Mental Health Specialist

Mental Health Specialist

Work Schedule: School Age: 12 months Monday – Friday 195 work days/year 2025-2026 minimum starting salary will be $45,000 Negotiable at the time of job offer.

Position Definition: The Mental Health Specialist will provide direct treatment, focusing on helping students to learn to respond to their daily environment in a practical and productive manner. Emphasis will be placed on a child's current needs, functions, and support systems as they relate to mental health needs.

Relationship: The Mental Health Specialist is directly responsible to the Supervisor of Behavioral Health Services.

Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in a recognized related Mental Health clinical discipline, required.
• Minimum of one (1) year experience in Mental Health field or related services organization, required.
• Minimum of two years' experience working with children and youth who exhibit serious emotional disturbance, preferred.
• Demonstrates a proficient understanding and utilization of Microsoft Office Suite and other software packages for use in the Special Program and Services Department.
• Demonstrates the ability to work collaboratively with external and internal stakeholders.
• Demonstrates the ability to maintain complete confidentiality.
• Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated by patience, understanding, and congeniality.
• Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrates organizational skills and time management skills, providing for productivity, accuracy, and attention to detail in the carrying out of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrates the ability to comply with PA Individual Education Program process.
• Demonstrates the ability to prioritize assigned tasks.
• Completes tasks with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Demonstrates the ability to work independently and maintain departmental deadlines.
• Demonstrates the ability to make professional decisions.
• Demonstrates the ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Demonstrates the ability to provide training on the equipment/materials, as needed, to the student/staff involved.
• Demonstrates philosophy of lifelong learning.
• Proficient in the use of technology to communicate with students, parents, staff, administrators, and community members.

Possesses the skills to provide the highest level of customer service, with patience and knowledge of the department's services. Ability to attend work regularly at assigned work hours subject to lawful leave rights and responsibilities. Maintains current knowledge of programs/services, such as surrogate parenting, health care options, local services providers, and other relevant PDE initiatives. Physical: Ability to stand, bend, stoop, sit, lift, reach, and communicate (vision, hearing, and speech) to effectively carry out functions, duties, and responsibilities. Ability to independently ambulate in and around work areas. Ability to travel to and from assigned work locations without employer support. Ability to exhibit appropriate manual dexterity to effectively carry out functions, duties, and responsibilities. Ability to conduct a safety restraint protocol which requires: a normal degree of flexibility; the ability to stand, walk, run, and shuffle for at least several minutes; the ability to kneel on one and two knees and then stand up; the ability to bend the trunk at 45 degrees and twist to either side; the ability to grasp firmly and raise hands above the head; the ability to learn and correctly demonstrate multi-step physical skills

Authority: The Mental Health Specialist will have the authority to perform all functions listed below in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Functions/Duties/Responsibilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function/duty/responsibility at acceptable standards. In accordance with both state and/or federal law, reasonable accommodations will be considered upon employee request. Essential: Develops appropriate behavioral, therapeutic, and psychiatric intervention strategies. Daily monitoring of the Mental Health Workers' documentation. Develops, organizes, and conducts group therapy activities at least twice weekly. Previews, selects, utilizes, and evaluates treatment materials appropriate for use with assigned age groups. Works collaboratively with professional teams. Responsible for intake and discharge of students, including completion of all required paperwork. Conducts individual therapy sessions at least two times weekly. Organizes and implements therapeutic activities for summer sessions of the PHP. Develops, executes, and evaluates individualized treatment programs for students, in cooperation with the team. Responsible for attendance recording for billing. Completes daily anecdotal records regarding each assigned student.

Contributes to the development and maintenance of an environment that is non- threatening, safe, nurturing, and where students feel respected, accepted, and welcome. Secondary: Liaison with community agencies and resources. This Job Description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform other duties as assigned.