Department of Child Adolescent Psychiatry is seeking a Behavioral Health Specialist to provide services at East Baltimore Medical Center 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 health equity through the provision of early childhood development support within the context of pediatric primary care. East Baltimore Medical Center is a federally qualified health center located in East Baltimore.
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. This person will build strong relationships with families and with members of the care team (e.g., providers, social work staff, nursing staff, front-desk staff) to support team-based comprehensive care. As part of this position, this person will receive training and supervision in, and be expected to implement, at least three evidence-based models of care for young children, including HealthySteps, the Chicago Parent Program, and the mothers and Babies Program.

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND 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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s Degree in Counseling, Psychology, Public Health, Social Work, Education or related areas such as Women/Gender Studies is required. Eligibility for professional license in Maryland is required.
• Two years of clinical experience in a mental health profession working with clients required; three years preferred.
• Experience and knowledge about children and families required.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bilingual in English and Spanish.
  Classified Title: Behavioral Health Specialist
  Role/Level/Range: ACRP/03/MB
  Starting Salary Range: $41,300 - $72,300 Annually ($65,000 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)
  Employee group: Full Time
  Schedule: M-F/8:30A-5:00P
  FLSA Status: Exempt
  Location: School of Medicine Campus
  Department name: SOM Psy Child Adolescent Psychiatry
  Personnel area: School of Medicine
  Total Rewards
  The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University’s salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate’s geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education/training and other qualifications. 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/.
  Education and Experience Equivalency
  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 Completing Studies
  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.
  Background Checks
  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.
  Diversity and Inclusion
  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
  https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088EEOCKnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.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 jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit https://accessibility.jhu.edu/.
  Vaccine Requirements
  Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.
  The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon 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

Training/Professional Development Activities (on the job trainings)

• Participate in HealthySteps training (Virtual HealthySteps 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 HealthySteps 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 HealthySteps model is delivered with fidelity.
• Collaborate with the High Five for P-5 team to implement all core components of the HealthySteps 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 (providers, 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 facilitate 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 HealthySteps model and early child development and socio-emotional health.

Referrals and 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 HealthySteps, 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 HealthySteps National Office on services provided.
• Respond honestly to surveys and assessments of the program implementation.