Mental Health and Wellness Specialist

Student Mental Health and Wellness Specialist

Reports To: Director of Special Education

Job Summary

The primary responsibility of the Student Mental Health and Wellness Specialist is to provide building level support and intervention for students in grades Pre-K through 5 who are identified as exhibiting behavioral difficulties which impede their social/emotional development and academic success. Additional responsibilities will include district wide coaching and staff training.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements

and qualifications listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations

may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

Supports and assesses behavioral programs for students in a therapeutic and behaviorally supported educational environment.

Provides staff development and works collaboratively with teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff to demonstrate best practices, therapeutic interventions and strategies.

Integrates techniques to enhance instruction for students with social, communication, behavioral and learning challenges.

Collaborates with staff to develop an understanding of a variety of methods to improve student behavior.

Assists with the development of behavioral assessments and behavioral intervention plans.

Provides individual counseling or connects students requiring intensive levels of support to community based counseling based services.

Plans and confers with the classroom teacher, building administrators as requested concerning any behavioral, social, or personal problems affecting the students.

Assists staff with the development of crisis prevention and intervention plans

Assists as needed with the crisis assessment team to determine the level of threat and follow through with recommended interventions

Assists in developing crisis plans for students in collaboration with community based resources

Attends and makes recommendations for student support/intervention meetings e.g. Child Find meetings

Support plan meetings, School Based Team, IEP meetings, 504 Plan meetings; etc.)

Coordinates and conducts individual and group parent education sessions with families as needed.

Assists in developing and maintaining home-school relations in crisis situations with students.

Monitors student data and makes adjustments to behavior support plans as needed

Assists with the development and maintenance of program evaluation procedures.

Assists with case-management and team problem-solving with other school and district staff, agency personnel and other appropriate professionals on a regular basis.

Demonstrates patience, respect, a receptive attitude towards students of varied academic and behavioral levels of need and abilities.

Utilizes professional knowledge and skills to assure implementation and maintenance of intervention plans.

Ability to identify, document, make recommendations, and report data on students' behavior based on trends and research.

Receives training on approved de-escalation techniques and physical intervention methods, and utilizes those methods when deemed necessary.

Assumes responsibility for own professional growth and development by keeping current with the literature and new research findings, and by attending professional development as appropriate.

Performs any other related duties as assigned by the Student Mental Health and Behavior Support Coordinator, Director of Special Education, Superintendent, or Designee.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of federal and state mandates and local procedures and regulations relating to special education programs.

Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Ability to effectively relate with persons from a diverse social and economic background.

Skill in the use of personal computers and related software packages, hardware and peripheral equipment.

Ability to collaborate effectively with other school personnel, parents and community agencies.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, students and parents.

Ability to travel frequently to and from schools/agencies within and without division.

Qualifications, Education and Experience

Minimum of a Master's Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or a related field. The candidate must be a licensed mental health professional - Licensed Professional Counselor or Licensed Clinical Social Worker required.

Minimum of three years of successful experience working with students who have challenging behaviors in a therapeutic or school setting.

The individual must have basic knowledge of child psychopathology.

Must have knowledge of Social and Emotional Learning and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Must have knowledge of current trends and methodologies used to address the needs of children with behavioral challenges.

Must have knowledge of Trauma Informed Practices in Schools.

Must have the ability to recommend evidenced based practices as needed.

Must have extensive successful experience in analyzing and assessing behavior, developing, planning and implementing behavioral interventions.

Must have skills in evaluation, development and implementation of positive behavior intervention plans; knowledge of current accepted best practices utilized in the full continuum of placement options for students with behavioral challenges.

Must have knowledge of child protective laws as related to being a mandated reporter.

Must have knowledge of data tracking and collection, record management and reporting methods, and a demonstrated understanding of differentiated instruction.

Must have expertise in developing and providing staff development activities for individual schools and/or programs.

Physical Requirements

Ability to communicate in a clear, concise manner both orally and in written form.

This work requires the frequent exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force.

work regularly requires speaking or hearing and using hands to finger, handle or feel, frequently requires sitting

and repetitive motions and occasionally requires standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling,

reaching with hands and arms and lifting

Work has standard vision requirements.

Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying

detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly.

Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information

Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities.

Work occasionally requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to blood-borne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment and Bodily fluids.

Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Evaluation

Performance of this position will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of the Petersburg City Public School

Board's policy manual.