Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

Any Baby Can•Austin, TX

1d•$60,000 - $65,000

About The Position

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) is a prevention-based approach that pairs a mental health consultant with adults who work with infants and young children in the different settings where children learn and grow, such as childcare, preschool, home visiting, early intervention, and their home. While mental health consultation is not psychotherapy, it does equip caregivers to facilitate children’s healthy social and emotional development. The IECMHC is responsible for providing early childhood mental health consultation support to Any Baby Can staff, children, and families. The IECMHC will provide a broad range of services, including early childhood mental health consultation through home visits; training and coaching staff; screening, assessment, and referral services; promotion and marketing of group services; and providing parent trainings. The IECMHC supports caregivers and providers in identifying and addressing early signs of environmental, relational, and behavioral concerns to prevent escalation, promote healthy relationships, and reduce negative behaviors and symptoms in early childhood. The IECMHC will also maintain client records and documentation of consultation services in compliance with all performance standards and state regulations.

Requirements

Master’s degree in social work, counseling, or related required.
LCSW, LPC, or LMFT preferred or working towards licensure.
Preferred Child Development experience.
Language skills in English and Spanish, both written and verbal modalities, preferred.
Experience with providing training on trauma-informed approaches.
Experience in working with low-income and culturally diverse families with multiple needs.
Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as actively participate as a collaborative team member.
Excellent communication skills and ability to establish rapport quickly with clients and families.
Proven ability to maintain detailed and accurate program records and meet deadlines.
Must have current CPR/First Aid Certification or obtain within 30 days.
Must have reliable transportation to travel within the assigned region; requires a valid driver’s license and current vehicle insurance.
Flexible, able to work well under pressure and handle crisis situations.
Ability to sit, stand, kneel as necessary to fulfill daily duties assigned.
Ability to communicate effectively/clearly.

Responsibilities

Establish strong working relationships with community partners and Any Baby Can staff to set the tone and foundation for IECMHC to be grounded in strong, healthy relationships.
Learn and understand the multifaceted challenges and barriers that parents and early childhood service providers face in nurturing strong attachments in early childhood, including individual histories and systemic issues.
Develop and facilitate mental health and child development training, education or psychoeducation groups for parents, Any Baby Can staff, and community providers as needed.
Manage referral process for IECMHC services. Utilize agency tools for documentation and data collection per agency documentation standards and grant data reporting needs.
Provide reflective consultation to professional adults working with young children as needed both individually and in group format.
Provide support and crisis intervention with families and children involved with Any Baby Can programs and community partners.
Provide parent education and developmental guidance to Central Texas Families, maintaining a caseload of up to 25 families/community providers receiving consultation services.
Participate in marketing and community outreach activities as needed.
Develop strong collaborative partnerships with clients and client stakeholders for shared discussion of expectations, goal setting and co-development of the IECMHC service plan.
Provide comprehensive assessments and treatment planning with measurable objectives, as needed.
Administer grants require screeners for children, families, and professionals as designated by funders. Collect and analyze data to determine consultation strategies.
Coordinate and monitor intra-agency and community-based referrals for evaluations, consultation, preschool, and other services.
Support staff and community partners in understanding the power of relationships; the importance of self-awareness; the impact of trauma and adverse experiences, including discrimination and exclusionary practices; and how leaders can support staff and the agency.
Demonstrate flexibility and the ability to adapt and tailor IECMHC services to meet the unique needs of children, families, and programs representing varied and diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
Participate in reflective supervision in relation to IECMHC services and practice.
Attend NES and IECMHC team meetings and agency meetings required, including all staff meetings.
Other assignments may be added as needed or required.