Behavioral Health Specialist

The General Pediatrics division of the Department of Pediatrics is seeking a Behavioral Health Specialist to provide services within the Harriet Lane Clinic as part of the High Five for Prenatal to Five collaborative early learning hub project. High Five for Prenatal to Five is a multi-site project focused on improving healthy equity through the provision of early childhood development supports within the context of pediatric primary care. On this project, the Behavioral Health Specialist will work as an early childhood development expert within the pediatric primary care team to provide screening, assessment, brief interventions, consultative services, education, referral linkages, advocacy, and follow-up for families with children ages 0-5. The successful candidate will build strong relationships with families and with members of the care team (e.g., attendings, residents, nursing staff, front-desk staff) to support team-based comprehensive care. As part of this position, the hired candidate will receive training and supervision in, and be expected to implement, at least three evidence-based models of care for young children, including Healthy Steps, the Chicago Parent Program, and the Mothers and Babies Course.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Training/Professional Development Activities (on the job trainings)

• Participate in Healthy Steps training (Virtual Healthy Steps Institute)
• Participate in Chicago Parent Program training.
• Participate in Mothers and Babies training.
• Participate in regularly scheduled reflective supervision meetings.
• Participate in regularly scheduled longitudinal case-based learning sessions through the KKI-NECT Project ECHO model.

Clinical

• Promote Healthy Steps within the practice to families and providers.
• Support the practice in implementation of screening for social, emotional, behavioral and developmental concerns and family needs for families, 0-5 years old.
• Conduct appointments before, during, or following the primary care provider visits that are focused on monitoring development, social-emotional functioning, and relational health, and providing anticipatory guidance.
• Conduct consultations on a short-term basis for child/family needs regarding social, emotional, developmental and/or behavioral concerns (e.g., sleep issues, positive parenting, picky eating, tantrums)
• Maintain a child development support line and respond to call requests within the designated response time.
• Provide brief developmental and mental health interventions using established evidence-based interventions.
• Facilitate parent/caregiver groups using the Chicago Parent Program and Mothers and Babies curriculums.

Provision of Team-Based Care

• Serve as an active member of the High Five for P-5 Implementation Team and attend regular team meetings.
• Work with administrative staff to ensure appropriate scheduling of the Behavioral Health Specialist’s time in coordination with provider visits.
• Engage in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives to ensure the Healthy Steps model is delivered with fidelity.
• Collaborate with the High Five for P-5 team to implement all core components of the Healthy Steps model, Chicago Parent Program and Mothers and Babies interventions including universal screenings, making positive parenting and early learning guidance information available, and adjusting workflows for optimal efficiency.
• Maintain open communication with all members of the primary care team (residents, attendings, nurses, social workers, etc.)
• Work closely with pediatric primary providers around care coordination, goal setting, coaching, and education about key aspects of a child’s development.
• Provide consultation and/or facilitates training to medical professionals and all practice staff regarding early childhood development, early relational health, infant early childhood mental health, and trauma-informed practice.
• Participate in occasional trainings for the residents on the Healthy Steps model and early child development and socio-emotional health.

Referrals & Community Collaborations

• Create and maintain community resource directory/database.
• Provide referrals and track follow-up, as appropriate, to help families make successful connections to key resources within the community.
• Reach out to community providers within first 6 months in position to share about Healthy Steps, their role, and receive information to support referrals, warm handoffs, and ensure appropriate referral criteria is met.
• Participate (when appropriate) in community-wide early childhood and/or mental health meetings.
• Participate (when appropriate) in Project Advisory Board meetings.

Documentation

• Document all patient clinical activity and care coordination in the clinic’s electronic health record.
• Track all clinical activities completed using the High Five for P-5 project’s REDCap database within a timely fashion.
• Collaborate with the High Five for P-5 team to complete required reporting to the Healthy Steps National Office on services provided.
• Respond honestly to surveys and assessments of the program implementation.

Additional Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  
• Commitment to working with underserved populations in a community setting.
• Empathic, supportive, and patient.
• Strong motivational interviewing skills.
• Ability to work with people of many backgrounds and cultures.
• Ability to take initiative and a willingness to learn.
• Ability to work well in teams and independently.
• Ability to multitask and triage multiple appointments and priorities.
• Comfort with an open-door policy, potentially frequent interruptions, and warm hand offs.
• Ability to communicate clearly and assertively with primary care providers and other colleagues about patient needs.

Physical Requirements 

• Primary care site, hospital, or community-based medical environment, fast-paced requiring flexibility and adaptability.
• Work is generally sedentary in nature; however, some standing, stooping, and bending are required.
• Work requires concentration and constant attention to accuracy and detail for extended periods.
• Work requires the daily use of a computer.
• Work requires regularly handling multiple family member cases involving a variety of providers, situations, deadlines and multiple priorities.
• Work requires attendance at High Five for P-5 project meetings and off-site meetings on occasion.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Social Work, Clinical or Counseling Psychology, Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Professional Counseling or related discipline.
  

• Eligibility for professional license in Maryland is required (LCSW-C or LCPC license).
  

• Two years of experience providing screening and intervention in a healthcare or public welfare setting to children and families.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Classified Title: Behavioral Health Specialist
Role/Level/Range: ACRP/03/MB
Starting Salary Range: Min $40,900 - Max $71,600 Annually ($65,000 targeted; Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: M-F 9-5
Exempt Status: Exempt
Location: School of Medicine Campus
Department name: ​​​​​​​SOM Ped General Pediatrics
Personnel area: School of Medicine 

Total Rewards
The referenced salary range is based on Johns Hopkins University’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines:
JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

**Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate’s conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion .

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law
Learn more:
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_files/employers/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf

Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at [email protected] . For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu .

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The following additional provisions may apply, depending on campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

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