PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR

About the role

This position involves responsibility for the organization and implementation of community based efforts regarding public health needs utilizing the concepts of public health prevention including public information, referral, community education, and outreach. The incumbent applies the principles of behavioral sciences in public health programs to foster the voluntary adaptation of behavior to improve or maintain health.

Responsibilities

• Counsels individuals and groups on health-related issues and provides health education programs;
• Conducts in-service training seminars for the community and staff for the purpose of orienting them to, and providing them with, health practices and means to eliminate risk factors associated with preventable injuries, illnesses, and deaths;
• Conducts community-based workshops and activities in local schools, businesses, work sites, etc. aimed at improving their level of health information, motivating them toward positive health behaviors, reducing chronic disease risk factors, and reduction of high risk behaviors that lead to injury;
• Prepares and distributes health educational materials, including pamphlets, posters, exhibits, and audio-visual presentations, all of which the Public Health Educators can incorporate into presentations;
• Supports organizations, municipalities, businesses, in establishing policy, systems and environmental changes that support community health;
• Supports and participates in community partnerships that support and promote state and local efforts;
• Aids in the preparation of data collection and behavioral risk survey forms and participates in the data collection, survey work, and workshops;
• Provides information and material needed for program reports and prepares a variety of records and correspondence related to the work;
• Affords assistance in the development of press releases, social media and other communications;
• Affords assistance in the development of program budget and in voucher/purchasing process;
• Prepares reports of all activities including financial and billing documentation necessary to assist with reimbursement;
• Participates in staff meetings;
• Understands and follows current legislation, public health policy, and best practice programming and methods, and the impact on each agency setting as well as the community;
• Participates in training for Incident Command System, emergency response and drills, and responds to community emergencies/disasters as part of the Public Health Response requirements;
• Participates in leadership activities including orientation of new staff and participates in teams addressing work improvement projects.

Requirements

• Good knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of public health education;
• Good knowledge of community organization work;
• Good knowledge of the mechanics of planning and conducting seminars and workshops;
• Working knowledge of epidemiology, data collection, and behavioral and attitudinal surveys;
• Skill in educational techniques and methods of communication;
• Ability to prepare health education materials, including pamphlets, exhibits, and audio-visual presentations;
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relations with community agencies and people with diverse cultural, economic, and social backgrounds;
• Ability to survey public health education needs;
• Ability to work well with the public and agency staff;
• Ability to prepare activity reports;
• Sound judgment;
• Flexibility.

Qualifications

• Either: Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in health education, health science, public health, health promotion, community health, or health communications; or Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in education, nursing, epidemiology, wellness and fitness, or nutrition and one (1) year of experience in health education; or Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in marketing, human services, social work or psychology and two (2) years of experience in health education; or Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Master’s Degree in public health or health education.

Skills

• Good knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of public health education;
• Good knowledge of community organization work;
• Good knowledge of the mechanics of planning and conducting seminars and workshops;
• Working knowledge of epidemiology, data collection, and behavioral and attitudinal surveys;
• Skill in educational techniques and methods of communication;
• Ability to prepare health education materials, including pamphlets, exhibits, and audio-visual presentations;
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relations with community agencies and people with diverse cultural, economic, and social backgrounds;
• Ability to survey public health education needs;
• Ability to work well with the public and agency staff;
• Ability to prepare activity reports;
• Sound judgment;
• Flexibility.

Benefits

N/A

Pay

$53,737 annually; 35 hours per week, full time

Schedule

N/A