ACCORD Corporation’s Head Start Division is accepting quotes for a Mental Health Consultant for the period of July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2025. Our program currently serves 260 children age’s birth to five years.
Credentials: Must be a licensed or certified Mental Health Professional. Must provide a current resume and copy of license or certification and degree meeting requirements. Must possess knowledge of and experience serving young children and their families. A certificate of liability insurance must be provided.
Purpose:
Mental Health Consultants will assist:
(1) The program to implement strategies to identify and support children with mental health and social and emotional concerns.
(2) Teachers to improve classroom management and teacher practices through strategies that include using classroom observations and consultations to address teacher and individual child needs and creating physical and cultural environments that promote positive mental health and social and emotional functioning;
(3) Other staff, including home visitors, to meet children’s mental health and social and emotional needs through strategies that include observation and consultation;
(4) Staff to address prevalent child mental health concerns, including internalizing problems such as appearing withdrawn and externalizing problems such as challenging behaviors; and,
(5) In helping both parents and staff to understand mental health and access mental health interventions, if needed.
(6) In the implementation of the policies to limit suspension and prohibit expulsion as described in §1302.17.
(7) In building and maintaining community partnerships to facilitate access to additional mental health resources and services, as needed.
Specific Responsibilities:
1. Prevention
a. Assist the program in planning and implementing high quality mental health services either directly or by referral.
b. Participate in the Health Services Advisory Committee to provide guidance, direction, and offer resources and supports to the program in regards to mental health, wellness and other community health concerns.
c. Cooperative organization and provision of staff training on mental health and wellness issues.
d. Observation of children in group settings upon the request of the Education Specialist.
e. Technical assistance and advocacy in assisting Head Start families gain access to mental health services in the community.
f. Support, education and training for parents in developing healthy environments and relationships for and with their children.
g. Assistance in planning, promoting, and presenting parent meeting workshops regarding mental health and wellness.
2. Identification and Referral
a. Advice and assistance in selecting, adapting and completing developmental assessments in the areas of children's social and emotional development.
b. Complete social emotional assessments for children requiring intensive interventions. Provide results and recommendations to staff and parents.
c. Direct meetings with referred families to provide recommendations and referrals to community based medical and mental health care providers as determined by the assessment.
d. Consultation with family members of enrolled children, staff and other information sources on family history and interactions, to determine appropriate course of action.
3. Treatment
a. Assist Head Start staff in integrating children with difficult or disruptive behavior into a group setting or appropriate learning situations.
b. Assist the program in developing and implementing Individualized Behavior Support Plans for children requiring intensive intervention.
c. Options counselling with families in choosing mental health goals and emotional support for parents in implementing objectives toward meeting these goals.
d. Obtaining signed consent from parents prior to sharing information with other service providers.
e. Confidentiality of all case recordings must be maintained.
Service Location:
Consultation with Head Start staff will take place at each site, as mutually agreed upon by the Director and Consultant.
Individual family assessments/consultations will take place in homes of the participating families when warranted or at a location mutually agreed upon by the parents and the Mental Health Consultant.
Parent Training activities will take place at the Head Start site where the parents' children attend or at an alternative site specified for a given event.
Schedule of Services: Mental health consultation services must be provided on a schedule of sufficient and consistent frequency to in partnership with staff and families in a timely and effective manner. The Mental Health Consultant must be available at least 8 hours per week, with a combination of face to face, phone and indirect services (referrals, documentation, etc.). Exact schedule will be negotiated based on needs of children, families, and staff.
Please submit quotes, including hourly rate charged and proof of requirements labelled with your name/company’s name. Late submissions will not be considered.
Mail to:
ACCORD Corporation
Annette Lerro, Operations & Finance Manager
71 Boss Street
Bolivar, NY 14715
Or email:
Annette Lerro, Operations and Finance Manager at alerro@accordcorp.org
Quotes will be accepted until Friday, August 7, 2020. ACCORD Corporation reserves the right to select or reject quotes based on cost, contractor's experience, location, and other qualifications.
Please feel free to contact Annette Lerro via email alerro@accordcorp.org or phone 585-268-7605 x 1031 if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Annette Lerro
Head Start Operations and Finance Manager
Allegany County Community Opportunities and Rural Development, Inc.
585-268-7605, Extension 1031
84 Schuyler Street, P.O. Box 573, Belmont, NY 14813 Designated Community Action Agency for Allegany County, NY
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