Developmental Specialist/Educator-Early Intervention, Fee for Service-Days

Developmental Specialist/Teacher/Educator

Joining UMass Memorial Health Community Healthlink (CHL) makes you part of a team doing work that is often life changing for those we serve. We provide high-quality behavioral health care services to individuals, couples, and families that is fulfilling both professionally and personally. CHL has been a leader in central and north Worcester County for over four decades in providing care to those facing mental illness, homelessness and substance use and recovery.

Community Healthlink (CHL) is looking for a Fee for Service (10-24 hrs/wk) Developmental Specialist/Teacher/Educator in Northern Worcester County, MA. The Early Intervention (EI) team provides strength-based, family-centered services for young children under three years of age who have developmental delays or are at risk of a developmental delay. Services are designed to meet the needs of each infant or toddler, and the needs of their family. The EI team provides services in the home/community setting with the goal of enhancing the child's physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional and adaptive skills.

This position offers a wonderful opportunity to join an expanding multi-disciplinary team of passionate professionals who are dedicated to providing the highest quality of care for young children and families. In this role, you will provide evaluations and assessments, therapeutic interventions, and service coordination.

Responsibilities:

• Provide strength-based, family centered services for children under the age of three who have developmental difficulties due to identified disabilities or delays, or if typical development is at risk due to certain birth or environmental circumstances.
• In partnership with caregivers in the child's natural environment, provide services that focus on the family unit, utilizing family resources and daily routines to enhance the child's growth and development.
• Support and encourage the family's use of and access to community-based resources that will continue to support the child's development.
• Provides direct intervention services to children 0 - 3 and their families in natural settings.
• Carries out service coordination functions when appropriate as defined by the Early Intervention standards.
• Conducts evaluations and other assessments.
• Develops and implements Individual Family Service Plans.
• Assists in transition planning prior to discharge from the program.
• Referrals to outside agencies as needed.
• Maintains client records and other administrative duties according to DPH and Lipton Early Intervention policies.
• Adhere and complete all CHL's protocols, policies, and procedures.
• Early Intervention services are provided both in-person and/or by Telehealth.
• Attends in-service education and professional meetings as required.
• Maintains regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.
• Ability to work independently and contribute to the overall success of the team.
• Flexibility, excellent interpersonal skills, verbal, written and communication skills.
• Describe the important theories of infant/toddler development and their implications for intervention.
• Describes the common risk factors for developmental dysfunction including maternal substance abuse, poor nutrition, environmental risk factors, cognitive delays in parents, prematurity and poor birth weight.
• Demonstrates knowledge of typical infant/toddler development in five global domains: personal-social, adaptive, motor, communication and cognition.
• Demonstrates the ability to support positive child and family development.
• Develops appropriate functional intervention techniques for infants and toddlers with atypical development.
• Respects diverse views and approaches, demonstrates Standards of Respect, and contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of professionalism, tolerance, civility and acceptance toward all employees, patients and visitors.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution with a major concentration in infants and toddlers (includes Early Intervention and early childhood education), education or special education; Master's degree preferred.
• Completion of at least 4 approved 3-credit courses that focus on infants, toddlers and/or families.
• Completion of at least 300 hours of practicum or work experience with young children under the age of 5; additional experience with infants, toddlers and/or families is preferred.
• All candidates will be subject to a CORI review as outlined in the regulations set by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

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

We're striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health for our patients, our community and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, every day.

As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentacquisition@umassmemorial.org. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.