Head Start Behavior Specialist

Deadline to Apply: April 24, 2025

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Behavior Specialist oversees the implementation of trauma responsive, social, emotional, mental and behavior health education services. The Specialist works closely with the Behavior, Mental Health and Disabilities Coordinator and provides guidance, tracks pertinent data, and offers supports on mental and behavioral health services in alignment with the Head Start standards including a broad range of other activities and programs to support student success and kindergarten readiness, which are typical in a school and/or community childcare setting. The Specialist also provides classroom support through classroom observations, writing Behavioral Intervention Plans, offering feedback on appropriate interactions and skills, and providing developmentally appropriate resources and training for children, teachers, and parents.

BENEFITS:

We offer an extensive benefits package for our full-time employees which includes:

• Free Household Membership
• Medical Dental & Vision
• Life insurance
• Short and Long Term Disability
• Retirement benefits will vest at 12% after 2 years of employment
• Discount on childcare and other Y programs
• Paid Time Off
• Bereavement leave

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

The Behavior Specialist works in collaboration with the Behavior, Mental Health and Disabilities Coordinator to implement and evaluate the mental health services program with Program Managers, Consultants and Specialists. This position establishes/maintains linkages with parents, staff, community professionals, schools, and agencies, assuring compliance with multiple regulatory standards throughout. Support/enable parents to become advocates for their children and assist families to access needed services and/or to advocate for unavailable services. The Behavior Disabilities Specialist must have the ability to effectively provide professional development for the Head Start staff in the areas of early childhood education, development, and best practices.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Set, communicate, and implement high standards for mental health services program-wide and serve as a leader and an expert in mental health across the program; develop and recommend policies and procedures; oversee the implementation of approved procedures.
• Conduct observations and provide coaching, mentoring, and technical assistance on effective teacher-child interactions, effective social-emotional practices, child observations, curriculum fidelity, individualization, and responsive learning environments to help instructional staff promote healthy social-emotional development in children and meet the needs of children with disabilities.
• Direct a comprehensive social/emotional mental health services delivery system that includes identifying and supporting children with mental.
• Collaborate closely with Education Managers and Health & Nutrition Manager to assure compliance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards for mental health and disabilities services where they overlap with education and health service areas.
• Oversee the referral process for the provision of mental health services for children and families in the program.
• Provide orientation, training and technical assistance, oversight, and monitoring of staff to implement mental health services for children and their parents.
• Develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive mental health services documentation and recordkeeping systems; analyze and process information to generate meaningful records and reports of activities and outcomes to ensure compliance with regulatory timelines.
• Plan, coordinate, and evaluate the social emotional screening of every child entering Head Start.
• Observe individual children as requested by teachers and provides suggestions for behavior management and educational programming.
• Support other staff, parents, and consultants for identification, referrals, parent permission, confidentiality of records, evaluation and individual program planning for children with special needs.
• Attend home visits, parent conferences, IEP/IFSP meetings when requested or as necessary.
• Coach classroom staff on appropriate strategies, in coordination with Education Managers.
• Stay abreast of the Head Start Program Performance Standards, Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care, and other applicable regulations and regularly updates program procedures to ensure program compliance.
• Assist teaching staff in developing a system which offers parents opportunities for enhancing their skills as first educator of their children through the use of home learning activities, family nights, planning educational activities and providing opportunities to volunteer, attending trainings, etc.
• Serve as a resource person for parent training.
• Provide assistance with information for the collection of data for the submission of the Program Information Report (PIR).
• Submit verbal and written reports on program activities and status as needed.
• Plan and implements pre-service and on-going in-service/professional development training plans for staff.
• Provide guidance and oversight to teaching staff through monitoring and in designing developmentally appropriate classroom environments.
• Follow state and federal regulations pertaining to child abuse and neglect, reporting; maintains strict confidentiality of all information, and coordinates with family and community partnership staff as appropriate.
• Collaborate with LEA and special service providers to ensure integrated, coordinated provision of special services to include joint parent and staff training and Child Find activities. Initiates Community Partnership Agreements.
• Assist in implementing intervention strategies within the classroom with the intent for teachers and other staff to be able to carry out strategies independently.
• Model and exercise supervisory authority to support other employees in the execution of work duties in a manner consistent with YMCA standards for compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including YMCA policies and procedures reflecting best practices. In addition, supervisors are expected to model exemplary standards of ethical behavior and exercise careful stewardship of program funds, and support those they supervise in adhering to those standards.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:

This position must posses the educational background, technical skills and related work experience necessary to effectively perform the duties of this position:

Education/Experience:

• Minimum of a baccalaureate degree from a four year college or university in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or related field, Mater’s degree preferred.
• Qualified Mental Health Professionals (QMHPs) credential preferred.
• Minimum of two years of experience working with young children with challenging behaviors and families; experience working in early childhood settings and/or a Head Start Program preferred.
• Skilled in modeling/coaching appropriate and effective behavioral strategies.
• Knowledge of the development and implementation of positive behavior intervention plans.
• Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Observation for PreK certification required within six months of hire.
• Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT) for Preschool certification required within six months of hire.

Computer Skills:

This position will have intermediate to advanced knowledge of programs maintained and used by the organization, including but not limited to Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to know and implement the Head Start Program Performance Standards and policies. Ability to exercise professional judgment in evaluating before making decisions. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, children and parents, and outside agencies. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions. Ability to summarize conclusions and instructions, then make recommendations and develop implementation strategies. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality at all times, including the ability to recognize situations in which confidentiality is required.

Mathematical Skills:

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, percentages, and overtime. Ability to produce and interpret graphs, charts, spreadsheets, and other mathematical reports.

• Ability to speak, rad and write English well enough to understand and be understood by others.
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret disabilities journals.
• Ability to speak before groups of individuals.
• Some bilingual fluency helpful (English/Spanish).

Language Skills:

Ability to communicate ideas and instructions orally and in writing.