Clinical Mental Health Consultant

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Washington.

📋 Description

• Deliver clinical consultation and expertise in the areas of infant and early childhood mental health, behavioral health, and social-emotional development.

• Evaluate the delivery of mental health services, identify behavioral health needs, and recognize potential gaps impacting children, families, and staff.

• Provide guidance to program leadership on trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate, and family-centered mental health practices.

• Assist in the development and implementation of strategies for improving mental health services in accordance with Head Start Program Performance Standards.

• Offer consultation regarding behavioral health screening, referral pathways, early intervention, and coordination with community mental health providers.

• Identify risks to mental health service continuity during interim management and transitions between Head Start grant recipients.

• Collaborate with program directors, health services staff, family services personnel, mental health professionals, and community partners.

• Deliver training, technical assistance, and professional consultation to enhance staff understanding of early childhood mental health and supportive practices.

• Support quality improvement initiatives, program assessments, corrective action planning, and associated documentation.

• Provide written recommendations, technical guidance, and subject matter insights for program planning and reporting.

• Engage in technical assessments, virtual consultations, training sessions, and occasional on-site program reviews.

• Deliver any direct clinical services solely within the authorized scope of practice and applicable licensure requirements.

⛳️ Requirements

• Active, unrestricted license as a mental health professional in at least one U.S. state or jurisdiction, such as LCSW, LPC/LPCC, LMFT, licensed psychologist, or PMHNP with APRN licensure.

• Candidates who are not yet independently licensed may qualify if practicing under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional as allowed by 45 CFR 1302.91(e)(8)(ii).

• Capability to hold or obtain licensure, or practice under qualified supervision, in every state where services are delivered.

• Ability to meet the practice requirements of each applicable state, including telehealth requirements, throughout the engagement.

• Proven clinical experience in mental health, behavioral health, psychiatric nursing, pediatric behavioral health, or maternal and child health.

• Knowledge and experience working with young children and their families, including infants, toddlers, preschool-aged children, expectant families, or their families in early childhood settings.

• Understanding of child development, trauma-informed care, family-centered services, and mental health referral and intervention practices.

• Experience in collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and community-based health or human services organizations.

• Strong skills in communication, assessment, consultation, and technical writing.

• Ability to maintain professional licensure and comply with applicable jurisdictional practice requirements throughout the engagement.

• Experience in infant and early childhood mental health consultation is preferred.

• An endorsement in infant or early childhood mental health or a comparable credential is preferred.

• Experience with Head Start, Early Head Start, or other OHS-funded programs is preferred.

• Familiarity with Head Start Program Performance Standards, specifically regarding mental health consultations, disabilities, and family support requirements, is preferred.

• Experience in providing mental health consultation, training, or technical assistance to early childhood education programs is preferred.

• Background with federally funded programs, program monitoring, quality improvement, or organizational transitions is preferred.

• Experience in supporting underserved children, families, and communities is preferred.

• Fluency in a language other than English, particularly Spanish, is preferred.

• Ability to provide consultation both on-site and via telehealth is preferred.

🏝️ Benefits

• Consulting opportunity with assignments that may vary based on program needs, geographic locations, and contract requirements.

• Potential for technical assessments, virtual consultations, training activities, and occasional on-site program reviews.

• Remote work arrangement with telehealth consultation capabilities.

• Significant travel opportunities/requirements may be included.