The Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus, OH 43209

BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST DESCRIPTION & EVALUATION

Position Title: Behavioral Support Specialist No: 100/200/300 Department: ECLC

Personnel Code: Professional Staff Status: Exempt Supervisor: ECLC Director

Mission Statement:

The Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus is a human service agency offering a varied program that is Jewish in nature. It is committed to enhancing the quality of individual and family life through the promotion of physical, intellectual and spiritual wellness. It provides educational and cultural programs that reflect the Jewish heritage, health related activities and many services to the community at large. Through its wide array of programs, the JCC pursues its mission of strengthening the individual, family and community.

Vision Statement:

The JCC nurtures a passion for Jewish learning and living. Through programs and services, the JCC provides comfortable and inviting environments in which the community can thrive.

Revised by the Board of Trustees on April 16, 2012

Agency Expectations:

• To support the mission of the JCC.

• To ensure the highest quality of programs and services and possess a working knowledge of agency programs and services.

• To represent the agency and provide the highest quality of customer service to the individuals and groups with whom you come into contact.

• To treat fellow staff with respect.

• To adhere to all policies and practices provided in the employee handbook.

• To wear JCC Staff ID badge and attend appropriate staff meetings.

Position Summary: The Behavioral Support Specialist provides psycho-educational services to children (infancy-PreK by assessing and evaluating their needs, enhancing the social-emotional curriculum, hands on participation in training staff to support the children’s learning and emotional well-being. Working in collaboration with the ECLC Administration/families/teachers/therapist to build a plan that will improve a child's academic performance, enhance their emotional regulation and foster positive relationships in the classroom.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Behavioral Support Specialist Duties:

• Conduct classroom group and/or one-on one observation at the JCC to determine if any children may be at risk and potentially in need of early intervention.

• Provide intervention in the classroom to ensure high quality care, learning experiences and physical classroom environments that are developmentally appropriate and create a solid foundation for children socially, emotionally, physically, cognitively and spiritually – promoting future learning success.

• Monitor classroom environment for impact on individual children using developmental standards.

• Collaborate with ECLC Administration to tailor an intervention plan to the individual child based on evaluation.

• Maintain record keeping and documentation of work and interventions.

• Confer with the Director(s), families, teachers and specialists working with the child.

• Work collaboratively with ECLC Administration to set up regular meetings with parents/teachers as to strategies applied in the classroom and community resources available to help the child become successful in the classroom.

• Provide training and support to individual teachers so they may incorporate various recommended strategies in the classroom.

• Model appropriate techniques in the classroom for teachers needing additional support and help with behavior management.

• Act as a liaison between outside therapists, families, and teachers to provide consistency and align goals for children and families.

• Work collaboratively and as a consultant, across agency programs, to provide follow - through for children and families.

• Participate in the planning and implementation of teacher training and Teacher In-Service week, as they relate to mental health, child development, social-emotional needs of the children in the classroom.

• Collaborate with ECLC Administration to support the implementation, scoring and interpretation of the ASQ developmental screenings and track the children’s progress

• Review staff preparation of Parent-Teacher Conferences as needed; participate in conferences when appropriate.

• Take personal responsibility to keep current on the latest educational trends in early childhood and mental health.

• All other duties as assigned.

• Knowledge and Education - Minimum Required or Preferred: Master's degree in social work, Psychology and/or related field preferred, Certification as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), RBT Certification preferred.

• Experience - Minimum Required or Preferred: 3+ years’ experience providing psycho educational services to children and their families, Early Childhood classroom experience necessary, experience utilizing behavioral management techniques, developing and facilitating group trainings for adults, experience with Early Intervention in classrooms settings.

• Special Skills: Knowledge of child development, knowledge of IEPs’, collaboration with co-workers, families and school system, move from sitting to standing position easily and quickly, stand for long periods of time, able to run and actively engage physically with children, supervise children by sight and sound, safely able to lift/move children up to 40lbs and ability to travel to three sites routinely.