Purpose of Position/ Summary:

The MCH MOMS Helpline serves as a call center within the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Division at the Indiana State Department of Health. The focus of the position is to provide information, referrals, and resources to link mothers, pregnant women, women of child bearing age, and families to a network of services within their community. The Communication Specialist is responsible for answering incoming calls and identify the client’s barriers to accessing services and bridging the gap between families and resources

The Communication Specialist provide statewide services to reduce infant mortality rates in Indiana. The Communication Specialist provide screening & referral services for eligible, pregnant women in targets counties by contacting them directly and referring them to home visiting services and resources.

Essential Duties/ Responsibilities:

• Requires efficiency to handle the volume of incoming and outbound calls received on a daily basis.

• Ability to make and take a numerous amount of calls helping navigate families with resources and referrals within the maternal and child life cycle, accurately and thoroughly using multiple intake screening processes.

• Ability to follow-up with all clients engaged in the system, to ensure that quality is achieved.

• Develop in-depth knowledge of the existing early childhood systems, Help Me Grow IN, Home Visiting, Early Childhood, Special Education and Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs programs- eligibility, referral/application processes, due process information, and related support services.

• Assist with compiling and mailing out information packets to families referred to services or screening tools, or other community based resources, as needed.

• Sends out confirmation letter and resource information to referral source.

• Assists in maintaining filing system for all cases.

• Attends staff meetings, conferences, and workshops regularly to upgrade professional skills and understand systems and current best practices for working with mothers, children and families.

• Works effectively as a team member and provides assistance to other staff members as needed.

• Effective communication skills needed to assess the needs of clients and direct them to the appropriate resource and referral.

• Ability to assist client submitting full Medicaid application, obtaining navigator license.

• Requires knowledge of community resources and available service providers throughout the state, assisting in identifying gaps and barriers to services, and system issue trends families experience in utilizing services.

• Requires knowledge of Information and Referral (I&R) standards and utilizing the Vision Link Database.

• Assists Lead CS in producing caller data reports by reporting number of calls made and other filter such as referrals, call type, needs, providers, etc. on a daily basis.

Job Requirements:

Education

• Required a Bachelor’s (or higher degree) Communications /Social Work or Information Technology, Education, Special Education, Home Visiting or related health or human services field.

Skills

• Must have knowledge of the nature of the social service and medical providers to whom the Helpline make referrals.

• Must have ability to develop a specialized knowledge of Information and Referral service provision, and considerable knowledge of the services available throughout the state of Indiana.

• Excellent listening skills and the ability to assess and inquirer’s situation and needs as well as use good judgment in determining the appropriate referrals are required.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to convey information effectively to both professionals and the general public.

• The ability to show compassion and understanding for people with dealing with difficult situations.

• Logical thinking, good judgment and ability to maintain composure in stressful circumstances (suicides/abuse/crisis calls) are needed.

• Must be respectful; non-judgmental; non-critical and attentive to the concerns of MCH programs and staff.

• Able to work independently and as a part of a project team.

• Able to work under pressure and tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Able to multitask, prioritize, and be flexible.

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Outlook: Power Point, Excel and SharePoint.

• Well-developed communication skill, both written and verbal.

• Experience in positions involving maternal needs, special needs or work with very young children.

• Knowledge of typical and atypical child development and special needs conditions.

• Bilingual, English/Spanish/Burmese/Haitian-Creole highly desirable.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:

All Communication Specialists works within the ISDH MCH Team as well as other divisions within the MCH and Health and Human Services Commission, both staff and contractors, to ensure compliance with all HelpLine requirements. The position represents ISDH/MCH to numerous internal and external partners statewide and advises the ISDH MCH Systems Director on matters of major impact to ensure conformity with agency, state and federal requirements

Difficulty of Work:

This position requires significant attention to detail, the ability to work with internal and external partners, knowledge of the different resource and referral systems used within the MCH division and this particular section. This position must be able to resolve problems, logically develop ideas, interpret policy, and have superb oral and written communication skills, to guide appropriate interactions with the caller and to use good judgment in determining the appropriate referrals and provided.

The MOMS Helpline adheres to the standards set by the Alliance of the Information and Referral Systems (AIRS). The incumbent must work independently and with minimal supervision.

Personal Work Relationships:

Incumbent maintains cooperative relationships with internal and external partners for daily problem solving and interpretation of regulations and policies; and must have the ability to work with a diverse group of employees, not only in function, but also in skill level.

Physical Effort:

Position requires to sit for a long periods, adjust phone headset and the ability to physically move throughout the ISDH office area. Some travel is required. There is no heavy lifting required.