Mental Health Specialist

Description JOB SUMMARY The Mental Health Specialist provides social/emotional support and Mental Health Therapy Services to children birth to age 5 while working with children, their parents, and/or their Early Childhood Teacher.

Essential job functions (Responsibilities)

Screens children 0-5 for Social-Emotional concerns. Assess children 0-5 for Mental Health concerns. Works with parents and child care providers to develop behavior interventions to address concerns in the child's natural environment. Visits children 0-5 in their natural environments to assist in the implementation of Behavior Intervention Plans. Makes referrals for children 0-5 and their families to best meet their Social-Emotional and Developmental Needs. Attends and participates in multidisciplinary team meetings as well as team meetings within the Mental Health discipline. Trains parents and child care providers during formal training sessions. Attends trainings and in services as required by RUI and maintain licensure with Kansas BSRB. Performs other duties as assigned. Possesses a genuine caring for and interest in children. Ability to hear, understand, and distinguish speech and/or other sounds in person. Ability to determine and identify items and children in the periphery, near, and far visual fields.

Qualifications

Masters Degree in Mental Health field, with appropriate licensure. Prefer 1-2 years’ previous experience working with families.

SKILLS

Ability to deal effectively with public and co-workers in a professional manner. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to comply with agency and departmental safety policies and procedures. Ability to read and write the English language. Keep appropriate documentation of all cases per the standards of Rainbows United, Inc. and grant funding sources. Ability to perform work tasks within the physical demand requirements as outlined below.

Flsa classification: Exempt

Work pace

• Self-paced, requiring the ability to think and act quickly and efficiently in a fast-paced, demanding work environment.
• WORK
• ENVIRONMENT: Indoors, and occasional outdoors.

Physical demands

May require frequent extended work days.

Sitting

6 - 7 hours in an 8-hour work shift; may occasionally alternate to standing or walking.

Standing

• 1 - 2 hours in an 8-hour work shift.
• Alternates to sitting on a frequent basis
• Walking: 1/2 - 1 hour in an 8-hour work shift. _________________________________________________________________________________________________
• FREQUENCY: Never = 0% Rarely = 1 - 10% Occasionally = 11 - 33% Frequently = 34 - 66% Continuously = 67 + % _________________________________________________________________________________________________

LIFTING

WEIGHT FREQUENCY OBJECTS 1 - 10 lbs. Frequently Books, supplies and files. 11 - 20 lbs. Occasionally File boxes and copy supplies 20 - 35 lbs. Rarely Equipment and boxes of supplies.

Carrying

• WEIGHT FREQUENCY OBJECTS 1 - 10 lbs. Frequently Books, supplies and files. 11 - 20 lbs. Rarely File boxes and copy supplies 20 - 35 lbs.
• Rarely
• Equipment
• Bending:
• Rarely
• Squatting:
• Rarely
• Kneeling:
• Rarely
• Climbing:
• Rarely - stairs (Frequently for multi-level facilities)
• Grasping:
• Frequently
• Reaching:
• Occasionally
• Fine
• Manipulation:
• Continuously
• Driving: Occasionally