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Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Lake Charles, LaInfant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Location – Lake Charles, LA
Provides mental health consultation to childcare centers and family child care homes as part of a state funded initiative to increase the quality of child care in the state of Louisiana. Provides program-centered and child-centered consultation as needed for approximately 4 to 6 centers/homes per each 6-month period, with one of those centers being a large center; centers with eight or more classrooms are considered large centers. This includes, but is not limited to, bi-monthly interactive didactic seminars with center staff/family home providers, bi-monthly classroom observations, in-vivo modeling of appropriate caregiving techniques for children ages 0-6 years, supporting the implementation of universal screening for young children, facilitating social skills groups, meeting with children’s parents, facilitating parent seminars and making appropriate referrals to outside agencies.
Duties may also include providing supportive services (e.g., reflective process groups) to teachers and family home providers as well as child care resource and referral (CCR&R) personnel. Consultant should be able to clinically conceptualize a wide variety of cases including young children with challenging behaviors, attachment problems, developmental delays, and/or other mental health problems and make appropriate referrals. Consultants should also be able to clinically conceptualize relationship difficulties that may occur between staff and children, staff and parents, and between staff members and to competently work with the individuals involved.
Consultants are accountable for appropriate documentation of all services and contacts with early childhood providers and are responsible for responding to program director requests in a timely manner. Visits may be made in person or remotely through a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform. Program will provide funds for personal protective equipment (e.g., masks, hand sanitizer) for use during in person visits, as required by state and local health guidelines.
Minimum Qualifications:
Location – Lake Charles, LA
Provides mental health consultation to childcare centers and family child care homes as part of a state funded initiative to increase the quality of child care in the state of Louisiana. Provides program-centered and child-centered consultation as needed for approximately 4 to 6 centers/homes per each 6-month period, with one of those centers being a large center; centers with eight or more classrooms are considered large centers. This includes, but is not limited to, bi-monthly interactive didactic seminars with center staff/family home providers, bi-monthly classroom observations, in-vivo modeling of appropriate caregiving techniques for children ages 0-6 years, supporting the implementation of universal screening for young children, facilitating social skills groups, meeting with children’s parents, facilitating parent seminars and making appropriate referrals to outside agencies.
Duties may also include providing supportive services (e.g., reflective process groups) to teachers and family home providers as well as child care resource and referral (CCR&R) personnel. Consultant should be able to clinically conceptualize a wide variety of cases including young children with challenging behaviors, attachment problems, developmental delays, and/or other mental health problems and make appropriate referrals. Consultants should also be able to clinically conceptualize relationship difficulties that may occur between staff and children, staff and parents, and between staff members and to competently work with the individuals involved.
Consultants are accountable for appropriate documentation of all services and contacts with early childhood providers and are responsible for responding to program director requests in a timely manner. Visits may be made in person or remotely through a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform. Program will provide funds for personal protective equipment (e.g., masks, hand sanitizer) for use during in person visits, as required by state and local health guidelines.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Ph.D. or Master’s degree in clinical, counseling, school, or applied developmental psychology, clinical social work or closely related field and appropriate licensure or eligibility for licensure in Louisiana.
- Completion of specialized training in infant mental health of capability to complete training in infant mental health.
- Ability to form working relationships with childcare center staff, children, and families.
- At least two years of experience in a clinical setting working with children and adults (e.g., mental health clinic, private professional practice, etc.).
- A working knowledge of child development and childcare classroom practices PREFERRED.
- MUST HAVE the necessary physical skills to visit childcare centers, complete consultations and required documentation.
- Competent communication and writing skills.
- Ability to organize and manage time independently.
- Flexibility to allow working with childcare providers’ schedules and day to day operational conflicts that may arise is required.
- Must provide own reliable transportation for the implementation of job responsibilities.
- Must have access to a wireless network connection in order to access electronic reporting forms.