Birth To 5 Behavior Support Specialist

Job Goal:

The Behavioral Specialist is responsible for addressing children, staff and program needs when children are demonstrating challenging behaviors in UMHS preschool programs. This position is responsible for increasing classroom quality by responding to challenging behavior needs, gathering data on child behavior, coordinating with program staff to develop behavior support plans, monitoring progress and evaluating the effectiveness of the plans. The Behavioral Specialist works with classroom and other program staff, children, parents, partners, mental health consultants and other developmental and behavioral specialists working with the program and children.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide training to staff on Conscious Discipline and support implementation into the classroom setting.
• Ensure all children with suspected disabilities and/or mental health needs are evaluated according to Head Start Performance Standards and receive appropriate referrals to community agencies when needed.
• Support the Disabilities & Mental Health services ongoing monitoring plan to track program improvements related to a trauma informed approach
• Strictly adhere to agency code of ethics and standards of workplace behavior.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet business needs including regular and reliable attendance and adherence to all company workplace behavior standards.
• Utilize Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT) to recognize and promote high-quality classroom management standards and research based methods of supporting children with challenging behaviors.
• Ensure supports, services, plans and interactions are trauma informed and promote resilience for children, families, and staff.
• Facilitate the development of and assist in the implementation of behavior support plans for children.
• Develop and deliver social emotional training and informational materials for parents, partners, and staff.
• Work in collaboration with child and family teams to carry out the goals and objectives of individual children.
• Assist in the development, review and maintenance of Head Start Policies & Procedures and forms related to Disabilities & Mental Health component.
• Provide support, training and technical assistance to parents and staff to ensure all children with disabilities are identified and receive appropriate services.
• Communicate with parent(s)/caregivers(s) regarding child progress.
• Assist parent(s)/caregiver(s) and teams with behavioral interventions in classroom and in homes.
• Improve access of children with social emotional concerns and/or disabilities to needed resources within the community.
• Strictly adhere to all safety policies and procedures at all times and respond/correct any at risk safety issues immediately.
• Crosswalk TPOT with Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) for best practices in classroom management & positive climate.
• Collaborate with child and family teams including parent(s)/caregiver(s) to design and implement behavioral interventions for children and analyze to determine effectiveness.

General Responsibilities:

• Maintain congenial and respectful relations with staff, children, families and community
• Complying with Agency safety standards
• Promote a culture of safe environments in the workplace
• Apply safe practices in the performance of duties
• Maintain objectives and professional standards
• Keep current and accurate records and file reports on time
• Improve self skills and education
• And or any other duties deemed necessary by your supervisor
• Maintain confidentiality in regards to staff and family information
• Participate in staff meetings, conferences, training sessions and workshops as assigned
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties
• Participate in emergency drills
• Reporting of unsafe or hazardous working conditions and/or any injury immediately
• Be a contributory team member in a positive/productive manner
• Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in Child Abuse and Neglect Policy
• Demonstrate familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plan and objectives of Agency
• Be present at work in order to provide consistency of services

Education Requirements:

• (Preferred) Master’s degree in behavior analysis, special education, psychology, social work, speech and language pathology or related field
• BA in a developmental, mental health, Psychology, Education, Social Work or related discipline.

Experience and Skills Requirements:

• Knowledge of inclusive practices
• Experience supporting families and understand how to engage them in program services
• Experience of early learning quality assessment tools, including:
• Prior experience working in a Head Start/Early Head Start program
  • Experience supporting families and understand how to engage them in program services
• Implement effective techniques for adult learning
• Experience in working in an early childhood education program.

• Knowledge of child assessment and screening tools, including:
• Teaching Strategies Gold
• Environmental Rating Scale(ERS) (specifically, Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-3 and Family Child Care Environments Rating Scale Program Assessment Scale (PAS)
• Ages and Stages Questionnaires
• Classroom Assessment Scoring Scale (CLASS)
• Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool

• Administrative background (preferred)
• Bilingual in English/Spanish, verbal and written (preferred)
• Head Start experience (preferred)
• Education, training and/or experience with trauma informed approach, protective factors and behavioral characteristics associated with trauma.
• Understanding of behavioral characteristics associated with autism, intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, brain injuries and other related areas.
• Multi-cultural experience (preferred)
• Knowledge of risk/protective factors model and substance abuse prevention (preferred)
• Education, training and/or experience in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
• Basic understanding of instructional methods and education curriculums used at Head Start.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to:

• Comprehend, analyze, and make inferences and references from written material
• Observe, compare, and monitor behaviors, records and data to determine compliance with prescribed standards

• Lift and move heavy and/or bulky objects up to 50 lbs.

• Frequently required to drive, walk and climb stairs in the office and in a variety of community based and home settings.
• Occasionally required to stand, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.
• Occasional filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bending as necessary;
• Produce written documentation with clearly organized thoughts using proper sentence construction, punctuation and grammar.
• Drive a private or Agency vehicle; must possess a valid driver's license and personal automobile or provide a plan that will allow fulfillment of position requirements. (A DMV Record check will be conducted prior to hire)
• Sit for long periods of time with keyboard and do data entry at a computer.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment/Conditions:

• Job tasks are performed in close physical proximity to other people
• The work environment includes indoor office environments or comparable spaces and community spaces, with some exposure to outdoor weather when traveling between sites. The noise level varies by sites and meetings.

Safety:

Apply safe practices in the performance of duties

• Reporting of unsafe or hazardous working conditions and/or any injury immediately
• • Reporting of unsafe or hazardous working conditions and/or any injury immediately
  • Complying with Agency safety standards
  • Participate in emergency drills
  • Promote a culture of safe environments in the workplace
• Participate in emergency drills
• Promote a culture of safe environments in the workplace
• Complying with Agency safety standards

Agency Wide Requirements:

• Current enrollment in the Child Care Division’s Central Background Registry
• Communicate effectively with staff, families, children, and the public using the telephone and in face to face, one to one, and in group settings
• Desire to work with low income children and their families
• Current physical examination, drug screen, and TB screen documentation prior to hire
• To protect the health and safety of our employees and families, and pursuant to the Governor's Order, all employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID 19 as a condition of employment. If you are unable to comply with this policy due to pregnancy, disability, or because of a sincerely held religious belief, we will ask for written verification.
• Fluent in English both verbally and written
• Ability to drive a private or Agency vehicle; must possess a valid driver's license and personal automobile or provide a plan that will allow fulfillment of position requirements. A DMV Record check will be conducted prior to hire.

Umatilla Morrow Head Start, Inc. Is an Equal Opportunity Employer