PROGRAM SPECIALIST (MENTAL HEALTH)

Basic Job Assignment:Under thesupervisionof the Mental Health Coordinatorwith additional guidance from the Disability Healthnutrition and Family & Community PartnershipCoordinatorsto ensure a holistic approachthe Program Specialist Mental Health supports and assists site and area staff to identify develop and implement strategies(inperson classroom support)tomeet the cognitive social emotional and physical needs of Head Start Program children and their be assigned lead/supervisory responsibilities for a widely diverse team of technical professional staff and student :The following are typical ways of obtaining the knowledge skills and abilities outlined above:Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education Social Work Psychologyor relatedfield isrequired. Amasters degreeis strongly preferred. A minimum oftwo (2) years of progressively responsible experience providing direct services tolow-incomechildren (ages 0-5) and families of diverse cultural backgrounds in the mental health and/or human services field MINMUM QUALIFICATIONS:Knowledge of:Current theoriesmethodsand practices of strength-based family development work;Early childhoodeducation;earlychildhood mental healthChild health and development for children 0-5 years of age including social services emotional and/or physical health and learning and/or physical disabilities;Federalstateand local laws and regulations applicable to the Early Head Start & Head Start Program and the assigned areas of responsibility andexpertise;Challenges and needs oflow-incomefamilies;Community socioeconomics and sociocultural populations of service areasprinciplesand practices of supervision including training and staff to:Establish andmaintaineffective working relationships with internal and external clients;Organize setprioritiesand exercise sound independent judgment;Interpret applyexplainand reach sound decisionsin accordance withprogram regulationspoliciesand procedures;Instruct and train individuals in a group setting and one-on-one;Prepare clear concise andaccuratereports;Exercise tact objectivity and sensitivityin interactions with children families and staff;Present an outstanding professional demeanor while on the job and in relationships;Maintain strict confidentiality of all child and family information safeguarding sensitive datain accordance withHead Start Performance Standards and agency of Major Functions:The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar related or a logical assignment to this as a member of a trans-disciplinary team of professionals and paraprofessionals engaged inidentifying assessingplanningand implementing interventions and support plans for families and children;Provides crisis intervention services;Assistsparents and families in problem solving;Serves as an advocate for parents and families with outside agencies;Acts as a resource and provides and/or makes referrals for necessary services;Informs and educates parents and families about emotional physical health socialeducationaland other special needs of children;Assistsin developing community and family partnerships;Implements care coordination procedures and follow-up activities;Conducts classroom observations to assess staff training needs in the areas of assigned responsibility andexpertise;Modelsappropriate intervention strategies for classroom staff parents SiteSupervisorsand other Head Start Program staffthrough in-person classroom provisions of the Head Start Performance Standards for staffparentsand the community;Documents child and family progress and performs various other administrative duties;Acts as community liaison and promotes community relations;Provides in-service and pre-service training;Supports programs5 yearGoals &Objectivesand continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) goals;Other duties as assigned by CERTIFICATES & SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:A Valid Class C drivers license and current automobile insurance and reliabletransportationand the ability to travel to various sites. Must be CPR/First Aid Certified orhave the ability toobtain certification within the first90 daysof employment. Must meet andmaintainState law and County licensing requirementsregardingemployment in a childcare center (Immunizations fingerprints TB and physical). Ability to:Organize set priorities and exercise sound independent judgment within areas of assigned responsibility; interpret apply explain and reach sound decisions in accordance with program regulations policies and procedures; document child and family progress; instruct and educate individuals in a group setting and one-on-one; communicate effectively orally and in writing; prepare clear concise and accurate reports correspondence and other written materials; exercise tact objectivity sensitivity strategy and judgment in dealing with volunteers parents and Skills:Ability to read analyze and interpret general business periodicals professional journals technical procedures or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports business correspondence and procedure manuals; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers clients customers and the general public. Ability to speak a second language is Skills:Ability to add subtract multiply and divide in all units of measure using whole numbers common fractions and decimals ability to compute rate ratio and percent and to draw and interpret bar Ability: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written oral diagram or schedule and Mental Demands:The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Physical Demands:Employee isrequired to stand bend or stoop forlong periodsof time; sit stand talk or hear in person and by telephone use hands to finger handle and feel computers and other standard office equipment andreach withhands and employee infrequently lifts up to fifty (50) Demands:This job includes close vision and the ability to adjust focus; use written and oral communications skills; read and interpret information and documents; analyze and solve problems;observeand interpret people and Environment:The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential employee works under typical office conditions; the noise level varies between quiet to moderate noise.