Lay Health Promoter / Outreach Worker- Public Health (Cameron and Hidalgo Counties) - Casual at UTHealth in Brownsville, Texas

Job Description:

Department: School of Public Health

Location: Cameron and Hidalgo Counties

Position Type: Part Time/ Casual

Position Summary:

The SNAP-Active program is a large-scale initiative delivering messages using media, providing social support through counseling, increasing education and access to physical activity resources (e.g., exercise groups), providing health risk screenings and nutrition education, and supporting environmental and policy change strategies. The program plans expand efforts from Cameron County into Hidalgo County through the establishment of new free exercise offerings in conjunction with the existing Community-Wide Campaign.

SNAP-Active will partner with the existing Community-Wide Campaign municipalities that include Brownsville, Combes, Harlingen, Laguna Vista, Los Fresnos, Los Indios, Port Isabel, Rio Hondo, and San Benito, and will begin working in three new communities of La Feria, Alamo, and San Carlos to expand the network of municipalities implementing this evidence based approach. All of these cities were chosen due to the prevalence of low-income residents as well as a desire from city leadership to support building healthy lifestyle programs, paving the way for city leaders and university staff to leverage resources and provide free programming to community residents and identify built environment and policy solutions to better address population health.

Position Key Accountabilities:

• Conducts exercise classes and/or nutrition-related classes within the community assigned.
• Works directly with community's Community Health Worker/Promotor(a) to assist with programmatic needs such as contacting participants and scheduling follow-ups, if necessary.
• Establishes rapport with participants in order to encourage complete accurate responses and continuing participation. Works in the field, either going to homes or places of business or at specific program areas.
• Follows program protocol for tracking participants, how to conduct interviews, assist with follow-up, as well as exercise class participation.
• Data entry as needed.
• Handles administrative details such as time and effort reports, and mileage reports.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills:

• Bilingual - English and Spanish preferred.

Preferred:

• Current certification in a physical activity and/or nutrition, or willingness to receive certification


• Current CPR/First Aid certification, or willingness to receive certification


• Good communication skills, both written and verbal.

Minimum Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent is preferred; but not required.

Minimum Experience:

• None.

Physical Requirements:

• Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds frequently and/or a negligible amount constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive:

• This job class may contain positions that are security sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of Texas Education Code § 51.215