POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Health & Nutrition Specialist is responsible for leading the planning, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of comprehensive health, oral health, mental health coordination, and nutrition services for children and families enrolled in the Head Start and Early Head Start program. This role ensures full compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards (45 CFR §1302 Subpart D), Office of Child Care regulations, state licensing requirements, and organizational policies.

The Specialist works collaboratively with education, family services, disabilities, and operations teams to ensure children are healthy, safe, nutritionally supported, and ready to learn.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Responsibilities:

The Health & Nutrition Specialist will ultimately be evaluated on a combination of skills, dispositions and behaviors, some of which are related to the specific service area of this position and others that represent general expectations of all our program employees.

The Health & Nutrition Specialist responsibilities chiefly fall under the following core functions, although s/he may perform other tasks as needed:

• Planning

• Ongoing Monitoring and Record-Keeping

• Health Education

• Community Partnerships

• Service Coordination

Health Services Management

• Coordinate and monitor completion of required health screenings, physicals, immunizations, vision, hearing, and dental exams for all enrolled children within mandated timelines.

• Track, analyze, and report child health data in program data systems (e.g., ChildPlus or equivalent).

• Develop and implement individualized health care plans for children with chronic conditions (e.g., asthma, allergies, diabetes, seizures).

• Ensure proper medication administration procedures, training, documentation, and compliance at all sites.

• Serve as liaison with healthcare providers, local health departments, and community partners.

Nutrition Services & Compliance

• Oversee compliance with CACFP, Head Start nutrition standards, and USDA meal pattern requirements.

• Monitor menus, meal service practices, food safety procedures, and sanitation standards across all centers.

• Collaborate with food service vendors and kitchen associates to ensure high-quality, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate meals.

• Support accommodations for children with special dietary needs, allergies, and medical nutrition therapy requirements.

• Conduct classroom and site observations related to family-style dining, nutrition education, and healthy habits.

Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure ongoing compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, state licensing, and local health regulations.

• Prepare documentation for federal monitoring reviews, audits, licensing inspections, and internal quality assurance reviews.

• Develop corrective action plans when deficiencies are identified and monitor implementation to resolution.

• Participate in Program Self-Assessment and continuous quality improvement initiatives.

• Work with the Data and Outcomes Manager to compile and analyze data on the effectiveness of the health, nutrition and early intervention services in all Y Head Start regions. 

• Ensures all confidentiality requirements are met and those who need information can access it. 

• Ensures that developmental screening plays a role in child development and health services planning for children.

Training & Capacity Building

• Train associates on:

  • Health and safety procedures

  • Infection control and universal precautions

  • Food safety and allergy management

  • Child wellness and preventive health practices

• Provide technical assistance to site directors, teachers, family service associates, and kitchen personnel.

Family Engagement & Education

• Support families in accessing medical homes, dental homes, insurance, and community health resources.

• Provide parent education workshops and materials on child health, nutrition, physical activity, and preventive care.

• Collaborate with Family Services to remove barriers to care and follow up on unmet health needs.

• Work with Early Intervention Specialists to ensure parents of children with disabilities and mental health needs receive ongoing support and parental education. 

• Work with Family Service Directors to ensure all families of children with disabilities, mental needs or nutritional concerns have a Family goal pertaining to such.

Health Education

• Integrates health education into the total Head Start program and helps to provide health education for parent associates and children. 

• Participates in in-service and pre-service training. 

• Promotes environmental health and safety practices.

• Ensures that the health and safety of children is assured through teaching children and parents preventive health practices. 

• Assist in the development and distribution of written and web based materials for children, adults and employees within the areas of: personal health, fitness, safety, nutrition and preventive health education. 24. Track and submit In Kind documentation on a monthly basis, as needed.

Collaboration and Leadership

• Participate actively in regular leadership team meetings and case conferences, as necessary, to ensure service coordination across Y Head Start programs

• Works cooperatively with Early Intervention Specialists to ensure the provision of disability and/or mental health services to Head Start children and families. 

• Work cooperatively with Health & Nutrition Specialists to ensure the provision of medical, dental and nutrition services to Head Start children children and families. 

• Lead for the good of the entire organization, understand the big picture and use it as a framework to make decisions. 

• Make decisions in an ethical, timely and efficient manner in consideration of the center’s mission, understand what information is needed to make high quality decisions, engage stakeholders, and ensure decisions are made that support program quality and maintain program accountability.

• Manage change effectively by demonstrating support for innovation and for organizational changes needed to improve quality and effectiveness, by initiating, sponsoring and implementing organizational change and by helping others to successfully manage organizational change. 

• Attend local, state and regional initiatives to represent the center and to develop professionally. 

• Promote consistent exchange of information and a cooperative environment within the leadership of the center. 38. Attend parent committees, policy council and board of director meetings as requested.

• Develops partnerships with outside agencies to better meet health needs of children and families in Head Start.

• Serve as a key member of the program’s management team and cross-service area planning process.

• Participate in case conferencing, IEP/IFSP meetings, and multidisciplinary team meetings as needed.

• Contribute to policy development, procedure updates, and strategic planning related to health and nutrition services.

General Responsibilities

• Participate in associate meetings, conferences, training sessions and workshops as assigned. 

• Maintain confidentiality in regards to associates and family information. 

• Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in Child Abuse and Neglect Policy. 

• Perform any other work-related duties as requested by your supervisor. 

• Be present at work in order to provide consistency of services. 

• Be a contributory team member in a positive/productive manner. 

• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties.

• Support in Head Start Centers as needed

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Nursing, Nutrition, Dietetics, Health Education, or related field required

• Preferred: Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Registered Dietitian (RD), or Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).

• Able to lift a child weighing 40 pounds.

• Maintain certification in CPR and First Aid.