (in Spanish) preferred and may be required for certain service areas to meet the needs of our population.
• A passion for achieving positive child and family outcomes through high quality family engagement
• Experience, training, and skill assisting the parents of young children to advocate for their families
• Pass physical examination, background check, and fingerprinting screen.
• Advanced computer literacy in email, word processing and internet navigation

The mission of Shine Early Learning is to bring a relentless focus on positive family and child outcomes to close the achievement gap and build a better future for children, families, and communities served by the Head Start program.

We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and healthy work place.

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