Head Start Mental Health & Disabilities Specialist, Norris Square Civic Association

Posted by on April 21, 2014

Head Start Mental Health & Disabilities Specialist, Norris Square Civic Association
Posted on: April 11, 2014

Job description

Primary Responsibilities

• Ensure program’s compliance with federally mandated Head Start Performance Standards in the area of Education & Early Childhood Development services:
• Child Health and Safety
• Key Indicators: Screening and Referrals
• Family & Community Engagement
• Key Indicators: Parent Child Relationships, Parent as their Child’s Educators, Parent’s in Transitions, Community Partnerships
• Child Development and education
• Key Indicators: Individualization, Quality Teaching and Learning.
• Monitor, evaluate and train staff working in the areas of disability services and mental health to ensure and maintain high quality services to support children and their families.
• Provide professional expertise in behavior and disability services: provides NSCA Head Start sites with monitoring, consultation, and training.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Monitor screening and assessment data, evaluations and parent and staff input to ensure identified children have been referred for evaluation.
• Ensure that the children identified and their families secure the assessment, services, and guidance to support the child’s learning and development.
• Pursue action on incomplete files and actions with designated contacts at Elwyn.
• Ensure parent training is offered at all sites and sites are collaborating to bring meaningful resources for the enrolled families.
• Schedule regular communication and collaboration with Education/ Special Needs Coordinator, designated mental health consultants and service providers as necessary; these activities should be documented thoroughly.
• Encourage and guide parent communication and involvement in all aspects of the program, including in-home strategies related to behavioral issues. Provide strategies and training/information workshops for parents to aid in the process.
• Provide appropriate training for staff working with children with special needs, monitor their work, and suggest materials that may be useful in working with the child.
• Ensure the required documentation is in child files. Monitoring should include periodic examination of Child Plus records.
• Monitor and report child abuse according to agency procedures.
• Monitor progress on the social/emotional and educational objectives for each child identified as special needs. Ensure appropriate action is taken when anticipated progress is not observed or recorded.

http://www.idealist.org/view/job/NWgc29zjj5Xd