Mental Health Advocate — Early Childhood

POSITION: 
Mental Health Advocate – Early Childhood

TYPE OF POSITION: 
Non-Represented Exempt – Full Time School Year Position 
195 Days per school year
Hours may vary based on program needs 

REPORTS TO: 
Interim Director of Early Childhood

SUPERVISION: 
None 

COMPENSATION:
$50,000 – $75,000 depending on experience and qualifications 

QUALIFICATIONS:   
Required:  

• Master’s degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or other mental health related field 
• Experience working with students with social, emotional and/or behavioral needs 
• Experience working with early childhood children and settings

Preferred:  

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed and Independent Clinical Social Worker, or related mental health licensed practitioner  
• Experience working with students and families within a PK-12 school setting. 

POSITION SUMMARY: The Mental Health Advocate will work with students and family systems in collaboration with school staff to address and support mental health concerns or behaviors demonstrating a lack of engagement or readiness for school success.    
ESSENTIAL DUTIES: 

• Provides initial or secondary response to students identified for mental health or behavior support. 

• Ensures that services are respectful of and are sensitive to the ethnic/cultural context and history of the student and their support system.   
• Engages families of students served to mediate concerns impacting school readiness and student success.   
• Interviews students or families to obtain information relevant to assessing presenting problems, resources, needs, and appropriate levels of intervention. 
• Provides information and assists students with access to community services and resources. 
• Assists with service coordination including, but not limited to, crisis intervention, targeted case management, advocacy, service linkage, and navigation.  
• Participates in multidisciplinary team meetings to provide feedback related to student school readiness and success. 

PHYSICAL FACTORS:  

• Frequent: walking, standing, bending, sitting, hearing, talking, and seeing  
• Occasional: lifting, physical restraints  

All Employees of Saint Cloud School District 742 are responsible to support District goals, to work collaboratively and respectfully with diverse populations of staff, students and parents and to model and promote a welcoming working and learning environment.  Employees are expected to support and adapt to change and to demonstrate commitment to continuous performance improvement.  Employees are responsible to establish and maintain effective communication with students, teachers, support staff, colleagues and parents, respect confidential matters, encourage a safe and secure environment throughout the District, and to be dependable and accountable in the performance of their work. 
It is the prerogative of the District to assign staff so as to best meet the needs of the District.