Mental Health and Wellness Specialist

Overview

Position Type Special Education/Specialist

Date Posted 5/28/2025

Location School Board Office

Role Student Mental Health and Wellness Specialist

Reports To Director of Special Education

The primary responsibility of the Student Mental Health and Wellness Specialist is to provide building level support and intervention for students in grades Pre-K through 5 who are identified as exhibiting behavioral difficulties which impede their social/emotional development and academic success. Additional responsibilities will include district wide coaching and staff training.

Minimum of a Master s Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or a related field. The candidate must be a licensed mental health professional - Licensed Professional Counselor or Licensed Clinical Social Worker required.

Minimum of three years of successful experience working with students who have challenging behaviors in a therapeutic or school setting.

The individual must have basic knowledge of child psychopathology.

Must have knowledge of Social and Emotional Learning and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Must have knowledge of current trends and methodologies used to address the needs of children with behavioral challenges.

Must have knowledge of Trauma Informed Practices in Schools.

Must have the ability to recommend evidenced based practices as needed.

Must have extensive successful experience in analyzing and assessing behavior, developing, planning and implementing behavioral interventions.

Must have skills in evaluation, development and implementation of positive behavior intervention plans; knowledge of current accepted best practices utilized in the full continuum of placement options for students with behavioral challenges.

Must have knowledge of child protective laws as related to being a mandated reporter.

Must have knowledge of data tracking and collection, record management and reporting methods, and a demonstrated understanding of differentiated instruction.

Must have expertise in developing and providing staff development activities for individual schools and/or programs.

• Supports and assesses behavioral programs for students in a therapeutic and behaviorally supported educational environment.
• Provides staff development and works collaboratively with teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff to demonstrate best practices, therapeutic interventions and strategies.
• Integrates techniques to enhance instruction for students with social, communication, behavioral and learning challenges.
• Collaborates with staff to develop an understanding of a variety of methods to improve student behavior.
• Assists with the development of behavioral assessments and behavioral intervention plans.
• Provides individual counseling or connects students requiring intensive levels of support to community based counseling based services.
• Plans and confers with the classroom teacher, building administrators as requested concerning any behavioral, social, or personal problems affecting the students.
• Assists staff with the development of crisis prevention and intervention plans.
• Assists as needed with the crisis assessment team to determine the level of threat and follow through with recommended interventions.
• Assists in developing crisis plans for students in collaboration with community based resources.
• Attends and makes recommendations for student support/intervention meetings e.g. Child Find meetings; supports plan meetings, School Based Team, IEP meetings, 504 Plan meetings, etc.
• Coordinates and conducts individual and group parent education sessions with families as needed.
• Assists in developing and maintaining home-school relations in crisis situations with students.
• Monitors student data and makes adjustments to behavior support plans as needed.
• Assists with the development and maintenance of program evaluation procedures.
• Assists with case-management and team problem-solving with other school and district staff, agency personnel and other appropriate professionals on a regular basis.
• Demonstrates patience, respect, a receptive attitude towards students of varied academic and behavioral levels of need and abilities.
• Utilizes professional knowledge and skills to assure implementation and maintenance of intervention plans.
• Ability to identify, document, make recommendations, and report data on students  behavior based on trends and research.
• Receives training on approved de-escalation techniques and physical intervention methods, and utilizes those methods when deemed necessary.
• Assumes responsibility for own professional growth and development by keeping current with the literature and new research findings, and by attending professional development as appropriate.
• Performs any other related duties as assigned by the Student Mental Health and Behavior Support Coordinator, Director of Special Education, Superintendent, or Designee.

• Thorough knowledge of…