EHS Mental Health Coordinator

Under the direction of the Early Intervention/Early Head Start Program Manager, responsible for providing direct supervision to EHS Coaches and Home Visitors and direction to EHS providers in the daily operation of the education, mental health, transition, disabilities components of Early Head Start, and ensuring compliance with federal Head Start Performance Standards, Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards, and applicable Ohio Licensing Regulations.

Education Functions

1. Monitors 45-Day Screenings, including ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2. 

2. Provides assistance to center-based supervisors in implementing education requirements in the classroom.

3. Monitors, reviews and provides feedback on lesson plans and individualization. 

4. Oversee Coaches in guiding center staff with planning and implementing educational home visits and parent-teacher conferences for EHS infants, toddlers and their families enrolled in the center-based option. 

5. Monitors and evaluates Coaches in their observation and assessment of center-based activities. 

6. Provides supervision, direction and support to ensure Coaches deliver effective guidance and training to program staff and volunteers that strengthen classroom practice, maintain high quality education services and promote career development. 

7. Supervises Coaches as they assist home visitors and their supervisors in implementing education requirements in the home.

8. Oversees Coaches in supporting the planning and implementation of group socializations for infants, toddlers, and families enrolled in the home-based option.

9. Monitors Coaches in their observation and assessment of home-based activities (including group socializations). 

10. Supports Coaches in utilizing a tiered approach to support teaching staff when working on teaching practices and other professional development.

11. Collects, reviews and monitors staff professional development plans twice a year. 

12. Conducts Creative Curriculum Fidelity Observations in center-based classrooms and writes goals with staff to improve quality, once a year.

13. Reviews school readiness data for program planning and creates school readiness presentations to share with community stakeholders, as requested. 

14. Aggregates school readiness data on an ongoing basis to lead the school readiness discussion and team. 

15. Participate in the school readiness team meetings with the Grantees. 

16. Supports Coaches in creating training to build EHS staff’s knowledge and skills.

17. Creates and trains staff on educational topics.

18. Ensures Coaches provide effective on-the-job guidance and training to program staff and volunteers to strengthen home visiting practices, maintain high quality education services, and promote career development.
19. Directs and monitors Coaches in providing staff support and evaluating progress toward achieving School Readiness Goals, ensuring progress is documented and reported on a quarterly basis.
20. Oversees regular monitoring of child: adult ratio and active supervision and reporting to the ERSEA Specialist for tracking. 
21. Monitors and supports Coaches with classroom quality and set up at all partner locations to ensure safety and positive learning atmospheres. 
22. Develops, reviews, and updates written plans, protocols, and forms related to the education component.
23. Provides direct supervision, guidance, and performance oversight to the Lead Home Visitor and Home Visitors to ensure high-quality home-based services. 
24. Ensures the Home-Based program maintains full enrollment through ongoing recruitment, application review, enrollment planning, and collaboration with the LCFC team. 
25. Monitors Home Visitor caseloads, productivity, documentation, home visit completion, and group socialization requirements to ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standards. 
26. Provides reflective supervision and coaching to the Home-Based staff to strengthen home visiting practices and family engagement. 
27. Oversees implementation of the Growing Great Kids curriculum, child assessment, developmental screenings, and individualized planning within the home-based option. 
28. Ensures home visits and group socializations are implemented with fidelity and meet all federal Head Start Performance Standards. 
29. Monitors program data, outcomes, and compliance within the Home-Based program and develops improvement plans as needed. 
30. Collaborates with Family Services, ERSEA, Health, Mental Health, Disabilities, and community partners to coordinate comprehensive services for enrolled families. 
31. Develops and implements recruitment and retention strategies to support full enrollment and consistent family participation within the Home-Based program. 
32. Reviews and approves documentation, and service delivery to ensure quality, consistency, and compliance.

Mental Health Functions 

1. Works with mental health consultants to ensure there is a program-wide culture that promotes mental health, social and emotional well-being, and overall health and safety for children, families, and staff.
2. Receives, submits and monitors referrals, services provided, outcomes and follow-up of the multidisciplinary tiered approach. This includes individual child referrals for social and emotional concerns. 
3. Utilizes community resources to support comprehensive mental health programming.
4. Ensures resources are available to staff who have contact with children to understand and appropriately respond to prevalent child mental health concerns.
5. Establishes and monitors mental health consultation services to ensure frequency meets program requirements.
6. Facilitates multidisciplinary coordination and collaboration between mental health and other relevant program services, including education, disabilities, family engagement, and health services.
7. Supports the collaboration of mental health consultation and coaching to support EHS partners to manage, plan, and implement comprehensive mental health services for infants, toddlers, and their families.
8. Oversees providers to identify, facilitate and carry out referrals, and ensure follow-up treatment as needed.
9. Collaborates with mental health consultants to plan educational opportunities for EHS staff and EHS families related to mental health.
10. Plans and co-facilitates the Health and Mental Health Services Advisory Committee with the EHS Health Coordinator. 
11. Monitors M-CHAT requirement and supports staff and families with referrals and follow-up, as needed. 
12. Develops, reviews and updates written policies, procedures and forms related to the EHS mental health component.

Transition Functions

1. Collaborates with School Districts and Head Start programs to ensure EHS children have a smooth transition to preschool at age 3. 
2. Participates in the Transition Committee with Early Intervention, school districts, and Head Start.
3. Monitors transition meeting requirements; ensures the appropriate people are at the table and the appropriate discussions are occurring. 
4. Monitors that all children receive an appropriate and smooth transition to preschool, per SUTQ and licensing and all parties are involved. 
5. Monitors all transitions for children on an IFSP to ensure lines of communication are open between the school district and early intervention and the child has a smooth transition to preschool. 
6. Develops, reviews and updates written policies, procedures and forms related to the EHS transition component.

Disabilities Functions 

1. Monitors that 10% of enrollment are children eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
2. Monitors and trains staff to ensure enrolled children with disabilities can fully participate in all program activities and they have the appropriate materials in the home or the classroom that are needed. 
3. Ensures (a) lesson plans have IFSP goals reflected; (b) all children are individually planned for; and (c) the environment meets the needs of all children, including any needed modifications are made.
4. Facilitates, assists and monitors the identification of infants and toddlers with disabilities, screening and referrals to Early Intervention, IFSP outcomes and strategies, and transition planning by age three.
5. Ensures parents (a) have access to services and resources for their family, including securing adaptive equipment and devices and supports available through a child’s health insurance or other entities, (b) creating linkages to family support programs, and (c) helping parents establish eligibility for additional support programs, as needed.
6. Receives and submits referrals for Early Intervention; monitors children’s progress through the EI process to facilitate EHS participation. 
7. Ensures all parties actively participate in the eligibility process and IFSP or IEP development process with Early Intervention and the school districts, including by informing parents of their right to invite the program to participate in all meetings.
8. Ensures all parties understand the purposes and results of evaluations and services provided under an IFSP or IEP; and, ensure their children’s needs are accurately identified in, and addressed through, the IFSP.
9. Ensures Coaches and teachers support the delivery of high-quality, developmentally appropriate experiences for infants and toddlers with disabilities that foster growth and development and comply with federal Head Start and IDEA Part C regulations.
10. Develops, reviews and updates written policies, procedures and forms related to the EHS disability component.

General Functions

1. Works with the other EHS Coordinators and partners to assure optimal involvement of parents in the program.

2. Ensures regular review of written plans, policies, procedures and practices as required by local, state, and federal regulations; implements and communicates changes to staff.

3. Ensures delivery of quality services and safe and healthy environments for infants, toddlers and their families.

4. Monitors, evaluates and tracks implementation of program policies and procedures related to education, mental health, transition and disabilities components to ensure they are carried out effectively and consistently across the program.

5. Monitors and evaluates progress on goals and objectives related to education, mental health, transition and disability components and reports progress on a monthly basis.

6. Participates in the program self-assessment and other efforts to improve program services.

7. Assesses and secures training opportunities and resources for staff development.

8. Participates in Family Council staff meetings.

9. Participates in reflective/supportive supervision and EHS team meetings.

10. Attends community meetings to build effective relationships, provide training, report updates and stay informed on the latest research and best practices in the early childhood field.

11. Ensures a team approach to service delivery by communicating, coordinating and collaborating with internal staff and external partners.

12. Maintains professional growth by participating in ongoing classes, training, programs, workshops and/or conferences, as the budget allows.

13. Provides operational oversight of the Early Head Start Home-Based program, ensuring high-quality service delivery, compliance with federal performance standards, full enrollment, and coordinated services for children and families.

14. Performs other duties assigned and reasonably within the scope of duties enumerated above.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field

• Minimum three years’ infant/toddler teaching experience

• Minimum one year of supervisory experience preferred

• Home visiting experience, preferred

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid Driver’s License with driving privileges in the State of Ohio and insurable driving record.

• Must complete background checks including FBI/BCI or have background check on file no older than five (5) years and Child Abuse/Neglect Registry Check.