The Santa Rosa County School District is seeking a Mental Health Consultant for the Districts Head Start Program. Below is the detailed Scope of Services required:
Head Start Performance Standard 1302.45 requires securing a Mental Health Consultant and outlines the standard for their services. The description below sets forth the minimum responsibilities and qualifications based on our program policies and procedures. The Early Head Start and Head Start programs consist of about 280 children ages two to five. The children are served by twenty classrooms; fourteen at TR Jackson in Milton, and six at other schools including; Jay Elementary, Central School, Berryhill Elementary, Bagdad Elementary, East Milton Elementary, and West Navarre Primary School.
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Must hold a Florida license in a mental health related field (i.e. family counseling, clinical social work, school psychologist).
2. Must have a minimum of two years’ experience working with young children (ages birth to five) and their families in the capacity of a mental health professional.
TIME EXPECTATION:
1. Provide on-site services for one full day every two weeks during the school year for a total of eighteen days during the school year. Actual days will be determined in consultation with the District Student and Family Services Specialist.
2. ln the event of crisis intervention needs, be available to the School Administration and the District Student and Family Services Specialist for consultation, when needed, by phone and email.
3. Provide an additional four full days of classroom observations during the students' second and third weeks of school.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Conduct mental health environmental observations of all classrooms within the first three weeks of school. The purpose of these observations is to determine if there are environmental, schedule, or communication elements of the classroom environment that may impede early childhood mental health, in addition, observe specific child behaviors to Identify potential mental health concerns. Provide written reports of each observation, and consult with classroom staff, School Administration and the District Student and Family Services Specialist related to the observation and recommendations.
2. Conduct classroom observations, staff and parent consultations, and student engagements based on services requested and prioritized by
the District Student and Family Services Specialist. Provide written reports of all services provided at the close of each contract day.
3. Provide a minimum of three staff trainings on scheduled work days during the school year related to; early childhood mental health, identifying potential family mental health needs, and personal mental health.
4. Provision of mental health consultation services in the Head Start Program extend to staff, students, and their families. Services include
identifying concerns, offering assistance, providing intervention strategies, and following up with staff, parents and students.
5. The consultant may recommend referral to other community agencies based on their determination of individual and family need.
6. Prepare and present parent trainings based on identified family needs in consultation with School Administration and the District Student and Family Services Specialist.
