Mental Health Manager​/Practice- Coach

Mental Health Manager/Practice-Based Coach

Starting Date: Immediately

Job Objectives and

Job Summary:

The Mental Health manager will supervise, support and train Teachers, Teacher Associates’ Teacher Assistants, and Family Partners to encourage and enhance Mental Health services for families and children in accordance with the Head Start Performance Standards. The Mental Health Manager will also provide support and training opportunities (with the assistance of a Mental Health Consultant) to staff for the purpose of professional and personal well-being.

The Mental Health Manager will be trained to complete the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (Tool), and provide two TPOT observations in each classroom, each program year.

The MHM will train staff to use the Devereaux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) to support the strengths of children for their social and emotional well-being. Parents will be asked to complete the same forms as staff, twice a year. The MHM will be sure all data is entered by Teachers and Family Partners, into the e-DECA system, and create reports for each classroom, twice a year.

The Mental Health Manager will provide behavioral support, in conjunction with the Education/Disabilities manager, within a typical Head Start classroom setting, to individual children with developmental delays and/or social-emotional/behavioral concerns.

He or she will provide behavioral strategies to help strengthen the children’s social-emotional skills and improve their ability to learn. Monitor, collect and analyze data to evaluate the effectiveness of implementation. Support teaching staff in the establishment and maintenance of positive and productive partnerships with families.

The Practice-Based Coach will implement the Coaching program to fidelity by following the system establish to select, support and mentor up to six Coachees’ per program year. Through observation, use of videoing segments of a classroom day and reflection of teaching practices will be strategies used to work with selected Coachees to develop and work on established goals.

• Work with SEVCA Head Start leadership team to implement program wide positive behavior support strategies.
• With guidance and support from the leadership team assist selected teaching teams to assess and improve practices relative to general classroom management and in response to individual children’s needs.
• Support Head Start teachers and teaching teams to develop individualized Behavior Support Plans for children, when necessary, including: defining and measuring behavior, using data to determine the meaning of the behavior, teaching new skills and replacement behavior.
• Lead or participate in individual child support teams, inclusive of parents, special educators, local mental health providers and other community supports.
• Promote family engagement and involvement in classroom-based behavior support planning;
  Identify ways to assist parents in addressing behavior concerns and challenges in the home environment.
• Conduct classroom observations using evidence-based tools;
  Provide feedback to teaching teams.
• Implement Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) or researched based intervention strategies with assigned children in the classroom using one on one support, as needed.
• Assist children in learning appropriate social and emotional skills by planning Positive Behavior Support activities to intentionally teach these skills, as well as using naturally occurring situations in the classroom as teaching moments.
• Keep a written daily log of behavioral interventions/strategies/teaching tools used in the classroom.
• Monitor use and effectiveness of instructional supports, such as weighted vests, adaptive seating, tablets, etc. Discuss with Mental Health Consultant and Education/Disability Manager to maximize effectiveness or determine need for change.
• Collect, organize, and analyze child-related ensure in order to generate meaningful records and reports of activities and outcomes.
• In collaboration with Mental Health Consultant, Education/Disabilities Manager and classroom staff, assure that the needs of assigned children are met by assisting with the…