Mental Health and Wellness Specialist (Education Specialist IV)

Agency Information The Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees primary and secondary public education in Texas and is committed to improving outcomes for all public school students by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems across the state. Core Values We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in pursuing our primary purpose of improving outcomes for students. We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain committed talent that reflects the diversity of Texas, with each individual contributing to our shared vision for students. We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on outcomes, and continuously improve in pursuit of excellence for students. We are Servant Leaders: We are public servants committed to improving opportunities for students and supporting those who serve them. Job Description Position Overview The Mental Health and Wellness Specialist plays a pivotal role in advancing the Texas Education Agency’s mission to support educators and school systems by planning, leading, and managing strategic initiatives focused on mental health. This position collaborates closely with the Director of Mental Health and Wellness and the broader team to ensure that all efforts are aligned with agency priorities and the needs of Texas public schools. This position is a key contributor to the Mental Health and Wellness Team within the Division of Student Supports and will support the implementation of Texas education policies, resource development, guidance, and training provided by the Division. The specialist supports coordination between TEA and other state agencies, such as TCHATT (Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine) and HHSC (Health and Human Services Commission), to improve mental health practices and increase access to services for students. This involves facilitating joint efforts, aligning strategies, and ensuring that prevention, awareness, and intervention initiatives are consistent across agencies. This position also oversees database management of the Texas School Mental Health Resource Database, ongoing maintenance and curation of resources on the Texas School Mental Health Website and utilizes necessary strategies for disseminating resources across the state. This requires leading annual statutory updates to the Best Practices and Programs Repository. The specialist provides ongoing support to educational stakeholders by hosting professional learning communities, especially for the ESC Title IV, Part A, Mental Health Training grant, maintaining dedicated communication channels, and offering technical assistance. This ensures that educators, administrators, and other partners have the guidance and resources needed to meet compliance standards and improve student outcomes. The specialist also provides support for the Fentanyl Containment Training Grant with program maintenance, office hours, and technical support. The role requires gathering and analyzing feedback from partners, monitoring program effectiveness, and adapting strategies to meet evolving needs. The specialist is expected to demonstrate strong communication, organizational, and analytical skills, and to foster a culture of continuous improvement within the team and across the agency. Business needs may shift the role and essential job functions for this education specialist position. The individual serving in this position is expected to adapt to shifting business priorities as long as any revised duties are within the same job classification title. Flexible work location in Texas may be considered for qualified candidates. Essential Functions Job duties are not limited to the essential functions mentioned below. You may perform other functions as assigned. 1. Grant Management & Reporting: Provides program support for the ESC Title IV, Part A, Mental Health Training and Support Grant, including guidance on program requirements, facilitation of professional learning communities, and oversight of data collection for annual progress reporting. Delivers technical assistance and office hours for the Fentanyl Contamination Training Grant and responds to inter/intra-agency requests to support local school mental health implementation. Leads the Small and Rural Mental Health ESC professional learning community to enhance mental health access across all 20 ESC regions. 2. Program Implementation: Leads the strategic implementation of mental health initiatives by aligning programs with state policies, providing technical assistance, fostering community partnerships, monitoring, improving program effectiveness, and facilitating professional learning. The program specialist interprets and applies current state and federal mental health policies, ensuring all program activities and resources are fully compliant with legislative mandates and TEA priorities. Regularly reviews policy updates and collaborates with legal and policy experts to maintain alignment. 3. Maintain Policy & Guidance Landscape: Gathers and analyzes feedback from state partners (e.g., LEAs, ESCs, HHSC, TIEMH, USAC, TxSSC, TCMHCC) and school mental health leaders in LEAs to inform guidance/resources produced by TEA. Addresses stakeholders’ questions, provides clarifications, and develops guidance documents to support legislative mandates. Develop mental health policies and create actionable deliverables that align with legislative mandates and TEA priorities. Gather and analyze feedback from state partners and school mental health leaders to inform guidance, address stakeholder questions, and produce clear resources that support compliance and effective implementation. 4. Professional Development, Stakeholder Communication, and Technical Assistance: Design and deliver professional development for school systems and ESCs through comprehensive training sessions, webinars, presentations, and PLC meetings. Ensure these learning opportunities build capacity for implementing mental health initiatives and foster collaboration among educators and school mental health leaders. Co-led the agency webinar series on Mental Health and Wellness topics. Ensure timely and effective technical assistance by responding promptly to stakeholder inquiries and facilitating regular professional learning communities. Maintain strong engagement and satisfaction by providing clear guidance through dedicated communication channels and delivering resources that support mental and behavioral health initiatives. Also, provide management of the Texas School Mental Health Resource Database. Qualifications Minimum Qualifications Education: Graduation from an accredited four‑year college or university Required Licenses: Mental health professional license preferred Experience: At least four (4) years of experience in working with mental health needs of school-aged children, including experience with large-scale project management, policy, and leadership within the school system or related setting Other Qualifications Share the belief that all Texas students can achieve at high levels and are able to succeed in college, career, or the military Experience with planning and coordinating projects with multiple partners to achieve desired program outcomes Experience with facilitating and successfully navigating through change management processes within organizations Ability to foster effective working relationships with a variety of individuals and groups, internal and external to TEA Experience in an education or mental health-related organization with developing student service delivery program plans, implementing service delivery plans, and communicating program outcomes Ability to assemble and analyze data along with being data-driven in decision-making Mastery in technology including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook) SharePoint, and demonstrated experience learning and effectively applying new technologies Strong prioritization, time management, and organizational skills; ability to manage multiple projects at once and meet deadlines Excellent verbal and written communication including strong editing and proofreading skills Proficiency in basic technology use, including convening online meetings via Zoom and Microsoft Teams A desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback and continuously improve Ability to work both independently and engage in a collaborative, results‑oriented team environment New hires, rehires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees within the same classification. Offers are based on the candidate's experience and qualifications and consider internal pay equity across employees performing similar work. The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates whose qualifications exceed the role's requirements. The maximum of the range is typically reserved for candidates who significantly exceed the required and preferred qualifications. Benefits TEA employees receive a comprehensive benefits package through the State of Texas and the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS), supporting health, financial security, and work‑life balance. Benefits include: Retirement through ERS and employer‑paid health insurance for eligible employees Optional dental, vision, and dependent coverage Paid state holidays, vacation leave, sick leave, and longevity pay Wellness programs, employee assistance programs, and professional development opportunities Eligibility for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program To learn more about benefits available to State of Texas employees, please review the State of Texas Employee Benefits brochure and visit the TEA Compensation and Benefits page . Military/Veteran Information Applicants eligible for Military Employment Preference will be considered in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. To explore how military experience may align with this role, applicants may review Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes within the State's Position Classification Plan. Please refer to the Military Crosswalk and select the occupational category that most closely corresponds with the classification listed in this job posting. Additional Information TEA is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or veteran status. TEA does not sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas. This position requires the applicant to meet Agency standards and criteria which may include passing a pre-employment criminal background check, prior to being offered employment by the Agency. To learn more about working at TEA, including hiring timelines, process details, and candidate resources, please visit the Careers at TEA page . Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to accept phone calls or respond to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. 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