Infant Mental Health Specialist LCSW / LPC

Job Summary

The Infant Mental Health Specialist/Health Steps works under general supervision to provide integrated behavioral health services, enhanced anticipatory guidance, and well-child care teaching to families of children aged birth to five years old through integrated well child visits with the pediatric provider and provision of evidenced-based resources and support.

The Infant Mental Health Specialist/Healthy Steps Consultant provides services as a key member of the primary care team within Ambulatory Care Services (ACS) and abides by guidelines and expectations specific to the clinic(s) in which they provide patient care. Services include evidence-based treatments for infant mental health and early childhood, including screening and preventive interventions, diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders, and biopsychosocial support for caregivers and the family system.

The Infant Mental Health Specialist/Healthy Steps Consultant strives to create positive customer service experience by committing to the highest standards set forth by Denver Health and provides as needed: case management and consultation, case coordination to facilitate linkage to community resources, and crisis intervention.

Essential Functions:

• Clinical care for children (ages 0-8)
  Engages in clinical services to pediatric patients and families referred to behavioral health, including short-term, evidence-based psychotherapy and support services.
  Consults and collaborate with medical team generating recommendations, referrals, and case management as needed.
  Conducts brief diagnostic screening and assessment of patients and family members (if appropriate).
  Facilitates dyadic counseling with an infant mental health focus.
  Conducts risk and safety assessment as needed.
  (50%)

• Healthy Steps Specialist (ages 0-3)
  Acts as parent-provider liaison during each well-child visit for enrolled children.
  Provides caregivers with developmental, relational, behavioral, and anticipatory guidance at each well child visit.
  Coordinates referrals to appropriate external community agencies in collaboration with pediatric provider.
  Ensures Healthy Steps curriculum and materials are available to enrolled families and pediatric care team.
  Collects, manages, and submits data per program deliverables.
  Participates in reflective supervision monthly in support of growth, wellbeing, and building of reflective capacity.
  (40%)

• Consultation and Collaboration with Multidisciplinary Team
  Provides education and program updates for clinic care teams, Integrated Behavioral Health Division, and graduate students within the Division of Psychology and Social Work when requested.
  Participates in Integrated Behavioral Health Division and Sub-Division meetings to maintain cohesion and improve awareness of department functioning. This may include presenting on topics of expertise, case consultation, and engagement in team and individual development.
  (10%)

Education:

• Master's Degree Master’s of Social Work, Professional Counseling or Doctorate in Psychology from an accredited program.
  Required or

Work Experience:

• 1-3 years Three years of full-time post-Masters or Doctorate practice in a primary care medical setting under the supervision of a licensed or equivalently qualified social worker or other DORA approved professional practitioner.
  
  Required

• Experience in infant mental health, Healthy Steps, early childhood developmental screening, family systems, and coordination of care with special needs strongly preferred.

• Bilingual Spanish skills strongly preferred.

• Educational background in Human Development and Family Studies, Early Childhood Education, Social Work, Psychology, or related field

Licenses:

• LPC-Licensed Professional Counselor - LPC State Licensing Board Required or

• LCSW-Licensed Clinical Social Worker - LCSW State Licensing Board Required and

• BLS-Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) - AHA - American Heart Association Required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of infant mental health, infant and toddler development, family systems, and appropriate community resources.

• Advanced knowledge and skills in effective biopsychosocial practice and evidence-based interventions for primary care medical settings, particularly with infant mental health and general pediatrics.

• Strong skills and knowledge with regard to risk assessment, crisis intervention, and ability to write mental health holds.

• Skill in establishing a therapeutic alliance and engaging the patient and family system in collaborative goal setting and prioritizing patient needs as part of the care team in the primary care clinic setting.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and motivation to work as part of a dynamic multidisciplinary team in a medical setting. Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Ability to respond to feedback and incorporate it into practice. Knowledge of patient populations’ cultural, religious, ethnic, and social systems in interactions, care planning, and education.

• Knowledge of medical terms, abbreviations, diagnoses, treatment, and prognosis with ability to demonstrate this knowledge verbally and in writing.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

• Problem solving - the ability to systematically analyze problems, draw relevant conclusions and devise appropriate courses of action.

• Temperament - Ability to remain calm in emergency situations