Early Learning Mental Health Specialist Contractor

Position Purpose/Overview 

The Early Learning Mental Health Specialist Contractor provides consultation and direct support to students, staff and families in the Early learning programs (serving 3–5-year-old students) in the district. The Early Learning Mental Health Specialist utilizes evidence-based practices in response to identified student needs and works with others to align the efforts of educators, families, caregivers, community agencies and other service providers to promote students’ emotional, relational and academic growth and success. 

Education and Experience/Desired Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in related field required.  
• Washington State Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMHC or LMHCA) or Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW or LICSWA) or equivalent license required.  
• Ability to provide training/consultation regarding mental health needs 
• Familiarity and experience with integrating mental health support within educational settings  
• Ability to apply appropriate treatment modalities such as Play-based Therapy, Brief Solution-oriented Therapy, and other trauma-informed approaches  
• Ability to use screeners and behavior checklists to evaluate students’ behavioral health as part of an intake process. Assist teachers and caregivers in providing appropriate support.  
• Demonstrated sensitivity to cultural, developmental, religious and ethnic diversity of students and community, and passion for equity and inclusion.  
• Ability to problem solve, intervene responsibly, and constructively manage crisis and high stress situations.  
• Ability to work collaboratively and coordinate with service agencies, school district administrators/staff, and other support agencies that may have direct and/or indirect impact on individual student needs. 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of staff and partners and demonstrated ability to connect with students, families, staff and community members in a mutually respectful, supportive and accessible manner.  
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively in both written and verbal form.  
• Ability to process information to make sound judgments and decisions.  
• Washington State driver’s license.  
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Superintendent or designee may find appropriate and acceptable.  
• Bilingual preferred 

Duties and Responsibilities  

• Work collaboratively with school counselors, administrators, educators and specialists to develop and implement effective behavioral/emotional support plans for students and embed evidence-based mental health practices throughout the school day.  
• Provide individual and/or group counseling services to students as needed and appropriate.  
• Serve as a member of IEP/504 teams and other staff/consultation meetings as appropriate.  
• Provide training for school staff, students, and parents in behavioral health topics (e.g. mental health promotion, individual and family counseling services, crisis intervention, etc.) for the purpose of increasing awareness and reducing the frequency and complications of mental health issues. Provide building and district in-service education/training programs.  
• Develop and provide consultation or brief counseling to parents to assist them in understanding the needs of their child, including information about child development. Assist families in accessing community behavioral health services. 
• Work with students’ caregivers and support team members to develop continuity and alignment in behavioral support goals and student success.  
• Serve as a liaison between the school and community based mental health and medical services, assessment and treatment programs for the purpose of facilitating student support services, continuity of care and communication between support team members.  
• Work directly with students to help them learn how to self-regulate, make positive decisions and deal proactively with change.  
• Assist with a variety of behavioral health activities (e.g. screenings, interventions, referrals, etc.) for the purpose of identifying and addressing mental health and substance use issues within assigned student population.  
• Provide services on a flexible schedule, including hours outside the typical school day as needed.  
• Maintain individual student records and files in compliance with FERPA (e.g. session notes, reviews, interventions, etc.) for the purpose of compiling and documenting activities in compliance with all state and federal requirements. 
• Attend building and district meetings, professional development and conferences as required.  
• Comply with school and administrative policies and state statutes.  
• Other duties as assigned. 

Physical Requirements (i.e., sitting, standing, lifting, carrying, walking, and fine motor skills.  Also, cognitive demands like visual and perceptual skills, attention, and memory) 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a contractor to successfully perform the essential functions of this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

While performing the duties of this role, the contractor is regularly required to talk or hear. The contractor is frequently required to walk; sit; use hands for fine manipulation, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms using a keyboard and video display terminal. The contractor is frequently required to stand and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and climb stairs. The contractor must regularly lift and/or move up to 15 pounds and occasionally up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this role includes close vision. 

DISCLAIMER:   

The preceding description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by contractors and employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required to do this work.