Behavior Specialist (Powder Mill Campus-Beltsville, MD)

Kennedy Krieger Institute•Beltsville, MD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Behavior Specialist works with classroom, Mental Health/Clinical, and Related Services staff to provide behavioral services to students at the Powder Mill campus of Kennedy Krieger School in Beltsville, Maryland. The campus serves students in grades 2–8 who are working toward a high school diploma, and students ages 7–21 seeking a certificate of completion. Under the supervision of the Manager, Behavioral Services or Director, Psychological and Behavioral Services, the Behavior Specialist serves as case manager for behavioral programming for individual students and has primary responsibility for developing and implementing Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIPs). The role includes facilitating and documenting BIP development; conducting and documenting Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs); training staff; and monitoring BIP effectiveness through data collection, graphing, and analysis. The specialist also develops and implements crisis management procedures and provides behavioral support in classrooms. The position coordinates team input and presents assessment findings and plans at team and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings. It also supports school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports, produces required student progress and program documentation, and may consult with local school system transportation staff about behavior management on buses where appropriate. A $1,000 hiring incentive is currently offered. The stated pay range is $21.66–$29.07 per hour.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in psychology, behavior analysis, special education, or a related field.
At least two years of experience with children with developmental disabilities.
Must achieve, possess, and maintain Professional Crisis Management (PCM) certification within the timeline established by the department. The department provides a limited number of certification opportunities; candidates may obtain the required certification through an external provider and provide documented evidence.
Must possess and maintain CPR certification from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross.

Nice To Haves

Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst certification.
Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification.
Experience with individuals with autism and/or behavioral challenges.

Responsibilities

Conduct Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs), collecting data through interviews, logs, and direct observation.
Coordinate team input on FBAs as Behavior Resource Case Manager.
Write FBA reports and present findings at teams, including IEP meetings.
Develop and update Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) for students on caseload, ensuring compliance with regulations and school procedures.
Initiate and monitor student behavior data-collection systems; summarize, graph, analyze, and share data with classroom teams.
Train classroom staff to implement BIPs and data-collection systems, and monitor implementation fidelity.
Monitor student progress on behavioral goals.
Produce quarterly progress reports, annual summaries, aide justifications and fade plans, FBA reports, and BIPs.
Attend and present at IEP meetings.
Coordinate and implement responses to behavioral crises as part of school-wide crisis management procedures.
Facilitate and implement the school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports system.
Complete required documentation of contacts with parents, transportation providers, and other agencies.
Conduct in-service trainings as needed.
When certified, conduct Professional Crisis Management (PCM).
Where appropriate, provide consultation to local school system transportation staff regarding behavior management on the bus.