Behavior Specialist

Develop and implement behavioral plans and behavioral interventions with teachers from the collection of data and observations of children's behaviors to enhance their learning experience.

Duties and Responsibilities

Each employee is expected to strive for excellence in the performance of their tasks in an efficient manner, exercising good judgment with a dedication in fulfilling the mission of the agency and service to others.  Employees are expected to keep informed of community issues, regulations, new research, and trends related to their field of work. Each employee is expected to assist with fund development. Integration of agency programs and services places you in a position of cooperatively seeking advice from other employees; sharing of program information; and assisting in other work units when needed.  All employees must be conscious of and develop habits in: reducing waste: eliminating duplication of services; improving productivity and cost effectiveness. It is required that you report to your designated work location daily as scheduled.

In the performance of your job, the following specific policies, procedures, and regulations should be adhered to:

Head Start Program Performance Standards

KCEOC Child Development Policies and Procedures

KCEOC Personnel Policies and Procedures Manuel

KCEOC Financial Policies and Procedures

KCEOC Travel Policy and Procedures

Day Care Licensing Regulations

The duties of the Behavior Specialist include, but are not limited to:

• Acquire knowledge of and implement accordingly the Head Start Program Performance Standards.

• Become competent in the use of designated computer programs, and use properly in the management of the Child Development Program; assure that any staff that you monitor or may supervise understands the computer program applications and they follow procedural and coding requirements.

• Responsible for compiling designated reports in a timely manner; including, but not limited to: program activity reports for KCEOC Board of Directors and Policy Council, program information reports (PIR), and compilation of statistics needed in the Child Development Unit.

• Assist in the writing and development of grant packages to be presented to potential funding sources or in the renewal of grants by: the generation of ideas for projects and methods for their operation; providing information for specific ideas; and sometimes gaining community support for the proposed project.

• Participate in the annual program self-assessment process which includes development and implementation of corrective action plans when necessary.

• Assist with Community Assessment process by collecting data about community strengths, needs, and resources in order to better serve Early Head Start/Head Start families.

• Gain a working knowledge of all programs operated by KCEOC for the purpose of providing information, making referrals and the delivery of integrated services to clients.

• Responsible for taking corrective actions in a timely manner to resolve any problems that occur in meeting the goals and objectives of the Early Head Start/Head Start program; be responsive to identifying barriers to effective performance of supervised staff and implementing written plans of action to overcome obstacles to effective performance.

• Provide technical assistance and expertise while working in a cooperative manner with all staff, parents and volunteers in the planning, integration and implementation of Early Head Start and Head Start services.

• Preserve the privacy of all children and families enrolled in KCEOC’s Child Development Program by maintaining the confidentiality and security of all family information.

• Have an understanding of the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework.
• Responsible for generating an appropriate amount of non-federal share (in-kind) that is reasonable and necessary for the operation of the Child Development Program.

• Represent KCEOC and their Child Development Program on interagency committees as well as other community organizations which would promote the Head Start/Early Head Start Program/Philosophy and result in positive community collaboration.

• Assist with file checks of all education and family services staff.

• Responsible for obtaining the annual required number of Child Development training hours per local, state and federal regulations through KCEOC’s Pre-service Training.  

In addition, the duties of the Behavior Specialist include, but are not limited to:

• Work cooperatively with other Head Start/Early Head Start staff in the planning integration, and implementation of Head Start/Early Head Start health and mental health services for children 0 to 5 years of age.

• Work in collaboration with other child development staff to support positive teacher-child interactions and a classroom environment that promotes each child’s cognitive, social and emotional growth.

• Conduct individual and classroom observations and collects data to assess children’s behaviors.

• Utilize data results to determine additional child, family and/or classroom supports and services.
• Analyze individual child data to help develop a behavior intervention plans for teaching staff to implement in the classroom.
• Work directly with children who exhibit inappropriate behaviors to gather data and develop strategies to reduce and/or eliminate challenges within the classroom.

• Work directly with Education Team and Mental Health Consultant to refer for parents for support and individual child observations. Will work collaboratively to identify strategies for concerns faced within the classroom.

• Modify activities, removes barriers, and provided support as needed for inclusion of children with disabilities/mental health concerns in the full range of program activities.

• Develop and implement behavioral plans and behavioral interventions with teachers and make appropriate referrals to outside community agencies as needed. Provide adjustments as needed.
• Analyze the behavioral interventions to determine their success.
• Assist teachers in identifying in appropriate behaviors and develop better behavior alternatives.
• Support staff with the implementation of behavior plans and behavioral interventions.

• Monitor and track progress of children with behavior plans.

• Be knowledgeable of the mental health referral process.

• Follow up on treatment and services.

• Gaining a working knowledge of community and regional health/mental health resources, provide ongoing written and verbal communications which ensure that all staff and parents are aware of latest community health/mental health resources and initiatives.

• Conduct/coordinate mental health screenings for Head Start and Early Head Start program; working collaboratively with parents; securing the services of mental health professionals through the appropriate referral process as needed.

• Direct a comprehensive social/emotional, mental health services delivery system that includes identifying and supporting children with mental health and social and emotional concerns and when appropriate, refers child and family for further assessment and services.

• Collaborate with and advocate for other services through other community resources.
• Consult regularly with staff on the progress of children with behavior concerns.
• Inform the Health/Mental Health Manager, Education Manager and appropriate senior staff of training, staff development and/or management strategies that need to be implemented to increase the Mental Health component within the Head Start system as needed and/or requested.
• Communicate with parent(s)/caregivers(s) regarding referrals and child progress.
• Assist parent(s)/caregiver(s) and teams with behavioral interventions in classroom and in homes.
• Design and facilitate training for staff and/or families to build awareness and teach appropriate practices related to child mental health, social and emotional well being, typical and atypical behavior, and child development.

• Train and support staff on the Conscious Discipline curriculum.

• Monitoring and observing Conscious Discipline curriculum.

• Conduct Conscious Discipline observations.

• Provide training to families of behavior children on relevant topics to their child’s behaviors.

• Work closely when possible with individual children and act as a role model to teach staff how to implement various behavioral interventions in the classroom.

• Provide on-going support and resources to teaching staff to ensure that individualized services are effectively provided to a child with diagnosed or suspected disabilities, IEP, and/or mental health concerns.

• Participate and offer suggestions in conferences, meetings, trainings and recruitment activities, representing KCEOC and the Child Development Program in a professional manner.

• Assist in the development of the annual Training and Technical Assistance Plan; ensuring issues related to the health/mental health component are addressed as needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Updated August 2023

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling or a related field.  Minimum of three years working with young children with challenging behaviors and families.  Valid driver's license; reliable transportation; local travel; occasional out of town travel.

Salary : $16 - $17