SUMMARY:Educare Lincoln is a collaborative partnership between the Lincoln Public Schools (LPS), University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL), Early Head Start (EHS), and the Buffett Early Childhood Fund. The mission of Educare Lincoln is to help young children thrive socially, emotionally, and academically through high-quality early childhood education, and in partnership with their families and the community. The EHS program at Educare Lincoln promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children ages 6 weeks to 3 years through the provision of evidence-based education, health, nutritional, social, and other services to enrolled children and their families.The Comprehensive Services Manager brings knowledge of health coordination for individual children and youth programs, overseeing and supporting the coordination of health services within Educare Lincoln and our Early Head Start program. They also assist the program team in ensuring Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) are met, and that child and family health needs are met in a routine and consistent way. MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND KEY TASKS:
- Create individual health plans for children.
- Create, evaluate, and edit policies and health service plans.
- Ensure all enrolled children have a medical and dental home; receive and process comprehensive well-baby and well-child checks.
- Ensure ongoing outreach to Nebraska's Child Welfare system in an effort to promote Educare's services and to coordinate and streamline the referral and enrollment processes.
- Coordinate effectively with community partners.
- Work alongside parents to ensure the best and least restrictive environments are implemented for children.
- Provide supervision to staff in areas of health, nutrition, and family engagement.
- Oversee the implementation of the Educare Policy Council
- Work in conjunction with the Family Engagement Supervisor/Outreach Coordinator to create procedures for eligibility determination, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance of children.
- Collaborate with other staff to ensure children and families have access to mental health and behavioral health services.
- Coordinate with Lincoln Public School's Dietician Consultant, Food Services Coordinator, and parents to make alternate menu recommendations in accordance with CACFP requirements.
- Utilize a strength-based, culturally, and linguistically diverse approach to assist children and families in accessing health, nutrition, and mental health/disability services.
- Monitor safety practices and food service delivery.
- Advocate for comprehensive health services, inclusion practices, and family access to resources and services.
- Ensure HSPPS, USDA, Licensing, CACFP, Health Department, and other associated compliance regulations are met.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Child Development, or related field required; master's preferred.
- Two or more years working in health services delivery or coordination required.
- One or more years of supervisory experience required.
- Three or more years of experience in Early Head Start or Head Start preferred.
- Must be able to pass a background check that meets compliance standards.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS / ABILITIES REQUIRED:
- Ability to look across systems in search for trends, anomalies, or areas of concern.
- Mission-driven with a commitment to making high-quality early care and education available to all children.
- Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, principles and best practices of ECE and family engagement.
- Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, EHS and HSPPS.
- Knowledge of childcare state licensing requirements.
- Knowledge of basic principles and practices of staff supervision.
- Ability to lead an interdisciplinary team of professionals.
- Ability to utilize and provide reflective supervision.
- Ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing.
- Ability to establish supportive relationships with diverse staff and families.
- Ability to demonstrate self-awareness of one's own culture, beliefs, and values.
- Ability to manage time and multiple priorities.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, Outlook), office equipment, and other forms of technology.
- Ability to lift, carry, and move center/classroom equipment and supplies weighing up to 50 lbs.
- Valid driver's license and automobile insurance required.