Mental Health Consultant – Early Childhood Program – African American/Black Culture

Pay Range:

$37.86 – $46.58 Hourly

THIS WORK MATTERS!

**This position has an in-person work schedule. It will be open until filled. Applicants will be reviewed weekly starting 9/13/23.**
We seek leaders, achievers and doers who bring skill and passion to a challenging and evolving environment.  At the Multnomah County Health Department we are all  inspired by the mission: We work with communities to advance health equity, protect the most vulnerable, and prompt health and wellness for everyone and we uphold the values: Compassion and Care, Empowerment, Racial Equity, Creativity and Integrity. And create a culture of respect, trust and understanding for the highly diverse population we serve in our communities.

We’re seeking social workers and mental health professionals who represent the communities we serve and are dedicated to removing barriers to youth and families who experience intersectionality to join our team as the African American/Black Culture – Mental Health Consultant – Early Childhood Program. In this position you will facilitate and provide mental health services in the community to African American/Black children (infancy to age 6) and families who are at risk of or who are experiencing a mental health disorder. In addition, you will  provide Prevention, Education and Outreach activities to support positive mental health development to students, staff and families who may not yet be ready for treatment services. This position involves substantial outreach and engagement efforts to uninsured or Medicaid eligible African American/Black Students and their Families.

This position requires advanced knowledge of and experience working with the African-American/Black community, providing care coordination and/or case management services. This would be demonstrated by knowledge of the traditions, values, and customs of the community being served as well as the ability to identify specific examples of experience (professional and lived) working directly with individuals and families who identify with the African American/Black community.

As the African American/Black Culture – Mental Health Consultant – other duties include:

Mental Health Consultation and Collaboration

• Provides preventative mental health consultation services (e.g., positive behavior intervention support in classrooms and homes) to Head Start administrators and staff for assessing and intervening with children, especially African American/Black children, to improve the ability of the agency to prevent and ameliorate the mental, emotional, social and familial difficulties of the children and families in their care.
• Conduct formal observations of children in the classroom and conduct mental health screenings of young children referred by the agency staff in specific outreach and engagement to African American/Black children, families and care providers, who may have cultural or other barriers to mental health services.
• Coordinates with community agencies, natural support systems, churches, etc. to increase awareness of and access to positive mental health development for African American/Black children and families.

Mental Health Services

• Provides mental health services (includes triage, assessment, case management, and crisis intervention services for individuals, groups, families, caretakers, etc.) to young children and their families, for prevention, early intervention, and treatment of mental, emotional, social and familial difficulties.
• Develop behavior management plans and supports for use at home; and assisting in finding and referring to housing, food, medical, dental, and mental health resources.

Clinical Documentation and Training

• Initiates and maintains clinical record keeping on individual prevention clients, to comply with legal, medical, mental health Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) compliance, and programmatic standards for clinical care documentation, using computer and related equipment.
  Completes administrative data collection to record quantitative information about service delivery, for compliance with program, department, county, and contractor data requirements, using computer and related equipment.
• Participates in individual and group supervision with the program supervisor or lead for the purpose of reviewing clinical cases; administrative meetings; and department sponsored training with other Mental Health Consultants (MHCs) and Behavioral Health Division (BHD) administration.
• Attends professional training and seminars for the purpose of professional development, including attending community training to acquire Continuing Education Units (CEU) for licensure and credentialing.
• Maintains awareness of professional standards through reading and discussion with team members and clinical supervisors.
• Attends required county, department, division and program meetings and training for the purpose of staff development.

Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don’t just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. As a Health Department employee you will create a work culture of respect, trust and understanding for the highly diverse populations the Health Department serves in the office and in the community. Every employee shares the responsibility for promptly bringing to the County’s attention conduct that interferes with providing a work environment free of illegal discrimination and harassment.

TO QUALIFY:

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant. For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page.

Required Minimum Qualifications/ Transferable Skills*:

Education/Certification: Must meet the standards of Qualified Mental Health Professional – (QMHP – C) with the Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO) – more information can be found at MHACBO website. QMHP – C within 30 days of hire, current QMHP – C, and/or licensed Board of Oregon (LPC, LCSW, PHD,etc)

• Graduate degree in psychology or
• Graduate degree in social work or counseling or
• Graduate degree in a behavioral science field

Other:

• Must have a valid Driver’s License.
• Requires use of personal vehicle or vehicle from fleet to travel to assigned education and childcare sites.
• Understands , racial, cultural and ethnic factors, including systemic advantage or disadvantage; acculturation, intergenerational immigrant family challenges, effects of trauma during immigration, war, separation from family and/or primary supports, detention, refugee camps, etc.; generational trauma, and any factors related to non-dominant culture affecting mental health and treatment.
• Advanced knowledge of and experience working with the African American/Black community. This would be demonstrated by knowledge of the traditions, values, and customs of the community being served as well as the ability to identify specific examples of experience (professional and lived) working directly with individuals and families who identify with the  African American/Black community.
• Specifically knows the African-American/Black community, historical and current barriers to mental health services and has knowledge of the traditions, values and customs.
• This position requires a Background Investigation, which may include being fingerprinted.

*Transferable skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experiences that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position.

Preferred Qualifications/Transferable Skills: 

• Advanced knowledge of issues young children and families witnessing or being impacted by violence, aggressive behavior, depression, anger problems, behavior problems, attention problems, dealing with grief, etc
• Advanced knowledge of the traditions, values and customs of the community being served as well as having a close affiliation with and membership in the African American/Black community.
• Advanced knowledge of the African American/Black community, historical and current barriers to mental health services and has knowledge of the traditions, values and customs specific to this population.
• Respect and appreciation for cultural and ethnic diversity.
• Ability to apply an equity, intersectional and anti-racist lens.
• Ability to provide information/referrals to community mental health providers.
• Crisis intervention, including risk assessment of clients who may be involved in potentially life threatening situations.
• Advanced skills in managing sensitive information and ability to support the community.
• Knowledge of cultures, customs and social experiences of communities experiencing marginalization and barriers to opportunity.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, diplomacy, and tact in dealing with sensitive, complex, confidential information and situations, in addition to acting professionally, and empathically, with individuals, internal/external partners and communities.

SCREENING & EVALUATION:
 

REQUIRED: 

The Application Packet: You must submit all requested items below. Failure to do so will be deemed as an incomplete application.

1. A completed online application

2. Attach a Resume demonstrating you meeting minimum qualifications; AND

3. Attach a Cover Letter addressing the following:

• Demonstrate your experience (lived and professional), affiliation and membership working directly with youth and families who identify with the African American/Black communities; and
• How you meet the qualifications for this position, including your current certifications; and
• Why you are interested in the position; AND

3.Attach a copy of your Oregon Licensure and/or QMHP – C Certification (if applicable)

Note: Please be mindful of checking your email inbox for messages upon submitting your application. You may be emailed requesting for additional items from the Recruiter or hiring manager. If a response is not received in a timely manner your application may not be considered.