Educational Specialist, Student Mental Health (Wellness)

Required

• Master's degree from an approved program in school social work, school psychology, or school counseling, or a program deemed equivalent by the Virginia Department of Education.
• Four (4) years of experience in mental health administration, behavioral health, crisis intervention, risk prevention, school counseling, or other school-based mental health related specialty.
  • Advanced degree(s) beyond the minimum degree requirement in a relevant field may be considered for some experience.
• Must hold a license issued by the Virginia Department of Education with endorsement in school social work, school psychology, or school counseling.
• Knowledge of instructional goals, procedures, and best practices in student mental health framework, risk prevention, and crisis intervention supports.
• Skill in differentiating materials and supportive resources to meet community, student, school, and staff needs, including support for special populations.
• Skill in teaching adult learners.
• Proficiency in the use of technology and data compilation, analysis, and reporting.
• Skill in the evaluation of program effectiveness.
• Ability to develop, plan, implement, and administer a divisionwide program at the school, office, and community levels.
• Ability to drive continuous program and process improvement for a variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to develop and manage professional development initiatives that provide a high level of instructional leadership for administrators and staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain a successful cooperative working relationship with diverse school communities, school-based and central office staff, community partners, and county agencies.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Preferred

• Clinical experience.
• Experience as a program lead.

1. Assists with the planning of short- and long-term objectives related to the development and implementation of student mental health practices in Division schools.
2. Defines framework and protocols in accordance with best practice concepts in emotional healthcare.
3. Maintains documentation that identifies situational risk factors and utilizes a recovery-based and trauma-informed approach to support student mental health needs.
4. Provides consultation and services to schools after a loss, trauma, significant safety threat, crisis, or disruption to the school community.
5. Serves as a primary point of contact to deliver direct support to schools.
6. Assists school teams by providing post-needs assessment to ensure appropriate follow-up.
7. Provides process and procedure recommendations designed to optimize program operations and minimize risks to the safety and health of the student
8. Manages risk and matters of compliance related to FCPS regulation, local, state, and federal regulations, policies, and mandates.
9. Collaborates across the Division to ensure the proper provision of resources.
10. Provides community outreach services to identify county mental health service resources that assist in securing a continuum of supports.
11. Provides expert consultation to local Human Services and Public Safety agencies regarding student mental health.
12. Plans, designs, coordinates, facilitates, evaluates, and modifies staff development and in-service training programs for faculty, administrators, and departmental personnel.
13. Collects current system data, historical case studies, and additional outside research to target specific school needs.
14. Prepares and/or coordinates reports and analyses that identify and interpret trends or patterns in data sets to provide key insights into future program initiatives and professional development.
15. Provides recommendations to senior staff and FCPS leadership.
16. Performs related duties as required or assigned.

This job operates in a professional office environment and has a noise level of mostly low to moderate. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Per the FCFPSA collective bargaining agreement, telework may be approved in limited circumstances as defined by Regulation 4417.