Job Description:

Mental Health Specialist

Location: Leidal Education Center

Department: Behavioral Health & Wellness

Reports To: Director of Behavioral Health & Wellness

Term: Ongoing 212-day contract following school calendar

Schedule: Mon-Fri Full-time

SUMMARY: The Mental Health Specialist owns the planning and implementation of Behavioral Health & Wellness (BH&W) initiatives in areas related to their professional scope of responsibility. Through strategic leadership, the Specialist will balance macro-level initiative planning with micro-level attention to program details, facilitate collaboration across professionals, develop professional learning opportunities, analyze program outcomes and make data-based decisions, assist with grant management, and more.

Candidates from diverse backgrounds that reflect the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, abilities, and cultures of the WFPS community are strongly encouraged to apply

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and requirement satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required for the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (Other duties may be assigned)

Collaboration:

Owns development and implementation of school-based mental health therapy program. Tasks include:

Resource mapping across district to support transparency around available supports.

Alignment of supports within tiered continuum of care.

Communication with stakeholders/district regarding School Based Mental Health (SBMH) initiatives.

Owns development and management of community engagement events. Responsibilities include:

Coordinating events, including logistical support such as scheduling, rosters, etc.

Coordinating advertising with the public relations team. 

Identifying opportunities to meet community needs through assessment/feedback from key stakeholders.

Coordinates mental health therapists to facilitate implementation of department initiatives. Functions include areas such as:

Leading team meetings.

Partnering with social worker team to manage referral process.

Budget management.

Facilitating training opportunities.

Partners with BH&W Director to develop and maintain relationships with community agencies to improve access to mental health services. Functions include:

Developing and securing Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs).

Meeting regularly with partners/stakeholders to ensure services follow the responsibilities outlined in MOU.

Troubleshooting challenges between school teams and partners as they arise.

Owns coordination of organizational wellness initiatives. Functions include:

Partnering with educator wellness representatives to identify and implement wellness initiatives district wide, including communication of initiatives and data.

Collaborates with other district departments (e.g., Special Education, Curriculum & Instruction, etc.) to facilitate initiative development and implementation across multiple settings and populations.

Develops positive, effective working relationships with learners and staff.

Communication:

Owns training and implementation of tier 2 & 3 social-emotional learning curriculum.

Utilizes effective communication skills to summarize BH&W interventions and programs into written communications for partners inside and outside of the BH&W department.

Connects and shares ideas through appropriate/applicable formats to express thoughts and ideas with integrity.

Represents BH&W at various district leadership meetings and committees, as well as at community events.

Compassion:

Understands the complexities of cultural and global issues and how they relate to employee and learners’ experiences.

Partners with others to resolve potential controversy and conflict through respectful discussion.

Proactively seeks to understand the ideas, opinions, and skills of others.

Creativity:

Connects with team members and shares ideas in an effort to improve the overall learner and employee experience.

Owns planning and making recommendations for BH&W initiatives with leadership team.

Critical Thinking:

Owns development and implementation of Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF). Functions include:

Partnering with BH&W leadership and building teams to support integration of mental health practices across social-emotional-behavioral interventions.

Owning measurement of implementation through assessment.

Owning training of ISF district-wide.

Partners with BH&W, C&I, and SPED leadership to develop and implement early identification practices for learners who need more support.

Owns universal screening practice development & implementation.

Partners with BH&W Director to develop and manage behavioral health internship program to support recruitment of diverse candidates.

Reasons, interprets, and analyzes information to generate new knowledge and understanding.

Reflection:

Maintains communication with supervisor and director regarding general feedback, career advancement opportunities, and areas of growth opportunities.

Resilience:

Maintains composure while dealing with stressful situations.

Proactively seeks out resolutions and takes initiative to resolve knowledge gaps.

Responsibility:

Provides therapy services to a small caseload of learners.

Maintains compliance with licensing requirements, service provision duties, and documentation procedures to ensure quality service delivery.

Owns development and implementation of SEL curriculum across all three tiers of service delivery – focusing on preventative strategies.

Remains up to date on latest research and trends in BH&W initiatives nationwide and disseminates as appropriate to facilitate the utilization of evidence-based practices.

Partners with BH&W leadership team to own the development and management of the compulsory attendance process.

Coordination of representatives through group meetings, training, etc.

Facilitation of district committee to address learner-specific concerns.

Partners with BH&W Director to hire qualified candidates for positions within the Specialist’s scope of responsibility (i.e., mental health therapists).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the essential duties and responsibilities of this role, the employee is regularly required to reach with hands and arms.

While performing the essential duties and responsibilities of this role, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, bend, talk, and hear.

The specific vision abilities required for this role include close and peripheral vision.

The employee may be required to lift up to ~30 pounds.

The employee must work with the public and various WFPS staff while simultaneously managing several competing demands.

The employee will work in an environment that has a quiet to loud noise level.

Education and/or Experience:

Master’s degree in social work, counseling, or another human services-related field.

Must be currently licensed as an LMFT, LAPC, LPC, LPCC, LMSW, LCSW, or LP.

Experience as a mental health professional (min. 3 years) working with youth and/or diverse populations.

Expert knowledge of implementing trauma-informed interventions and culturally responsive mental health services.

Experience with program development and/or leading initiatives preferred.

Experience leading professional development or training is preferred.

Experience in a leadership role in a school/clinical setting is preferred.

Experience with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) interventions for social-emotional behavioral needs is preferred.

Language Skills:

Ability to read, write, and comprehend simple instructions and short correspondences in the English language.

Ability to communicate effectively verbally, expressively, and reactively.

Other Skills and Abilities:

Visionary leadership, including the following abilities:

Strategic thinking and ability to see the big picture (the forest) while also managing the intricate details (the trees) when developing and implementing comprehensive behavioral health initiatives.

Adaptable leadership to navigate both overarching district goals and specific student cases effectively.

Exercise confidentiality, discretion, and good judgement.

Adhere to the assigned work schedule by maintaining regular and punctual attendance.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

None.

Salary: Position follows the  Admin Salary Schedule 2024-2025. Grant-funded: https://www.west-fargo.k12.nd.us/cms/lib/ND02203445/Centricity/domain/103/salary/Admin%20Salary%20Schedule%202024-2025.pdf