Reports to: Director of Behavioral Health Services

Background & Overview:

The Behavioral Health Services (BHS) department is responsible for supporting the behavioral health needs of all students. Through a continuum of promotion, prevention, at-risk, and intensive services, the BHS staff provides direct services to students and support to school staff and families. Working closely with community partners and allied city agencies, the BHS department assists in connecting schools, students, and families with needed community support.

Position Summary and General Responsibilities:

Supports the functioning of the Behavioral Health Services (BHS) department, which includes providing at-risk and intensive services and support to all schools.  By providing an array of services, including professional development, consultation, crisis intervention, and direct services, the BHS department has led the behavioral health work in the district.  The development of community partnerships is fundamental.  Partnerships include mental health agencies, city and state agencies, hospitals, universities, and community-based partners.  In collaboration with the Senior Director, the Assistant Director for Behavioral Health Services is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of school psychologists in all schools and aligning those services to maximize student results in the classroom.  This position will support compliance with services to federal and state regulations and will plan and lead school psychologists in professional development activities.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Management and Administration, Behavioral Services

• Support in hiring, training, and managing staff to ensure high-quality work, productivity, and effectiveness, as well as retention of staff
• Support the planning and scheduling of all psychological services during the school year to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Supports the development of  budget, ensures timely and responsible use of all funds to purchase needed materials
• Seeks external funding to support the work of the department

Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice

• Regularly engage in opportunities to maintain knowledge of current evidence-based practices to support learning specific to their roles and expertise.
• Apply ethics and standards of professional practice in the delivery of school psychological services and observe relevant laws and policies that govern practice.
• Participate in professional organizations and continually seek to improve professional knowledge and skills.
• Is aware of and complies with special education laws, state mandates, and BPS policies and procedures
• Collaborate with parents and families to promote treatment integrity and improve intervention success at home and school.
• Identify diverse cultural issues, context, and other factors that impact family/school interaction.
• Apply understanding of the influence of diversity (e.g., culture, language, SES, sexual orientation, race, gender) when designing and implementing interventions to support learning and behavioral outcomes.

Professional Development

• Coordinate and plan professional development activities, which support promising practices in the areas of comprehensive related services and are aligned with BPS standards-based curriculum and system-wide initiatives. 
• Create online learning modules to ensure widespread delivery of professional development for all BPS staff that complies with state mandates.
• Develops and plans professional development opportunities for school psychologists and pupil adjustment counselors in promising practices in the areas of evaluation, behavioral interventions, counseling, and support models to schools and classrooms aligned with system initiatives on student results

School Support

• Support members of the Crisis Response Team
• Consult with administrators, teachers, parents, and related service providers to support and collaborate with staff and help build structures to promote a positive school climate.
• Provides training and professional development education to the district and individual schools on topics such as trauma-sensitive schools, social-emotional learning, and de-escalation
• Works with the principals and headmasters on developing consistent and promising standards of practice standards for all nursing staff during the school year and during summer programs

Crisis Support

• Support the Critical Incident Coordinator for school staff experiencing critical incidents involving students and/or staff. 
• Provide training on emergency response to BPS staff
• Serve on the district safety team and the district operation team
• Manage district crisis partnerships and work closely with community providers who support families in a crisis

Partnerships

• Support the development of various community partnerships to support the work of BHS.
• Support the mental health and allied partnerships for BPS, including serving as the co-chair of the School-Based Mental Health Collaborative (SBMHC)
• Support the school psychology university partnerships of BPS to ensure the use of school psychology students.
• Participate in the Massachusetts School Psychology Trainer’s Group 

District/Department Support

• Develop and oversee direct services, indirect services, crisis services, and support prevention services. 
• Provides support in the development and implementation of social-emotional learning and tiered-level support (Multi-tiered System of Support and Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model). 
• Works cooperatively with all BPS departments and school staff to enhance the services offered to all students in the school system.
• Serves on internal/external committees as requested by the Assistant Superintendent of SELWELL
• Performs other related duties as requested by the Assistant Superintendent of SELWELL.

Required Qualifications:

• Certification by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Education as a School Psychologist.
• Certification by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Education as a Director of Pupil Personnel Services or other administrative certification.
• Specialist’s Degree in School Psychology
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in an urban setting providing educational and clinical services. 
• Certification in Crisis management such as PREPaRE, FEMA certification or Psychological First Aid
• Demonstrated ability to establish positive relationships with students and adults
• Experience with urban youth
• Current authorization to work in the United States - Candidates must have such authorization by their first day of employment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certification in Conflict Resolution
• Clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and families in mental health
• Background working with a diverse population of students and families
• Bilingual 
• Experience working in special education systems
• Active member of state and national professional school psychology organizations such as the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

TERMS: BASAS, Group 11B, 12 months, 225 days

Please refer to www.bostonpublicschools.org/ohc (Licensed Staff >> Employee Benefits and Policies) for more information on compensation.  Salaries are listed by Unions and Grade/Step.