Mental Health Professional
General Statement: The mental health professional provides a continuum of social-emotional and behavioral services and supports to assist students in accessing their instruction. Familiarity with MTSS process, special education procedures. Collaboration and consultation with teachers, related-service providers, parents, administrators, community providers, and students are essential expectations of the position. The mental health professional is familiar with psycho-educational assessments, uses student data to guide decision-making, and assists teams in academic and behavioral intervention design. This position is responsible for collaborating with multiple groups including students, families, educators, other support professionals, administrators and outside agencies. The position requires having strong knowledge and understanding of social/issues and the array of behavioral issues that students may present. This position must advocate for students and families but must also maintain boundaries and ethical behavior as set forth by professional organization code of ethics, state law and district policies governing this service for students.
Responsibilities:
- Assist educators in maintaining a mentally healthy and positive learning environment in the school and in the classroom.
- Maintains strict confidentiality about Westerly Public Schools’ students and their families
- Adheres to the policies and related directives of the Westerly Public Schools.
- Promotes the attainment of the District’s Mission Vision, and Strategic Plan.
- Applies current research-based best instructional practices and strategies to deliver the curriculum.
- Adheres to special education policies, completes relevant paperwork, and attends and actively contributes to special education meetings.
- Understands how knowledge is constructed within the discipline.
- Integrates technology to more effectively deliver the therapy/treatment and specially designed instruction.
- Ensures that parents, students, and team members understand the role of the physical therapist within the school setting.
- Designs therapy activities that accommodate individual differences.
- Develops physical management plans for daily classroom routines and trains staff in their safe implementation.
- Plans, coordinates and provides training and continuing education, both formally and informally, to parents, school administrators, school staff, community agencies, and medical professionals.
- Develops plans for the safe transportation of students with physical disabilities as well as provide consultation regarding emergency evacuation procedures for such students.
- Serves as a resource to parents, school teams, and administration on disabling conditions and their effect on education.
- Provides onsite support to district students, staff and families to enhance educational opportunities for students, specifically for a targeted population of students who are considered high risk.
- Other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Experience:
- Prefer five years’ experience in an educational environment.
- Prefer experience as a School Social Worker or School Psychologist but must have a minimum of three (3) years successful experience in providing social/emotional supports/services to students.
Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree from Accredited University.
- Bachelor’s degree including coursework in Social Work.
- Master’s Degree in Social Work or School Psychology preferred.
Certification:
- Rhode Island Department of Education School Psychologist Certification or RIDE School Social Worker certification preferred.
Authorized to work in the USA
Current national background check without disqualifying results at time of hire.
Westerly Public School District is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.