Lead Early Childhood Education Mental Health Consultant

Description

The Center for the Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia seeks applicants for a full-time Lead Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant to join our highly collaborative, diverse early childhood education (ECE) team. This position will work on the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) pilot in its second year 2 (2022-2023). The goal in year 2 of the pilot is to refine our birth-to-five mental health consultation model, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the Infant Toddler Specialist Network (ITSN). Our ECMHC model aims to support Virginia teachers to promote young children’s social-emotional skills and prevent expulsion of children from early care and education settings. This work will intersect with the Advancing Effective Interactions and Instruction (AEII) project as these two service models become integrated.

The individual in this lead consultant role will provide ongoing consultation services to teachers in classrooms serving 3-5-year-olds and meet occasionally with families as well as program leaders. The consultant will also provide training and support to other consultants and coaches to ensure successful, high-fidelity implementation of the CASTL consultation and coaching models. Finally, they will lead the administration of the consultation project, overseeing recruitment, intake, and continuous improvement of the model.

The pilot will take place in and around Richmond, Virginia, and will include in-person work including provision of services to teachers in the one or more of the following areas: Albemarle, Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan, Charles City, and New Kent County; Richmond, Charlottesville, Colonial Heights and Petersburg City. Driving is required to provide services to areas in which referrals are received. In addition to in-person work, some virtual and hybrid formats will also be involved (e.g., virtual consultation using video).

Job Duties

Role and Responsibilities:

Project Coordination and Implementation

• Serve as a lead ECMHC consultant, supervising, training, and supporting the other consultants.

• Develop a deep understanding of our consultation model, which includes in-person and virtual formats to support teachers’ use of equitable social-emotional & self-regulation practices.

• Provide high-fidelity one-on-one ECMHC consultation based on established protocols for teachers, as well as leaders and families.

• Use structures and systems to ensure consultation uptake, dosage, and quality (e.g. using the CASTL Coaching Fidelity tool and tracking sheets).

• Oversee the administration of the ECMHC program, including recruitment of teachers, intake process (including caseload assignment), and continuous improvement of the model.

• Gather and analyze data from child and classroom assessment tools (such as inCLASS, TPOT-S, VKRP: CBRS) and use this information to set goals with teachers.

• Document implementation of the consultation with existing measurement tools.

• Lead the development of materials and training for use in consultation and coaching.

• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with educators, school leaders, and internal working teams from diverse backgrounds.

• Coordinate multiple simultaneous tasks of varying complexity, with demonstrated accountability and excellent attention to detail while implementing flexible problem-solving skills.

• Coordinate closely with the Advancing Effective Interactions & Instruction project team to support alignment in project implementation.

• Communication and Dissemination 

  • Develop and maintain positive working relationships with early childhood teachers, leaders, parents, and teams at UVA-CASTL, ITSN, and VDOE.

  • Oversee outreach and recruitment of classrooms, programs, and leaders.

  • Collaborate closely with a diverse team in a deadline-driven environment.

  In addition to the above job responsibilities, other duties may be assigned.

Skills Required

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree
• Experience: Two years of experience. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Reliable transportation to sites in the Richmond, VA and Charlottesville, VA areas is required.

Preferred Qualifications

Significant preference will be given to those candidates who meet some or all preferred qualifications. Candidates are strongly encouraged to submit a cover letter detailing how their experience and qualifications align with the following:

• Experience providing early childhood mental health consultation (or more broadly, consultation, coaching, or technical assistance.)
• Experience supervising, training or supporting consultants or coaches.
• Licensure in a mental health field and/or a Master’s degree in psychology, counseling, social work, education or a related field is preferred and may substitute for some experience.
• Experience with virtually consulting, coaching, or creating and facilitating online coursework, especially coaching or supervising teachers using video review and feedback.
• Experience supporting children’s social-emotional and self-regulation skills such as through use of frameworks or curricula like the Pyramid Model or Streamin3.
• Experience observing classrooms and/or children with standardized tools.
• Experience with Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) or Early Intervention.
• Experience working with families (e.g., home visiting, counseling, consultation).
• Experience serving birth-to-five teachers in various settings, including child care centers and Family Day homes, Head Start, VPI, and ECSE.
• Demonstrated expertise, experience, and commitment to diversity, equity, and access.

Proficiency in use of technology:

• Project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet)
• Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel)
• Videoconferencing, teaching, or webinar tools (e.g., Zoom, Canvas)
• Virtual platforms or storage (e.g., Google Docs, Box)

Additional Info

Application Instructions

Please apply through Workday, and search for Mental Health Consultant.  Complete an application online with the following documents:

• CV or Resume
• Cover letter
• Optional but encouraged: Please submit a statement (500 words or less) describing how you address diversity, equity, and inclusion in your work.

Upload all materials into the resume submission field. Multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission.  Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile by searching ‘Find Jobs.’

The position will remain open until filled.  This is an Exempt level, benefited position. This position will not sponsor applicants for work visas. This restricted position is a one-year appointment, and continuation beyond one year is dependent upon project need, availability of funding, and performance. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment.  

For additional information about the position, please contact Ann Lhospital, Senior Scientist. For questions about the application process, please contact Margaret Weeks, Academic Recruiter.

In alignment with President Ryan’s UVA strategic plan, CASTL is committed to:

• Recruiting talented and diverse doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty, and staff;
• Recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce and providing an inclusive and supportive environment in which staff and faculty are recognized as integral to the success of our work; and
• Promoting a culture of integrity, mutual respect, excellence, collaboration, and innovation

Physical Demands
This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings and programs.

COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines

Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements and guidelines for employment at UVA.