Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

194660 Axess Family Services•Ravenna, OH

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The IECMH Consultant is a licensed mental health professional who promotes the social, emotional, and behavioral well-being of children birth through age six and their families. The Consultant partners with early childhood providers — child care programs, preschools, home visiting programs, Head Start, and families — to build protective factors in young children at risk for abuse, neglect, and poor social-emotional health; to increase the skills and confidence of parents and caregivers; and to strengthen the competencies of early childhood professionals so that challenging child behaviors are understood and addressed rather than resulting in suspension or expulsion. Consultation is delivered in accordance with the Ohio Model of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation and constitutes a consultation service as defined in OAC 5122-29-19: a formal, systematic exchange of information directed toward the development and improvement of individualized service plans and techniques involved in the delivery of behavioral health services. The Consultant provides and documents this service under the supervision and staff-qualification requirements of OAC 5122-29-30 and within the scope of the Consultant's professional license.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (master's preferred) from a CHEA-accredited college or university in a field related to early childhood: Child and Family Studies, Child Development, Education, Early Childhood, Pre-K, Elementary Education, Special Education, Nursing, Medicine, Psychology/Counseling, Social Work, or the ECMH Certificate from Cleveland State University.
Minimum of two (2) years of experience in infant/early childhood mental health.
Employment with an OhioMHAS-certified mental health agency currently or within the past two years.
Direct work with children birth to age six and their families — or supervision of professionals doing that work — currently or within the past three years.
Ohio IECMH/ECMH Professional Credential through the Ohio Professional Registry (OPR/OCCRRA), held at hire, and renewed every two years.
Initial Training: The Ohio Model of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (two-part training) and Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) training by an approved Devereux trainer, completed and verified in the OPR.
Ongoing (credential renewal): Minimum of 15 hours every two years focused on early childhood (birth to age six) in two or more IECMH Core Competency Domains: Social-Emotional Growth & Development; Family & Community Relations; Assessment; Interventions; Cultural and Linguistic Competency.
Additional training in trauma-informed care and social-emotional development of infants and young children as required by the agency and the Ohio consultation model.
Deep knowledge of child development birth–6, attachment, the effects of stress and trauma on young children and families, and adult/caregiver mental health as it affects children.
Skill in relationship-based, culturally and linguistically responsive consultation; strong observation, assessment, and coaching abilities.
Ability to work independently across multiple community sites, manage a consultation caseload, and document accurately and timely in the electronic health record.
Effective written and verbal communication with families, educators, clinicians, and system partners.
Travel to child care programs, schools, homes, and community sites throughout the service area; valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and insurability required.
Satisfactory completion of background checks in accordance with OAC 5122-30-31 and agency policy prior to hire.
One of the following: LSW, LISW, LPC, LPCC, Psychologist, Marriage & Family Therapist, RN/APRN, or MD/DO, per ORC Chapters 4757, 4732, 4723, and 4731; verifiable through the eLicense Ohio system.
Other professional licenses considered under the OCCRRA appeal provision.
Unrestricted State of Ohio driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred.
ECMH Certificate from Cleveland State University.

Responsibilities

Provide programmatic and child/family-centered mental health consultation to early childhood programs, teachers, caregivers, and families, both on-site and via approved telehealth modalities.
Conduct observations of children in early learning and home environments; administer and interpret the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) and other approved social-emotional screening and assessment tools.
Develop, implement, and monitor individualized action/support plans with teachers and families addressing social-emotional development, attachment, challenging behaviors, and the effects of stress and trauma.
Model and coach evidence-based strategies for promoting social-emotional growth, positive behavior support, and trauma-informed caregiving.
Facilitate referrals and warm hand-offs to diagnostic assessment, treatment, Early Intervention (Help Me Grow), and community resources when clinical needs exceed the scope of consultation.
Maintain a record of all consultation services provided — including the person or system served, the nature of the consultation, and outcomes — in accordance with OAC 5122-29-19 and agency policy; complete clinical documentation per OAC Chapter 5122-27 where applicable.
Maintain compliance with HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2 (where applicable), agency policies, and OhioMHAS certification standards (OAC Chapters 5122-24 through 5122-29).
Periodically survey partner systems to identify consultation needs, consistent with OAC 5122-29-19, and participate in quality improvement, data collection, and reporting required by OhioMHAS, funders, and the agency.
Maintain the Ohio IECMH/ECMH Credential and professional license in good standing, including renewal training requirements.
Participate in reflective supervision, staff meetings, case consultation, and OhioMHAS-sponsored technical assistance and training.
Represent the agency with community partners, family and children first councils, and early childhood system stakeholders.
Other duties as assigned.