Mental Health Specialist

Schedule: Mon -Thus 7:30 AM – 5 PM flex Fri 7:30 AM – 4 PM.
Pay Rate: 26.44 Hourly.

JOB SUMMARY:

Under the supervision of the Mental Health and Disabilities Manager, the Mental Health Specialist supports a program-wide culture that promotes children’s mental health social, emotional well-being and overall health. The Mental Health Specialist works closely with content area peers as part of the Interdisciplinary team to ensure consistent mental health service delivery within the Early Childhood Education (0-5) division. The MHS supports the needs of children, families and staff through a full range of consultation services, including screening, assessment, observations, coaching and direct services in alignment with the Head Start Act and Performance Standards and other state and federal agency regulations and standards.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

• Plan, implement, and monitor all mental health service requirements as delineated in the LACOE MH GIM in accordance with Head Start Act and Performance Standards.

• Track and monitor MH service delivery on Child Plus in accordance with LACOE GIM requirements.

• Maintain up to date and accurate MH records

• Complete MH assessments, observations and intervention plans for children and families referred for mental health services.

• Provide timely and effective intervention for non-urgent and urgent mental health referrals.

• Document interventions and recommendations on required LACOE standardized forms.

• Provide services for enrolled pregnant women, new mothers, new fathers, and or primary custodial caregivers of infants (PHQ 9, Psychoeducation, referrals, case management)

• Refer to St Anne’s Mental Health Department or to community based MH services when a higher level of care is required.

• Conduct classroom visits twice a year.

• Conducts classroom observations, home observations and socialization observations to provide recommendations for evaluation or referrals for mental health services

• Maintain a monthly schedule for site visits.

• Work in partnership with other content area staff to review data and develop follow up actions based on findings.

• Provide Professional Development training for staff on MH related topics

• Collaborate with the MH Manager to provide Risking Connections Trauma Informed trainings to staff.

• Provide psycho-education to staff and parents

• MDT: Provide content area expertise and help facilitate MH related MDT meetings.

• MTSS: Provide content area expertise to the MTSS team and participate in leadership team tasks

• Support classroom management through data review, observation, consultation and coaching.

• Respond to incidents where a child or parent’s behavior necessitate emergency support (crisis intervention)

• Assists in the development of content, policies, and procedures for mental health services, to meet local, state, and federal regulations.

• Provide follow up on UIs

• Identify and analyze client needs for service and assists in setting priorities, exploring alternatives, and working with clients to resolve problems related to access to child education, child care, housing, money management, health care, citizenship, residence, and employment, training, and parental resources.

• Review screenings for development, sensory and behavioral concerns, to support and develop individualization strategies.

• Provide information to clients about community resources and assist clients in accessing those resources.

• Investigate situations involving children who are reported to be endangered by abuse, neglect, exploitation, unsafe or hazardous living conditions, and take appropriate action and works with legal authorities to eliminate or reduce the possibility of endangerment, and/or report to appropriate agency.

• Assist clients and their relatives in locating alternative living arrangements.

• Take appropriate action on referrals from public and private agencies and other jurisdictions.

• Conduct home visits, as needed.

• Attend staff meetings and recommended training programs as assigned.

• Maintain regular, consistent, and timely attendance.

• Maintain confidentiality as required by St. Anne’s, licensing, HIPAA, and other regulatory agencies.

• Mandated reporter of child abuse and neglect.

• Performs related duties as assigned.

SECONDARY JOB DUTIES:

• Participate in the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) of the agency.

• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in social work.

• Experience working with at risk populations and/or experience working with children or families served by Early Head Start/Head Start.

• Registered with the BBS (MSW)

• Bilingual English/Spanish/Tagalog/Korean

• Three years of professional and technical experience as a Social Worker Assistant or Trainee with a recognized social services agency involving social work, family or psychological counseling, psychology is required.

• Must possess and maintain a valid Class C California driver’s license, automobile liability insurance, and driving record acceptable to agency’s insurance carrier

• Able to communicate effectively with both children and adults.

• Ability to receive and implement constructive feedback.

• St. Anne’s values the dignity and worth of every person we serve. Employees are expected to support children’s emotional and social development by encouraging understanding of others and promoting positive self-concepts. All employees must have the ability to treat those served by our agency in a caring and respectful manner, mindful of individual differences and cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity.

• As providers of social services, St. Anne’s employees work with clients dealing with complex emotional and mental health issues, many of whom are facing significant personal crises on a daily basis. Employees must remain aware of any personal emotions, transference, and/or countertransference that may hinder the ability to remain professional. As such, employees are expected to maintain composure during all interactions and crisis situations, implement a self-care plan, and utilize crisis communication to deescalate client crisis and prevent any serious bodily injury or harm.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• 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: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls, and talk or hear. The employee is often required to stand and sit; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $26.44 per hour