Child Development Specialist

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD (“The HARRIS CENTER”) is looking for a Child Development Specialist to join our team. Provides Early Childhood Intervention Services. These services include Referral, Assessment, Intervention and Service Coordination to infants and toddlers birth to 3 years old and their families.

Your role in Action:

• Conducts telephone interviews to processes referrals and schedule initial evaluations and initial Individual Family Service Plans [IFSP].
• Assesses development for initial and annual eligibility
• Assesses development and ongoing progress in order to meet the needs of the child and family.
• Develops initial IFSPs with team members including the family.
• Schedules and reviews IFSPs every 6 months and annually.
• Provides Specialized Skills Training to address developmental needs.
• Provides Service Coordination to address child and family needs.
• Documents every contact and attempts to contact families electronically.
• Submits electronic documentation according to agency policy.
• Meets requirements to comply with ECI procedural safeguards and confidentiality.
• Meets ECI and agency required training policies.
• Meets annual requirements to renew EIS Certificate.
• Conducts chart audits to meet ECI policies and procedures.
• Provides written audit feedback to managers and staff.
• Provides ECI required and ongoing training.
• Maintains accuracy of EIS Registry.
• Assesses ECI training needs.
• Develops IPDPs and monitors completion of ECI CSPD.
• Provides mentoring visits to complete CSPD activities and as needed.

What qualifications you will need:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree. The Bachelor's degree must be in the social sciences; if not, then a degree with a minimum of 18 credit hours of social science courses.
• A university transcript is required to verify applicable coursework if degree not in the social sciences.

Experience:

• Experience working with children from birth to three[3] years old is preferred.

Other Key Qualifications:

• Must maintain a valid Texas Driver's License and be insurable under Agency policy.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• The person must have well-developed interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills and be a team player with a desire to provide a high level of customer service.
• Possess strong verbal and written communication skills and interact effectively at all levels within the organization.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work within a team environment.
• Cooperative and willing to assist others.
• Excellent organizational skills.

What we have to offer:

The HARRIS CENTER offers competitive salary, excellent benefits package, retirement plans with company matching, prior service credit towards generous PTO accrual, outstanding wellness programs and professional development.

Employees can also take advantage of business casual dress code, corporate discounts, and gym memberships. New hire referral bonus, discounts are also available on an optional basis. These include mobile phone service, fitness centers and other wellness amenities.

What else you should know:

This posting is associated with position #9035

This position is located at 9401 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77074.

About us:

The HARRIS CENTER is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The HARRIS CENTER provided care to over 79,000 people in fiscal year 2019 and has an annual budget of over $275 million.

As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The HARRIS CENTER provides a full continuum of services at 86 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 42 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the most diverse and multi-cultural communities in the nation.

By utilizing the unique expertise of its more than 2,300 employees, The HARRIS CENTER is committed to meeting the behavioral health and IDD needs of Harris County residents and giving them hope to live to their fullest potential.