Position Title: Advisor I, Program Mental Health
Supervisor Title: Senior Advisor, Mental Health
Employee Type: Full-time Regular-Hybrid
Division: Head Start
Summary
The Advisor I, Program Mental Health is responsible for overseeing the mental health content area of
the Save the Children Indiana Head Start program and works closely with the Indiana Head
Start Program Director, as well as content area management team members. The Advisor I, Program
Mental Health supports a program wide-culture that promotes children's mental health, social and
emotional well-being, safety of children and staff, and overall health. The Advisor I, Program Mental
Health ensures implementation of the mental and behavioral health program services.
The mental health content area is an integral part of the larger system of services provided by Head
Start/Early Head Start programs and plays an important part in supporting the overarching goals of the
program. This position is responsible for ensuring that mental health services are implemented with
fidelity in accordance with Head Start regulations, as well as other State and federal requirements
including those associated with the American Disabilities Act (ADA). The Advisor I, Program Mental
Health promotes positive outcomes for young children by helping staff to develop the attitudes and
skills necessary to effectively support the social and emotional development of the young children in
their care. This includes strengthening the program's ability to create nurturing environments that foster
mental wellness among children, families and staff.
As a frontline representative of Save the Children, you are required to ensure the safety and security of
children and families that you come in contact with and adhere to the agency's values of Accountability,
Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity.
As a Save the Children employee who will come into contact with children on a routine basis, you are
expected to prevent child abuse in every situation by striving, through mental awareness, good practice
and training to minimize risk to children. You must take positive steps to protect children who may be a
subject of concern and report, respond to any instance of child abuse, and promote training and
awareness around all child-safeguarding obligations.
What You'll Be Doing (Essential Duties)
• Under the supervision of the Senior Advisor, Mental Health and in conjunction with Head Start
Program Director, implements mental health program policies and procedures and provides
support to staff working with children and families to implement the highest quality service
delivery.
• Visits each site and classrooms on a regular basis (4-6 hours per month per site) to conduct
classroom and individual child observations, provide training and technical assistance, coaching
and mentoring, and build staff capacity by working directly with Head Start/EHS staff, parents,
and community partners to ensure high quality service delivery.
• Meets with center staff following classroom observations to discuss strengths and
recommendations for classroom management and a physical and cultural environment that
promotes mental health and trauma-informed care, along with providing mindfulness strategies
for all staff.
Job Description
• Facilitates the individual behavior support process ensuring compliance with the Behavior
Guidance Policy. Ensures all required reports are completed and supporting documentation has
been acquired.
• Ensures psychological diagnostic evaluations occur for children when needed. Perform the
evaluation as appropriate or make referral to the public school system or other community
agency for testing and evaluation.
• Facilitates training for staff in the program related to the implementation of developmental and
social-emotional screening and disabilities and infant, child, and adult behavioral health and family
dynamics. Provides information and resources to grow the knowledge base of families and staff.
• Provides parent training and individual consultation to support children's development and
social-emotional growth.
• Coordinates with program director and other managers/specialists to develop pre-service and
on-going in-service training to ensure implementation of high quality services.
• Continues to build and enhance the network of mental health service providers for low-income
families in the program.
• Develops and implements quality assurance activities including database monitoring, on-site
visitations/observations, program reviews, consultation, and follow-up.
• Supports and participates in the Health and Family Services Advisory Committees which include
professionals and volunteers from the community.
• Assists in the general administration of the Head Start program by participating in the ongoing
program evaluation and planning process and assisting in the annual assessment process.
• Participates and/or encourages local staff's participation on inter-agency coordination councils,
child and adolescent service system program teams, and care coordination councils and individual
systems of care wrap-around teams.
• Participates and supports parents and staff as needed in IEP/1FSP meetings for participating
children.
• Maintains ongoing communication to ensure high quality service delivery with educational
cooperatives, private providers, early intervention and behavioral health specialists, and supports
partnerships with program staff and parents.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
• Minimum of Master’s Degree and licensed in accordance with the state mental/behavioral
health professional licensing agency. (Counseling, Social Work or Psychology)
• Demonstrated experience providing mental and behavior health services.
• Knowledge of Heat Start Program Performance Standards as well as health and nutrition services
for infant, toddler and preschool programs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of administration, basic fiscal accountability, and public relations skills.
• Demonstrated experience developing consistent, stable and supportive relationships with young
children.
• Proven ability to exercise professional judgment and evaluation before making decisions.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, children,
parents, and outside agencies.
• Demonstrated successful ability to communicate and collaborate with individuals and teams and
at all levels, both internal and external
• Proven successful problem solving and time management skills.
• Professional proficiency in MS Office Suite
• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an environment of diversity, inclusion, and belonging
Job Description
Physical Requirements related to essential functions: Ability to perform medium to heavy physical work
exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently and up to 5-10 pounds constantly,
performing such activities as sitting, crawling, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking,
pushing, pulling, lifting and grasping. This also includes some duties that require repetitive action and motion
skills, keyboarding and computer use.
Clear pre-employment background check requirements, including local, state, and national criminal records
check, sex offender registries, employment, and education verifications (including child abuse registry check
if required by state regulations) and pass all state and local health requirements required post job offer and
prior to employment.
This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the
job. The incumbent should maintain a valid driver's license and remain in compliance with any Save the
Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.
Current and former Head Start/Early Head Start parents will receive preference for employment vacancies
for which they are qualified.
Why you should join the Save the Children Team...
Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, pet
insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, 403(b), generous
vacation, personal sick leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, commuter benefits, dress for your day,
and much more.
Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU!
About Save the Children
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give
children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes
for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming their lives and the future we share.
Our work for children and their families requires that we commit-at every opportunity-to work together to
identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of
discrimination in this country and beyond. As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate
discrimination in any form-in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the
people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and
belonging.
We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment
without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation,
national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies
with all applicable laws.
Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the
children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children
representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child
abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children's policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that
aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children
at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner
consistent with this commitment and obligation.
Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all
are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our
programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe
working conditions for all