Description

Brightpoint invites you to join our team of mission-driven staff who share a common vision: an equitable world where all children and families thrive in strong communities. As a leader in the human services sector for 140 years, we aim to advance the well-being of children by investing in families and strengthening communities through data-informed, collaborative, and preventative solutions.

The Mental Health Coordinator will ensure Head Start/Early Head Start programs implement and adhere to the Head Start performance standards, as well as state, and local requirements for mental health services. Responsible for implementing systems to provide mental health services according to Start Early’s policies and procedures the Coordinator will organize trainings, conduct classroom individualized interventions, provide modeling of interventions to teachers, and monitor lesson plans to ensure that the needs of children with social, emotional, and adaptive behavioral needs are met. The Coordinator also directly supervises assigned Inclusion Aides.

Core Responsibilities:

• Supervise and monitor performance and scheduling of Inclusion Aides.

• Hire and train staff while implementing the organizations personnel policies and practices.

• Support the classroom implementation of interventions identified from individual children's support plans.

• Ensure mental health services are being provided according to the Head Start Program Performance Standards and Start Early Policies and Procedures.

• In partnership with the Manager of Diverse Learner and Wellness Services, lead the Conscious Discipline Action Team, including facilitating team meetings, ensuring that all staff are trained in Conscious Discipline, and monitoring of the implementation of the Conscious Discipline social emotional curriculum in both Early Head Start and Head Start programs.

• Refer identified children to community mental health providers for mental health assessment and services.

• Coordinate a multidisciplinary team that supports children going through the mental health referral process, including referring children for mental formulating and monitoring Interim Support Plans and Positive Behavior Support Plans.

• Provide classroom observations with feedback to teaching teams regarding Conscious Discipline and Behavior Support Plans.

• Monitor lesson plans to ensure that they include activities and/or accommodations for children with Positive Behavior Support plans.

• Model intervention strategies and provides guidance to support teaching teams in the implementation of Interim and Positive Behavior Support Plans for identified children.

• Plan and coordinate staff wellness activities throughout the program year in collaboration with program and site leadership.

• Understand the Active Supervision Policy and Procedure and support other staff in ensuring the health and safety of children in the program.

• Create and maintain collaborative community partnership agreements with local community-based mental health services to ensure families have access to mental health services in their local community for both parents and children.

• Meet all record keeping requirements of Brightpoint, Early Head Start/Head Start Performance standards, programs, and funders.

Candidate qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or Marriage and Family Therapy required.

• Clinical licensure in the state of Illinois (LCSW, LCPC or LMFT) strongly preferred; candidates who are scheduled to take the clinical licensure exam may be considered and must obtain, and maintain, clinical Illinois license within 6 months of employment.

• A minimum of two years of experience in an Early Childhood Education setting preferred.

• Experience working with culturally diverse populations preferred.

• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the Head Start Program Performance Standards and local licensing requirements regarding discipline and mental health services.

• Demonstrates understanding of infant and early childhood mental health consultation practices within the scope of the Head Start Program Performance Standards.

• Demonstrates knowledge of theories and principles of child growth, development, and early childhood education.

• Demonstrates familiarity with various Early Childhood Education curriculums, assessment systems, and lesson planning. Experience with Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies Gold strongly.

• Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with staff, parents/ guardians, and external stakeholders.

• Valid driver's license, insurance, and a reliable vehicle required.

Job details:

• Compensation: Salary range is between $54k-$68k; offers are commensurate with experience and bilingual candidates may receive additional compensation. The salary range provided represents our current estimate for this role at the time of posting and is subject to change. The final salary will be determined based on a range of factors, including but not limited to, a candidate's relevant experience, education, qualifications, skills, certifications, and alignment with organizational needs. We are dedicated to fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to fostering a diverse workforce while providing equal opportunities for all candidates.

• Benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance, three scheduled weeks of paid time off each year (Spring, Summer, Winter), and additional flexible paid leave that accrues based on tenure; 11 paid holidays, supplemental insurance options, 401(k) with match, (more benefit details here (https://brightpointbenefits.com/) ).

• Location: Classroom setting Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child & Family Center. (https://www.google.com/maps/place/1701+W+63rd+St,+Chicago,+IL+60636/@41.7790929,-87.6694717,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x880e2e5288ec6dcf:0xd0c76ec5435de812!8m2!3d41.7790929!4d-87.667283)

• Schedule: Full-time, salaried; center hours are 7:30a-5:30p M-F.

• Student Loan Forgiveness: Brightpoint is an approved agency for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) (https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service) .

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)