Mental Health Liaison

Job Description

Job Description

Salary : $22 (Base) Plus Degree and Work Experience (School)

Job Description : Mental Health Liaison

SUMMARY :

Position : Mental Health Liaison

Description : The Mental Health Liaison is an integral member of the school’s System of Care for School-based Mental Health.

The Liaison’s primary function is to ensure that the student and his / her / their caregiver(s) engage as much as they are able in the delivery of Tier 3 mental health services to the student at school and in the community if they are referred to mental health services outside of the school.

For more information on how the school-based mental health services are to be implemented, please refer to the System of Care Blueprint.

The Liaison is the critical link between the school, mental health providers, and the families and reports to the coordinator of the schools’ care teams.

Reports to : Social Work Services Coordinator

Department : Health, Safety and Conduct

Job type : Full time

Classification : Non-Exempt

Calendar Type : 11-month (Calendar 2)

QUALIFICATIONS :

• College course work or degree in a field related to mental health such as counseling.
• Social work, psychology or significant relevant experience working with young people and families on social and / or mental health-related issues.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

For services provided at school

• Support the family in navigating, understanding, and engaging with the Tier 3 mental health services offered at school at all stages of the process : identification, screening, formal assessment, and service delivery.
• Actively participate in the school’s care team meetings with the aim of enriching the discussions by providing the caregiver’s perspective, experiences, and relevant information.
• Work with the student and caregiver(s) in overcoming challenges and barriers that may impede their ability to engage with the care team and mental health services provided at school.
• Serve as a bridge, as needed, with / for other members of the school team who are arranging the provision of wraparound services to students who are receiving Tier 3 mental health services.

This may require home visits to build trust and gain an appreciation for the student’s situation.

• Serve as a point of contact for securing written consent from caregiver(s) and working with the caregiver(s) who is reluctant to provide consent to understand their reluctance and work with them and the care team to resolve.
• Provide feedback to the school care team on any issues related to the quality and effectiveness of communication and engagement with students’ families as they pertain to Tier 3 mental health services.
• Educate caregivers and family members about the basics of mental health (what typical diagnosis are, what therapy entails, etc.)

For services provided in the school community

Provide support to the students and their caregiver(s) who are referred for mental health services in the community by addressing any needs such as childcare, translation services and / or transportation;

clarifying any issues related to cost, intake forms, etc. and conveying student and / or caregiver’s needs and concerns to the mental health providers.

To provide this support, the Liaison may need to make home visits.

• Follow up with families while the student is waiting for an appointment with a community-based provider to ensure the student’s condition has not worsened and the SOC Hub and school are alerted immediately if it becomes critical.
• Serve as the bridge of communication for caregiver(s), agencies, and schools as necessary for any crisis or critical updates necessary to ensure quality and timely service delivery
• Accurate and timely documentation and inputting of data for the SOC / MH information system.
• Coordinate with the Hub office of the SOC / MH to ensure that students referred to mental health services in the community are able to access services as expeditiously as possible.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES :

• Ability to communicate effectively in both written and oral forms with all levels of management, both internal and external to the district.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships both internal and external to the district.
• Ability to use computer including software, Google Drive, database used by the district, spreadsheet and word processing software, copy machine, scanner, and telephone
• Ability to analyze data.
• Ability to engage problem-solving skills
• Ability to instill trust, collaborate, and influence others
• Ability to manage ambiguity and remain flexible in a fast-changing environment
• Ability to manage complex relationships with multiple stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and find common ground to move forward from, customer focus
• Ability to identify and develop talent, aligning capability with needs internally and externally

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS :

• Light Work : may require occasional light lifting.
• Nights and weekend activities will be occasionally required.
• Position is in an office setting and may involve prolonged work at a desk in one location.
• Moderate travel is required.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements, physical demands, work conditions and environment listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills and abilities required.

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