Behavioral Health Specialist - Head Start : Job Details

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: Behavioral Health Specialist

DEPARTMENT: Health Services

SUPERVISOR: Health Services Coordinator

STATUS: Exempt

BAND: Band 4, Level 3

JOB SUMMARY:

The Behavioral Health Specialist is responsible for providing early childhood mental health support to Head Start children and families. The Behavioral Health Specialist provides in classroom observational support to the education team, Health Services Coordinator, and Behavioral Health Therapist.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Work collaboratively with Health Services staff and other components, including Education, Family Services, and Accounting.
• Create and facilitate occasional workshops on Behavioral/Mental Health for staff and families.
• Communicate with teaching teams, and community providers working with clients to ensure continuity of care.
• Work with parents/caregivers of clients to meet therapeutic goals.
• Perform global classroom observations at the beginning, and in the middle of, each program year, to include documentation and recommendations.
• Perform individual observations when requested by teaching teams, to include documentation and recommendations.
• Ensures that children receive necessary services offered both by the program and outside organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES/EXPECTATIONS:

• Work with Health Services team to Identify children who would benefit from individual therapy.
• Update and maintain treatment plans for each client on caseload.
• Provide referrals and/or connections to therapy and applicable services outside of the agency.
• Work closely and collaborate with the Behavioral Health Therapist to identify students in need of therapy, brainstorm solutions to support students in the classroom.
• Create and facilitate workshops for staff and families.
• Attend and/or facilitate child specific staff meetings when requested.
• Advocate for mental health best practices and ethical standards within the agency.
• Create and customize therapy manual, informed consent, and other forms as necessary.
• Identify and attend relative training to satisfy annual licensure requirements.
• Maintain record of client contact hours for fulfilling licensure hours as necessary.
• Seek out and complete opportunities for continuing education in the field of play therapy, early childhood development, trauma, and mental health techniques for young children.
• Meet with clinical supervisor weekly to discuss cases and concerns.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

A baccalaureate degree in sociology, health education guidance and counseling, social work, or related field. At least two years of experience as a paraprofessional in a preschool, mental health or social services agency is preferred.

USING ACTIVE SUPERVISON TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE:

Head Start, Inc. uses the strategy of Active Supervision to ensure that no child is left unattended while in the care of Head Start, Inc. Incidents of children left unsupervised must be immediately reported to the Executive Director.

All Head Start, Inc. employees are responsible for the safety of children in our program. Active Supervision requires focused attention and intentional observation of children at all times. All employees who care for children position themselves in classrooms, on playgrounds, in hallways, on buses, on field trips and in any space where children are present so that they can observe all of the children: watching, counting, and listening at all times. They also use their knowledge of each child's development and abilities to anticipate what he/she will do, then get involved and redirect them when necessary.

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. 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, listen, stand, walk, and sit. The employee is also often required to use hands to manipulate objects, tools, or controls, reach with hands and arms, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and move quickly to respond to children's health and safety needs.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 35 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The working environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee works in busy classrooms or a shared office environment, travels by vehicle, may be exposed to changing weather conditions, and works in varied environments. The noise level is usually moderate.

COMMENTS:

This description is intended to describe the essential job functions and requirements for its performance. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements of this position. Other functions and duties may be assigned as determined to be necessary for overall job accomplishment.

SIGNATURE:

As an employee of Head Start, Inc., I am expected to adhere to all agency policies and procedures and to act as a role model in the adherence to those policies and procedures.

I have read and understand this explanation and job description.

Compensation details: 25.94-29.83 Hourly Wage

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