TITLE:  EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

Date:        February 1, 2010  

Location:  Montrose based

Mailing Address: PO Box 1208, Montrose, CO 81402
Phone: For more information, please contact Marge Hanna, 970-252-3221
E-mail: mhanna@midwestmhc.org

Salary:   $43,058 w/license; $36,216 w/o license  

Job Description:

Position serves as the subject-matter expert and lead for the Early Childhood Mental Health Program. Works closely with the Deputy Director of Clinical Programs to develop, implement and monitor the clinical coordination and direct services, and with the Director of Non-Clinical Services to develop and implement psychosocial and educational components of the program. Program design will involve establishing a system of care both within the Center and within the community as an active participant in a collaborative of community partners providing services to this population. Within the Center, position will provide supervision, training and consultation to the Center's child therapists and will engage Medical Staff, Substance Abuse Staff, and Adult therapists in coordinating care for parents of children, age 0-5. Program design will include identifying and engaging collaborative partners within the community to provide and develop coordinated services to this population. Direct service delivery includes conducting assessments,, providing individual or group play therapy, parent-child interactive therapy, parent training and support groups, consultation and active case management with other service providers (e.g., public health nurses, pediatricians, pre-schools, Headstart programs, etc).

• Provides outreach to preschools, daycare centers and Pediatricians in the Montrose/Delta areas to identify non-Medicaid children ages 0-5
• Provides consultation to families, preschools and medical staff, both within the Center and to external providers
• Provides advocacy for families and children, to include assisting with appropriate benefits
• Conducts assessments to establish differential diagnosis and treatment plans in consultation with Child and Adolescent psychiatrist
• Delivers individual, group, family therapy; crisis intervention and case management services to children ages 0-5 in Montrose and Delta. These services may be delivered in the office or within the community
• Makes referrals to psychiatrists
• Provides training, consultation and supervision to child therapists, center-wide, in the provision of mental health sera vices to children ages 0-5
• Conducts Early Childhood Study Group, reviewing assessments, treatment plans and progress towards service planning goals with an emphasis on coordination with community based providers
• Maintains client charts according to the standards outlined in the record keeping procedures, administrative procedures and quality assurance procedures of the Center
• Attends regularly scheduled staff meetings, in-service meetings and peer review meetings
• Completes all paperwork and reports required by the agency according to established timelines
• Participates in the design of client services thorough needs assessment and discussion with team members and supervisor
• Collaborates with other human service agencies within the community to coordinate client care plans
• Responsible to keep all client information confidential under the policies and procedures of the Center

Qualifications: Education, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Masters level degree in one of the recognized mental health professions
• 2 years post graduate experience providing services to children ages 0-5
• Training in conducting mental health status assessments to establish differential diagnosis and treatment plans
• Experience with providing child therapy, in family advocacy, and in psycho education and psychosocial trainings
• A working knowledge of developmental assessment
• A working knowledge of evidence-based practices for children ages 0-5 including family, group and individual intervention
• Demonstrated ability to provide training and consultation to mental health clinicians and community based collaborative partners
• Ability to do mental status exams, data bases and differential diagnoses, service planning, assessment case management and treatment
• Ability to summarize service themes from a variety of client contacts and communicate suggested improvements for service delivery
• Ability to assess level of risk and make appropriate clinical judgment for resolution of client emergencies to effect a safe outcome
• Ability to deliver services where the client's needs are
• Basic computer operation and keyboarding skills
• Ability to enter data on the Center's computerized record keeping system
• Some knowledge of psychotropic medications and medical information relevant to mental disorders
• Ability to work cooperatively and constructively as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Must have a valid Colorado driver license
• Must provide own means of transportation when a Center vehicle is not available
• Requires travel in the Center's catchment area
• Requires some evening hours for groups