Advisor I, Health

Position Title: Advisor I, Program Mental Health

Supervisor Title: Senior Advisor, Mental Health

Employee Type: Full-time Regular

Division: Head Start

Save the Children

For over 100 years, Save the Children has been fighting for the rights of children. The right to a healthy start in life. To have access to education. To be in a safe environment, protected from harm. We work in some of the world's hardest-to-reach places - over 100 countries, including the U.S. No matter what your role is, when you join Save the Children, you're creating positive, irreversible change for children, and the future we all share.

Summary

The Advisor I, Program Mental Health is responsible for overseeing the mental health content area of the program and works closely with the Head Start Program Director, as well as content area management team members. The Advisor I, Program Mental Health supports a program wide-culture that promotes children's mental health, social and emotional well-being, safety of children and staff, and overall health. The Advisor I, Program Mental Health ensures implementation of the mental and behavioral health program services.

The mental health content area is an integral part of the larger system of services provided by Head Start/Early Head Start programs, and plays an important part in supporting the overarching goals of the program. This position is responsible for ensuring that mental health services are implemented with fidelity in accordance with Head Start regulations, as well as other State and federal requirements including those associated with the American Disabilities Act (ADA). The Advisor I, Program Mental Health promotes positive outcomes for young children by helping staff to develop the attitudes and skills necessary to effectively support the social and emotional development of the young children in their care. This includes strengthening the program's ability to create nurturing environments that foster mental wellness among children, families and staff.

As a frontline representative of Save the Children, you are required to ensure the safety and security of children and families that you come in contact with and adhere to the agency's values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity.

As a Save the Children employee who will come into contact with children on a routine basis, you are expected to prevent child abuse in every situation by striving, through mental awareness, good practice and training to minimize risk to children. You must take positive steps to protect children who may be a subject of concern and report, respond to any instance of child abuse, and promote training and awareness around all child-safeguarding obligations.

What You'll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Under the supervision of the Senior Advisor, Mental Health and in conjunction with Head Start Program Director, implements mental health program policies and procedures and provides support to staff working with children and families to implement the highest quality service delivery.
• Visits each site and classrooms on a regular basis (4-6 hours per month per site) to conduct classroom and individual child observations, provide training and technical assistance, coaching and mentoring, and build staff capacity by working directly with Head Start/EHS staff, parents, and community partners to ensure high quality service delivery.
• Meets with center staff following classroom observations to discuss strengths and recommendations for classroom management and a physical and cultural environment that promotes mental health and trauma-informed care, along with providing mindfulness strategies for all staff.
• Facilitates the individual behavior support process ensuring compliance with the Behavior Guidance Policy. Ensures all required reports are completed and supporting documentation has been acquired.
• Ensures psychological diagnostic evaluations occur for children when needed. Perform the evaluation as appropriate or make referral to the public school system or other community agency for testing and evaluation.
• Facilitates training for staff in the program related to the implementation of developmental and social-emotional screening and disabilities and infant, child, and adult behavioral health and family dynamics. Provides information and resources to grow the knowledge base of families and staff.
• Provides parent training and individual consultation to support children's development and social-emotional growth.
• Coordinates with program director and other managers/specialists to develop pre-service and on-going in-service training to ensure implementation of high quality services.
• Continues to build and enhance the network of mental health service providers for low-income families in the program.
• Develops and implements quality assurance activities including database monitoring, on-site visitations/observations, program reviews, consultation, and follow-up.
• Supports and participates in the Health and Family Services Advisory Committees which include professionals and volunteers from the community.
• Assists in the general administration of the Head Start program by participating in the ongoing program evaluation and planning process and assisting in the annual assessment process.
• Participates and/or encourages local staff's participation on inter-agency coordination councils, child and adolescent service system program teams, and care coordination councils and individual systems of care wrap-around teams.
• Participates and supports parents and staff as needed in IEP/IFSP meetings for participating children.
• Maintains ongoing communication to ensure high quality service delivery with educational cooperatives, private providers, early intervention and behavioral health specialists, and supports partnerships with program staff and parents.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of master's degree and licensed in accordance with the state mental/behavioral health professional licensing agency. (Counseling, Social Work or Psychology)
• Demonstrated experience providing mental and behavior health services.
• Knowledge of Heat Start Program Performance Standards as well as health and nutrition services for infant, toddler and preschool programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of administration, basic fiscal accountability, and public relations skills.
• Demonstrated experience developing consistent, stable and supportive relationships with young children.
• Proven ability to exercise professional judgment and evaluation before making decisions.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, children, parents, and outside agencies.
• Demonstrated successful ability to communicate and collaborate with individuals and teams and at all levels, both internal and external
• Proven successful problem solving and time management skills.
• Professional proficiency in MS Office Suite
• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an environment of diversity, inclusion, and belonging
• Willingness to travel up to 40%

Physical Requirements related to essential functions: Ability to perform medium to heavy physical work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently and up to 5-10 pounds constantly, performing such activities as sitting, crawling, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting and grasping. This also includes some duties that require repetitive action and motion skills, keyboarding and computer use.

Clear pre-employment background check requirements, including local, state, and national criminal records check, sex offender registries, employment, and education verifications (including child abuse registry check if required by state regulations) and pass all state and local health requirements required post job offer and prior to employment.

This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job. The incumbent should maintain a valid driver's license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.

Current and former Head Start/Early Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies for which they are qualified.

About Us

We are looking to build an inclusive team at Save the Children. We offer a range of outstanding benefits to support this goal:

• Time off: 11 paid holidays plus 10 days for winter break and 5 days for spring break, (with additional 5 hours PTO.
• Health: Competitive health care, dental and vision coverage for you and your family. Employer paid short term disability and long-term disability benefits.
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA): Option to select HSA if enrolled into High-Deductible Health Plan in which company matches a portion of contribution.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Option to enroll into health care and dependent care options.
• Life: Agency paid life and accidental death and dismemberment benefits (AD&D).
• Family: Parental/adoption, fertility benefits
• Employee Rewards Program: Annual merit increases and/or additional incentives for eligible employees
• Retirement: Retirement savings plan with employer contributions (after one year)
• Wellness: Health benefits and support through Calm and company-hosted events
• Employee Assistance Program: Free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services
• Learning & Growth: Access to internal and external learning & development opportunities and mentorships. Certification and tuition assistance.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in you.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.

If you require disability assistance with the application or recruitment process, please submit a request to applicantsupport@savechildren.org.