The Guadalupe Centers Charter Schools serves 1600 students from PreK-12 and is a free, open-enrollment public charter school. Over 96% of our students are Latinx. Our school system consists of Guadalupe Centers High School, Guadalupe Centers Middle School, and Guadalupe Centers Elementary School, including our PreK. Our system grew out of Guadalupe Centers’ educational programming. Guadalupe Centers is the longest continuously operating agency serving the Latinx community in the US since 1919. Our roots in our community run deep.

There are many benefits to working at GCCS with some of them being:

• Student and Families: GCCS teachers strive to form strong relationships with our students and their families. Our organization grew out of Guadalupe Centers, the longest continuously operating agency serving the Latinx community in the US. These community ties are integral to who we are. 

• Staff Autonomy: Teachers at GCCS appreciate having the autonomy to try proven and new approaches in their classroom and are encouraged to innovate. The experience of teachers is valued and they are given space to collaborate and share their best practice. 

• Coaching and Development: Staff at GCCS collaborate with their leaders on their growth and development. GCCS teachers set a professional development goal in collaboration with their coaches, colleagues, and in district initiatives. All staff are aligned on working on their development over the year.

Summary

The Mental Health Liaison is integral to the school’s System of Care for School-based Mental Health. The Liaison’s primary function is to ensure that the student and their caregiver(s) engage as much as they can in delivering Tier 3 mental health services to the student at school and in the community if they are referred to mental health services outside of the school. Please refer to the System of Care Blueprint for more information on how the school-based mental health services will be implemented. The liaison is the critical link between the school, mental health providers, and the families, and it reports to the coordinator of the school’s care team. 

Reports To: Director of Family Engagement and Support Services

Duties/Responsibilities

Services Provided at School

• Support the family in navigating, understanding, and engaging with the Tier 3 mental health services offered at school at all stages of the process: identification, screening, formal assessment, and service delivery.
• Actively participate in the school’s care team meetings to enrich the discussions by providing the caregiver’s perspective, experiences, and relevant information. 
• Work with the student and caregiver(s) to overcome challenges and barriers that may impede their ability to engage with the care team and mental health services provided at school. 
• Serve as a bridge, as needed, with/for other school team members who are arranging the provision of wraparound services to students receiving Tier 3 mental health services. This may require home visits to build trust and gain an appreciation for the student’s situation.
• Serve as a point of contact for securing written consent from a caregiver(s) and working with the caregiver(s) who is reluctant to provide consent to understand their reluctance and work with them and the care team to resolve.
• Provide feedback to the school care team on any issues related to the quality and effectiveness of communication and engagement with students’ families about Tier 3 mental health services.
• Educate caregivers and family members about the basics of mental health (what typical diagnosis are, what therapy entails, etc.)

Services Provided in the Community

• Provide support to the students and their caregiver(s) who are referred for mental health services in the community by addressing any needs such as childcare, translation services, and/or transportation; clarifying any issues related to cost, intake forms, etc., and conveying student and/or caregiver’s needs and concerns to the mental health providers. To provide this support, the Liaison may need to make home visits.

• Follow up with families while the student is waiting for an appointment with a community-based provider to ensure the student’s condition has not worsened and the SOC Hub and school are alerted immediately if it becomes critical.
• Serve as the bridge of communication for the caregiver(s), agencies, and schools as necessary for any crisis or critical updates necessary to ensure quality and timely service delivery
• Accurate and timely documentation and inputting of data for the SOC/MH information system.
• Coordinate with the Hub office of the SOC/MH to ensure that students referred to mental health services in the community can access services as expeditiously as possible.

Qualifications 

• College coursework or degree in a field related to mental health such as counseling, social work, psychology, or significant relevant experience working with young people and families on social and/or mental health-related issues.
• Proven ability to understand and communicate with the population served by the school in terms of ethnic, racial, and/or cultural background.
• Team player who is able to collaborate with school staff, particularly the care team, and others in the mental health services community who are working with the school.
• Well organized and able to manage their work schedule so that they can juggle the needs of multiple students and their families and keep track of essential documentation such as written consent forms, etc.
• Basic knowledge of mental health as it relates to the most common issues affecting young people such as anxiety, depression, and trauma.
• Highly motivated to serve the community and students.
• Bilingual ability; English required and Spanish preferred.

The ideal candidate has a deep passion for serving students and families through a holistic lens. We are seeking someone warm, positive, intensely organized, and who approaches their work with tremendous humility, focus, and adaptability.

• Strong belief in equity, inclusion, diversity, and culturally responsive practices.
• Every student can learn, and every student can succeed.
• Every student should have access to and opportunity for a high-quality education.
• Every student should have access to comprehensive mental wellness, behavioral health and social-emotional learning programming
• Every student and staff member should feel safe and have a sense of belonging at our school.
• Comprehensive school counseling/social work/mental wellness/behavioral health programs promote and enhance student academic, and social/emotional outcomes.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of standing and walking throughout the school and classroom. 
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• Must be able to access and navigate all areas of the school and other facilities as needed.

Application Process:

Please complete an application which may be found at https://www.gck12.org/o/gc/page/work-for-gccs. If a position requires a degree, please upload a copy of transcripts and/or degree certification to your application. Attachments such as a cover letter or resume can also be uploaded and attached to the application.

Guadalupe Centers, Inc. conforms to all the laws, statutes, and regulations concerning equal employment opportunities and affirmative action. We strongly encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply to all of our job openings. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, who fully and actively supports equal access for all qualified applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability status, Genetic Information or Testing, Family & Medical Leave, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law, and prohibits retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint, or otherwise oppose discrimination.