Child Development Specialist

Overview

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD (The HARRIS CENTER) is looking for a Child Development Specialist to join our team. Provides Early Childhood Intervention Services including Referral, Assessment, Intervention and Service Coordination to infants and toddlers birth to 3 years old and their families. Requires travel to the child’s home or other community sites and flexible working hours.

• Conducts telephone interviews to process referrals and schedule initial evaluations and initial Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP)
• Assesses development for initial and annual eligibility
• Assesses development and ongoing progress to meet the needs of the child and family
• Develops initial IFSPs with team members including the family
• Schedules and reviews IFSPs every 6 months and annually
• Provides Specialized Skills Training to address developmental needs
• Provides Service Coordination to address child and family needs
• Documents every contact and attempts to contact families electronically
• Submits electronic documentation according to agency policy
• Meets requirements to comply with ECI procedural safeguards and confidentiality
• Meets ECI and agency training policies
• Meets annual requirements to renew EIS Certificate
• Conducts chart audits to meet ECI policies and procedures
• Provides written audit feedback to managers and staff
• Provides ECI required and ongoing training
• Maintains accuracy of EIS Registry
• Assesses ECI training needs
• Develops IPDPs and monitors completion of ECI CSPD
• Provides mentoring visits to complete CSPD activities and as needed
• Performs other related duties as assigned

What qualifications you will need:

• Bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas:
  Social Sciences, Health Sciences, or related fields
• Social Sciences:
  Psychology, Social Work, Sociology
• Health Sciences:
  Nursing, Rehabilitation Therapy
• Human Development and Family Studies / Family Sciences (Counseling, Early Childhood Special Education, Child Life, Child Development, Early Childhood Education)
• Infant and Toddler Studies / Development (Child Life, Early Care and Early Childhood Development)

• Experience working with children from birth to three years old is preferred

• Other key qualifications:
  Must maintain a valid Texas Driver’s License; bilingual candidate highly preferred

• Well-developed interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills; ability to be a team player and provide high level of customer service
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; effective at all organizational levels
• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to work within a team
• Cooperative and willing to assist others
• Excellent organizational skills

The Harris Center is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. It is the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, serving over 90,000 people with an annual budget of over $300 million. The Harris Center provides a full continuum of services at 80 sites across Harris County and offers services in more than 40 languages plus sign language to serve a diverse community.

The organization employs more than 2,500 people and is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents.

• Posting associated with position #4812 and #6103

The Harris Center offers a competitive salary and a suite of benefits designed to enrich your life professionally and personally. Benefits include a robust retirement plan with company matching, prior service credit accelerating Paid Time Off accrual, cell phone discounts, Tickets at Work entertainment deals, a free Headspace subscription for mental wellness, and an Employee Assistance Program. The organization also supports student loan forgiveness programs for eligible employees.

The Harris Center emphasizes suicide care and prevention through trauma-informed practices centered on safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.