Infant Mental Health Specialist

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONMonroe Community Mental Health Authority is a community based mental health service organization dedicated to consumers living in Monroe County. We provide individual health services for people with any type of behavioral health concerns such as substance abuse, emotional issues, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Our mission is to enrich lives and promote wellness. We live out that mission by being an inviting resource that offers in-house, referral, and emergency services, as well as support within the community for those in need.

BENEFITSBi-weekly pay Vacation, sick, and personal time

Four medical plans to choose from, eligible first day of hire

Dental Vision Aflac Disability  and life insurance provided by the Agency, optional buy-ups
401a Money Purchase Pension Plan, 401a Defined Contribution, and 457 Deferred Compensation retirement plansYMCA corporate discountDESCRIPTION

Summary:

Provide community based services to pregnant women and infant’s age 0-3 years in situations of high risk for impaired psychosocial and cognitive development and where the parents' capacity to nurture is constrained by problems of attachment, prior history of parent, and/or situational stressors and who meet eligibility for Home Based Services. First consideration in enrollment for services or case consultation will be given to infants in families with caregivers with significant risk factors (i.e. SPMI, history, current postpartum depression, teen moms, etc.).Recruitment

will be undertaken through referrals from:a) Promedica Monroe Hospital or other local hospitals where a mother/infant has been screened and found appropriate for services.b) Local Health Departmentc) Early On Projectd) Monroe Wraparound Initiativee) DHS Prevention Stafff) Self referral

Services will be provided in accordance with Home Based or Prevention Direct Infant Mental Health Services expectations/ guidelines that include assessment of consumer/family needs (with focus on family input), service provision of an outreach nature, coordination of community services and basic needs provision. Special emphasis will be on issues of parent-infant relationship and interaction, parental responsiveness, resolution of intra-psychic and family issues impeding attachment, infant stimulation, enhancement of infant development, the promotion of problem-solving skills and the development of an on-going support system.

Interventions will support and nurture the parent as primary caregiver. Supervision is provided by the Program Supervisor.

Duties and Competencies Assessed by Performance Evaluation(s):

Conducts Biopsychosocial Assessment:

Assesses the effects of the family on the condition of the child.

Assesses the effects of the child upon the family.

Assesses all members of the family unit.

Understands and appropriately use knowledge of basic growth and development and learning issues of children.

Assesses and teaches parenting skills.

Assesses functioning in areas of school, community, family and interpersonal relationships.

Assess growth and development of the child.

Understands and appropriately uses strengths of the child and family.

Understands and appropriately uses natural supports within and outside of the family unit.

Provide direct and indirect service units consistent with qualitative and quantitative performance goals and standards as established to comply with Authority requirements.

Provide services designed to prevent immediate and long-term consequences of aberrant parenting and which promote optional social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. Such objectives shall include the following:

Develop a strong mother/caregiver attachment with infant;

Facilitate appropriate child care practices and infant adaptation;

Reduce mother's level of psychological distress;

Reduce social isolation/linking to ongoing informal and formal social supports;

Reduce parental and family stressors affecting the infant; developing life coping skills;

Maintain the health of the infant by connecting infant and family to a medical provider to assure well-baby visits and up to date immunizations;

Maintain the health of the mother; andDeal with other problems affecting the infant.

Collaborate with the local Early On Project and Monroe Wraparound Initiative (MWI) to receive community input, establish referral networks and provide service coordination.

Cooperate with the interagency policy framework and resource priorities developed through the processes of the interagency Human Services Collaborative Network.

Develop and maintain referral linkages through in-service presentations, especially to hospitals, the Health Department and area clinics.

Develop Family Plan of Service (FPOS) with the primary caregiver. Family members shall be involved in the assessment and intervention as appropriate and feasible per Person Centered Planning guidelines.

Coordinate with other systems involved with the family in order to clarify rules, develop a joint service plan, coordinate…