Mental Health & Disabilities Aide

Mental Health & Disabilities Aide

Under general direction of the Mental Health and Disabilities Coordinator, assists in the implementation of services for children with disabilities and/or suspected of having a disability, establishing the most effective way for the needs of the children and their families to be met, and ensuring a smooth transition from Early Head Start to Head Start and Head Start to the public school. The Mental Health and Disability Aide also assists the Mental Health and Disability Coordinator in implementing mental health services and links families to resources.

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Assist in the recruitment of children and communicates the message that services for children with disabilities/mental health concerns are an integral part of the Head Start program.
• Ensure that at least 10% of the total Head Start population served within the agency meets the criteria established for disabilities condition.
• Assure that services for children with disabilities/mental health concerns and their families support the attainment of the expected outcomes contained in the Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP) and/or Individual Education Program (IEP), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Assists Coordinator in maintaining effective lines of communication with community based organizations and service providers.
• Assists with the preparation of inventory, control, ordering and distribution of disabilities and mental health resources and supplies.
• Assists Coordinator in arranging, preparing and conducting trainings and technical assistance for staff and parents.
• Assists Coordinator in the review and analysis of screening results to identify children possibly requiring further assessment.
• Assists Coordinator to ensure that assessment and diagnoses are made by licensed/certified professionals; are performed within the timelines contained in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); and utilize forms and reporting procedures consistent with Head Start regulations.
• Assists in training new Family Services staff as it relates to providing services to families.
• Provides support, technical assistance, and guidance to the Family Services staff.
• Provides information to the teaching staff which will help them better understand normal development as well as common behavioral problems seen in children.
• Through individual and group meetings, assists parents in recognizing a variety of ways in which they can further their children's intellectual, emotional, and social development at home.
• Attends meetings with outside agencies as assigned by the Mental Health and Inclusion Coordinator.
• Assists coordinator to ensure that assessments, transfer of records, eligibility and planning meetings, and all other necessary activities are conducted in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Maintains open channels of communication with other area staff, to ensure necessary services are being provided to children with disabilities/mental health concerns.
• Develops and maintains a centralized record keeping system which ensures confidentiality of individual child records.
• Completes classroom observations to record the children's progress/needs, and attends home visits with teaching staff, as necessary. Periodically consults with teachers and other staff.
• Assists to orientate parents with objectives of the Mental Health Program and help them achieve their goals.
• Compiles and maintains a file on community mental health resources and updates annually.
• Provides families with emergency assistance or crisis intervention.
• Implements follow-up procedures which includes:
• Ensuring each child and family receives mental health services in a timely manner
• Encouraging and assisting families to follow-up on referrals to outside community counseling agencies for services
• Assisting the Mental Health and Inclusion Coordinator in attending Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings.
• Assists in compiling background information on the family and social situation to enhance the Head Start Program staff's understanding of individual needs or problems of children.
• Meets with the Mental Health and Inclusion Coordinator as required, for planning and evaluation purposes.
• Assists parents in arranging for a smooth transition of children to the public school system.
• Assists teaching staff when necessary, in supervising the children.
• Encourages the participation of parents of children with disabilities/mental health concerns in the classroom.
• Assists the Mental Health and Inclusion Coordinator in the follow up of children with disabilities/mental health concerns to ensure that they have obtained the appropriate placement and special education services indicated.
• Assists with monitoring classroom Daily Lesson Plans to ensure that the children's goals and objectives are recorded, and are being implemented in the daily routine.
• Assists in obtaining parental consents, participation in classroom activities and assisting parents with advocacy in dealing with service providers.
• Advocates with the families of children with disabilities for appropriate educational services.
• Ensures that the IEP/IFSP is translated in the parent's native language and offered written translation.
• Performs any such duty that is necessary in the implementation of the goals and objectives of the Disabilities/Mental Health Program.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of: the referral process to the Local Education Agencies (LEAs); the assessment of children who have potential disabilities; Individualized Education Plan (IEPs) and Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) processes; Parents' Rights in special education.

Ability to: read, write and understand work-related material; work with children and families from diverse populations; effectively communicate with children and families, and find ways to communicate with them in their native language. Must have the ability to: understand and implement the referral process; travel at any given time, to the Head Start/Early Head Start centers, community agencies, Individual Education Program (I.E.P.), and Individualized Family Service Plan (I.F.S.P.) meetings; perform clerical skills such as filing, record-keeping, follow-up, documentation, computer data entry; collaborate effectively with other areas, in a multidisciplinary approach; interpret special education material, (i.e., Individual Education Programs/Individualized Family Service Plans and assessment reports) for intervention, follow-up, and referral purposes.

Education: High school graduation or G.E.D. equivalent is required. An Associate's degree in child development, social services, liberal arts, or psychology is highly preferred. Some coursework or training in social sciences and working with persons with disabilities is desirable.

Experience: Two years of work experience working with children with disabilities and/or behavioral problems on an individual or group basis is desirable.

Health Requirements:

• Successful completion of an initial health examination, performed by or under the supervision of a physician, to determine, at a minimum, if the prospective employee can perform requirements of the job description physical requirements.
• Proof of the absence of Tuberculosis, from a physician, to show that the prospective employee is cleared to work with children and families.
• Documentation of current immunizations against Influenza, Measles (MMR) and Pertussis (TDAP).

Additional Requirements:

• Fingerprint clearances from the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Child Abuse Index prior to starting employment.
• Completed and signed statement of any pending and/or prior criminal arrests/charges/convictions related to child sexual abuse, child abuse and neglect, and/or violent felonies.
• Verification that determines eligibility for employment in the United States of America.
• A valid California driver's license and the availability of private transportation or the ability to obtain transportation to perform position duties is required.
• As a mandated reporter of child abuse, must immediately report any suspected child abuse and/or neglect to Child Protective Services.
• Bi-lingual in a language reflective of the population served is preferred.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand; walk; use hands and fingers to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch; and hear. The employee may frequently lift and/or move up to twenty-five (25) pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Maintain Professional and Ethical Standards:

Maintains confidentiality in accordance with Agency policy and legal requirements.

Respects and maintains rights and privacy of all staff, parents, and children.

Attends mandated trainings and meetings, and seek out staff development opportunities.

Works as a team member with all staff and maintain a positive work ethic.

Acts conscientiously in performing routine duties.

Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services, Inc