Job Details

Community Education Specialist I/II

This position is in the UPEC General bargaining unit. Please refer to the applicable bargaining unit labor agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) for potential future salary increases: Shasta County Labor Agreements

Shasta County offers all the amenities of the big city while retaining a comfortable small-town atmosphere. With its natural beauty, affordable housing, excellent educational system, abundance of recreational opportunities, and excellent quality of life, Shasta County is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

The Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) partners with the community to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of Shasta County residents. HHSA is organized into four branches: Behavioral Health & Social Services, Public Health, Economic Mobility, and a centralized Administration Services. HHSA promotes optimal health for all. The frail, the abused, the mentally ill, and those without resources look to HHSA for services and resources to meet their basic needs, and to protect their health and safety.

The Public Health Branch focuses on community-wide prevention of communicable disease, chronic disease, injury, substance abuse, family violence, and lead poisoning. Public Health helps the community develop policies and support community environments that encourage healthy behaviors. It promotes nutrition and physical activity, healthy aging, worksite wellness and healthy communities. Public Health is also where the HHSA's emergency response unit is headquartered, and its laboratory provides testing services for Shasta and numerous other Northern California counties.

Positions in this classification may be assigned to specific duty assignments in different departments that emphasize particular kinds of knowledge and skills. The common thread is that under close supervision, incumbents will learn to plan and implement community education and outreach activities; media plans; assist in the coordination of programs; and other duties as assigned.

In the Health and Human Services Agency, Public Health: Program areas may include immunizations, communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS, chronic disease prevention, physical activity promotion, nutrition education, workplace wellness and other public health prevention programs.

Examples Of Essential Duties

Community Education Specialist I: Plans, implements, and evaluates health education activities/programs; collects and analyzes health-related data; coordinates activities with other department programs and outside organizations; plans, conducts and/or participates in special events, community meetings, focus groups, workshops, in-service trainings, conferences, and health fairs; prepares and gives presentations to the general public, schools, business and professional groups; prepares and utilizes educational and promotional materials such as visual aids, brochures, newsletters, displays, news releases, advertisements, training materials, etc.; coordinates volunteers; develops or selects appropriate health education materials and promotional items; plans and conducts media events (e.g. news conferences) and participates in interviews with the media; serves on state or local advisory boards; represents the Department on community groups, coalitions or collaboratives; supports community or Department efforts to promote, research, develop, and implement policies as primary prevention tools; writes formal letters, meeting agendas, health articles, public health summary reports, etc.; and prepares and maintains reports and other documentation of health education activities. A current Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) certificate is highly desirable for positions in the Community Education Specialist series within Public Health.

Community Education Specialist II: Provides leadership in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health education activities/programs; collects and analyzes health-related data; coordinates activities with other department programs and outside organizations; plans, conducts and/or participates in special events, community meetings, focus groups, workshops, in-service trainings, conferences, and health fairs; prepares and gives presentations to the general public, schools, business and professional groups; prepares and utilizes educational and promotional materials such as visual aids, brochures, newsletters, displays, news releases, advertisements, training materials, etc; coordinates volunteers; develops or selects appropriate health education materials and promotional items; plans and conducts media events (e.g. news conferences) and participates in interviews with the media; serves on state or local advisory boards; represents the Department on community groups, coalitions or collaboratives; supports community or Department efforts to promote, research, develop, and implement policies as primary prevention tools; writes formal letters, meeting agendas, health articles, public health summary reports, etc.; and prepares and maintains reports and other documentation of health education activities. A current Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) certificate is highly desirable for positions in the Community Education Specialist series within Public Health.

Qualifications

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below. Any combination of education and experience sufficient to directly demonstrate possession and application of the following: Knowledge of: Principles and practices of health education, environmental education, social and behavioral sciences, and health behavior change as they apply to public health; mental health, or human services; methods and uses of mass communication, media, social marketing, and media advocacy; statistical concepts and methods for collecting, compiling and interpreting data; principles, methods, techniques, theories and practices of health education and public health or human services; underlying determinants of health and risk factors for disease/injury, or social welfare principles and practices; principles and practices of program management, including funding, developing and evaluating program quality and effectiveness. Ability to: Plan, assign, supervise and oversee the work of other personnel; demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills; develop budgets, proposals, and grant applications; establish and maintain effective working relationships; provide leadership to community coalitions or collaboratives; operate a personal computer and use common software; write or edit clear and effective reports, correspondence, and educational materials; interpret health related data and communicate it to the public in a meaningful way; interpret federal, state, local laws and regulations and applicable data relating to specific health issues (e.g. tobacco, injury prevention), implement, evaluate or oversee community education or outreach programs or activities; develop and conduct effective presentations or trainings for school, professional and community groups; design or review brochures, advertisements and newsletters; evaluate effectiveness of programs. Minimum Qualifications Community Education Specialist I: Possession of a bachelor's degree in communication, public relations, marketing, journalism, public health, health education, community health, or a closely related field; AND at least one (1) year of experience in performing public health education, community education or other closely related duties. A master's degree in related discipline may substitute for one (1) year of experience. Community Education Specialist II: Possession of a bachelor's degree in public health, health education, community health, human services, communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, community education, or a closely related field, AND at least two (2) years of experience in performing public health education, community education or other closely related duties. A master's degree in a related discipline may substitute for one (1) year of experience. A master's degree in public health, Environmental Sciences, or Social Work may substitute for two (2) years of experience. Special Requirement: Possession of an appropriate California driver's license.

Supplemental Questions: Responses to the following must be submitted with a completed application.

1. Do you have possession of a bachelor's degree in communication marketing, public health, health education, health promotion, community health disease or substance use prevention, public policy or administration, behavioral science, or a closely related field; or related experience? If yes please list the degree and/or experience, if you do not, please type "N/A".
2. Tell us how your educational background, alternative education (i.e. certifications), or work experiences have contributed to experience in community-based disease prevention/health promotion? If none, please type "N/A."
3. I acknowledge that Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency will not sponsor or fund any type of visa. Yes/No
4. I acknowledge that this position does require a valid California driver's license. Yes/No

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Positions in Resource Management may work at household hazardous waste collection events and waste tire collection events requiring working on uneven surfaces both paved and unpaved, wearing appropriate protective clothing in various weather conditions, and being exposed to a variety of household-type chemicals under appropriately regulated conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, vehicle exhaust fumes, and outside weather conditions. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level