Child Mental Health Specialist Job Ocala area,Florida USA,Healthcare

Join The Ecs4

Kids Team

At ECS4

Kids (formerly Episcopal Children's Services), we honor young children's immense potential by helping them enter school ready to learn. We cultivate lifelong learners by immersing children in enriching guided experiences and discovery-oriented approaches. Through programs like Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK), Head Start, School Readiness, Child Care Resource & Referral (CCRR), and more, our dedicated professionals work with families and caregivers throughout Florida to promote children's well-being.

These enable us to strengthen key areas including motor development, cognitive development, social and emotional development, language and communication skills, and problem-solving skills.

Partner with us to help empower communities to rise above generational poverty with comprehensive early childhood education and holistic family support. We have career opportunities available in several counties throughout Northeast and Central Florida.

ECS4

Kids offers a competitive benefit package which includes:

Medical, dental and vision insurance
403(b) plan with 5% employer match
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Long-term & short-term disability insurance
Employer-paid life insurance
Paid holidays
Generous paid time off
Career development
Qualifying employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

General Description:

Ensure that the Child Mental Health performance standards are met in Head Start and Early Head Start.

Major Responsibilities:

Support timely and effective identification of and supportive intervention to family and staff concerns about a child's mental health.

Work with teachers, home visitors, parents/guardians, and program support staff to use observations, screening results, and other systematic ways to identify and address children's mental health needs.

Track and monitor social emotional screenings to ensure compliance with the 45-day requirement; ensure follow-up as needed.

Observe and provide infant and early childhood mental health consultation to assigned caseload according to a consistent schedule to understand program needs, to be recognized by center staff and families as an approachable team member, and to provide effective consultation support to staff and families for children with identified mental health concerns:

Design and implement program practices responsive to the identified behavioral and mental health concerns of an individual child or group of children;
Complete observations to provide recommendations and strategies to caregivers for children with atypical behavior or development.
Provide individual on-site support through modeling and consultation to identified children; and;
Utilize other community mental health resources, as needed

Schedule regular on-site mental health consultation involving program staff and parents on how to:

Promote children's mental wellness by providing group and individual staff and parent education on mental health issues; and
Utilize other community mental health resources, as needed

Work with center staff, support staff, and parents to design a supportive intervention program based on observation, staff input, parent input, and screening results.

Participate in case management meetings and file reviews for assigned center.

Identify and work with available mental health resources in the community; refer families for further supportive and clinical services as needed.

Support the implementation of the University Practicum Student program within the Head Start programs.

Coordinate with local mental health service providers as needed.

Work with Family Advocate and Center Manager to arrange for further, formal, evaluation of a child when appropriate.

Complete postpartum depression screening with pregnant women within 2 weeks of delivery.

Assist with and attend Health and Mental Health Services Advisory Committee (HMHSAC) meetings. Assist with providing mental health training to teachers throughout the year and during preservice training.

Assist with summer screenings at assigned centers.

Keep informed of current professional knowledge and strategies for social-emotional development through participation in workshops and by reading professional publications.

Maintain accurate documentation in Child Plus on a weekly basis.

Assist with Program Information Report (PIR) data at the close of each school year.

Keep supervisor informed of relevant information related to the safety and well-being of the child and family while maintaining compliance with ECS's policies and procedures.

Organizational Relationship:

This position reports to the Child Mental Health Specialist Manager

Requirements:

Education and Experience:

Master's degree required with a major in Social Work, Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy or related field required.
Licensed as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Clinical Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist or meet licensing eligibility as a registered intern.
Internship pathway available for ECS employees who have…