Clinician - Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

Overview

Our mission of saving children’s lives and building health families is at the core of all of our programs.  This position within the Children’s Home Society is providing counseling to families involved with DCP&P.  This position provides an array of clinical experience to grow your career.  Candidates are supported within the program team, through clinical supervision, and throughout the agency.  CHS is dedicated to supporting our team in enhancing skills to effectively meet the needs of our families.

The Project Connect IECHMHC/Clinician will utilize a relationship-based model to coordinate and  deliver regular onsite consultative services to CHSofNJ HS/EHS Centers, as well as provide clinical services to  children and families in our CHSofNJ Trenton office.  The clinician will also engage parents as active partners, to help identify and assess emotional needs of children in an effort to prevent the need for more intensive mental health services.  Connection and referrals for children and families will be provided for resources and supports that will foster their development while addressing barriers to access.

Office space will be located at 635 Sout Clinton Avenue, Trenton, New Jersey 08611, with majority of work performed at CHSofNJ Head Start/Early Head Start (HS/EHS) Centers. Hours will be varied to accommodate family and community needs and may include occasional evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

Mental Health Consultation

• Utilize a relationship-based model to coordinate and deliver regular onsite consultative services to CHSofNJ HS/EHS Centers, including supporting HS/EHS staff in management of classroom crisis
• Help identify program-level needs and design and implement program-level strategies to support child and family mental health and wellbeing
• Engage parents as active partners, to help identify and assess emotional needs of children, and to prevent need for mental health services
• Facilitate evidenced-based parent curriculum such as Touchpoints Parenting or STEP
• Participate in Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation and training activities
• Provide Mental Health Consultation to staff working within CHSofNJ HS/EHS Centers
• Complete mental health screening and assessment of children and help facilitate access to multi-generational counseling
• Support HS/EHS staff, children and families in management of classroom crisis
• Connect and refer children, families, and providers to resources and supports that will foster their development while addressing barriers to access
• Contribute insights about community strengths and needs to contribute to program design 

Counseling

• Provide multi-generational, evidence based counseling using TF-CBT and other trauma focused modalities targeting the 0-12 population at CHSofNJ offices 635 S. Clinton Ave, Trenton, NJ
• Conduct screening and assessment as needed, using reliable and valid assessment tools.
• Maintain case documentation as required for record keeping and data collection
• Participate in weekly clinical and administrative supervision with the Program Administrator

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

Master’s degree from a CSWE-accredited school of social work or CACREP-accredited program of counseling psychology and have the credential of Licensed Social Worker, Licensed Associate Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor or Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Work Experience Requirement:

Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with families to improve shared understanding of the developmental, social-emotional, and mental health needs of children; use of strength-based practices to increase engagement and active participation; and ability to provide clinically sound and culturally sensitive/relevant counseling.  

Experience should include understanding of trauma, grief, separation and loss, in-utero substance abuse and parental depression on children. The Social Worker III will have a clear understanding of mental health assessment, screening and intervention, including mental health consultation.

Other Skills and Abilities:

Project Connect Clinician/Mental Health Consultant must have demonstrated good organizational skills and the ability to establish and maintain positive community relationships, as well as strong understanding of early signs and symptoms of serious emotional disturbance in young children and clinical experience treating persons with complex needs. Clinicians should have a strong desire to use creative ideas to enhance all programming and be a self-starter with excellent administrative, communication and problem solving skills. Clinicians will report to the Program Administrator for weekly administrative and clinical supervision.