Director of Mental Health and Support Services

Position Title: Director of Mental Health and Support Services

Reports To: Early Education Services Director

Classification: Full Time / Exempt

Status: Variable Salary

Wage Range: $50,000 - $64,000 Annual Salary

Required Education and Experience:
The candidate will have a bachelor's degree in Mental Health or in related fields (Psychology,
Counseling, Social Work); license or certification in the mental health field or ability to obtain license with the State of Michigan within 12 months of hire

Summary/Objective: This position provides early intervention services and support to children, families, and staff to ensure compliance of Head Start Performance Standards including but not limited to providing mental health consultation in classrooms and home visits, training and couching team member, screening, assessment, and referral services, as well as data collection and maintenance.

Essential Functions:

• Direct oversight of the Mental Health and Support Services Department including but not limited to Support Services Specialist (2), Certified Family Peer Specialist (1), and Teacher Coach (2).
• Facilitates recruitment of student intern placements.
• Participates in the annual program self-assessment, date collection, grant writing, and strategic planning/visioning.
• Assists in collection of community needs and annual reporting data.
• Assess participant satisfaction with program services through interviewing, surveys, and other means.
• Participate in agency data collection and analysis.
• Participates in the collection and analysis of Program Information Report data and In-Kind Collections.
• A member of and works collaboratively with the other members of the Leadership Team.
• Connect with Home Based Education and HS/EHS assigned classroom at a frequency determined by program to discuss and/or observe, assess, and mitigate individual children's needs and/or family concerns.
• Provide guidance to staff on selecting, implementing, and interpreting social emotional screening and assessment tools and findings.
• Provide guidance and model developmentally appropriate activities for children and effective ways to work with and support young children.
• Provide written and oral observations and strength-based feedback to classrooms on an annual basis.
• Accompany Home Based Educators on visitations as requested.
• Provide consultation/feedback with Home Based Educators, teaching teams and families following each observation, classroom contact and/or home visit.
• Provide child development information related to social-emotional development and mental health.
• Conduct observations and assessments of individual children as assigned or referred for consultation.
• Meet with families to consult on consult on child and family needs and create follow-up plans of referral to support these needs.
• Develop family and classroom behavior plans with the assistance of supervisor, in collaboration with Home Based Educators, families and/or teaching team, and allocate support when needed.
• Collaborate with assigned staff, including at multi-disciplinary team meetings, as well as with parents/families to discuss mental health issues and strategies.
• Participate in staff team meetings.
• Participate in the development and implementation of mental health program and policy.
• Refer children and parents for additional external supports as needed.
• Coordinate, recruit, and facilitate participants at least one parent training per year.
• Support, coordinate, and provide staff trainings related to social-emotional and mental health issues at least once per quarter.
• Facilitate, track and score ASQ SE-3.
• Facilitate, track and score DECA social emotional assessments.
• Analyze and report on DECA outcomes.
• Participates in interviewing panel and hiring staff.
• Writes, updates, and implements assigned sections of Local Plan.
• Adheres to the agency's Confidentiality Agreement.
• Respects and promotes the unique identify of each child and family, and refrains from stereotyping based on gender, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, or disability.
• Ensures compliance with all Local, State, and Federal regulations.
• Performs other duties as assigned by Early Education Services Director.